How to Save Profiles, Key Commands, Preferences, Inputs/Outputs, CR Presets, Plugin Collections

[Reco29]

It takes a lot of time and energy to set up all these presets in the title and it is very cumbersome to rebuild them once they are lost. So it might be a good idea to secure them. Not only for security reasons but also if you want to update another system or copy them to a brandnew system. The file system can be confusing and sometimes presets are saved in more than one location. Moreover, there are some pitfalls that one should be aware of. At first, this might sound like a complicated and nerve-wrecking affair. Actually, it is not. Once you have set up a secure folder for backups with just two links that point to the original locations it takes less than a minute to save a huge bulk of your presets.
This is a description how to save the aforementioned presets and a couple more that come along with them. There are three dedicated files:

Profiles (.srf), RAMPresets.xml, and ControlRoomPresets.pxml.

1 PROFILES
Include

• Preferences
• Key commands
• Plug-in collections
• Toolbar settings for all windows
• Global workspaces
• Track control settings
• Track control presets
• Presets for input and output busses
• File format presets
• Quantize presets
• Crossfade presets

Preparation
If you want to include preference settings that you have changed just now in your current session, please close and relaunch Cubase first (important). Otherwise just skip this step.

1. Edit/Profile Manager
2. The focus is set on a default profile which is highlighted in white and not on your current profile. You need to set the focus on your current profile which is ticked (important)

3. Duplicate and save this profile with a distinct name, preferably with a date.

4. Activate this new profile in the Profile Manager, quit Cubase, and launch your project again. This way, all future changes will be applied to your latest profile (important).

5. Open the following location and copy/paste your latest profile into a secure folder of your choice.
   Make sure to create a link that points to the location below and save it in your secure folder, too!
   This way you can easily access this location to copy/paste, save or update any profile.
   Please change the name of your Cubase version accordingly:

Windows:
C:\Users\Name\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Application Files\Cubase 14_64\Profiles
Or press the Windows logo key + R simultaneously to open the ‘Run’ command prompt, enter %appdata%/
and open Steinberg\Application Files\Cubase 14_64\Profiles.

Mac:
Go to “Your Username/Library/Preferences” and locate the folder which is named the same as your Cubase/Nuendo version.
Please note: Since Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), the user’s Library folder is hidden! Here is how to access it: In the menu bar of Mac OS X click on “Go”. While the menu is folded out holding down the [ alt ] key (options) will show the “Library” entry.

2 Audio Connections INPUTS/OUTPUTS and CONTROL ROOM Presets
Inputs and Outputs are stored in a file called RAMPresets.xml which also includes

• Track Control Presets
• Transport Panel Presets
• VST Connections Presets
• Tool Bar Presets
• Zoom Presets
• Crossfade-Presets
• Quantize Presets

Control Room Presets are stored in a file called ControlRoomPresets.pxml.
BOTH files share the same location.

Copy/paste RAMPresets.xml and ControlRoomPresets.pxml to a secure folder of your choice. Again, make sure to create a link that points to the location below and save it in your secure folder, too. This way you can easily access this location and copy/paste in order to save/update.
Please change the name of your Cubase version accordingly:

Windows
C:/Users/Name/AppData/Roaming/Steinberg/Cubase14_64/Presets/
=> RAMPresets.xml
=> ControlRoomPresets.pxml
Or press the Windows logo key + R simultaneously to open the ‘Run’ command prompt and enter this path: %appdata%/
and open Steinberg/Cubase14_64/Presets/

Mac:
Go to “Your Username/Library/Preferences” and locate the folder which is named the same as your Cubase/Nuendo version.

All you need from now on is your secure folder with two links. Just keep in mind the pitfalls that are marked as important in the Profile Save procedure above.

[Martin.Jirsak]

Hi,

I would like to add one important information.

In Cubase is all the settings stored to the preferences file while Cubase quit. That means, if you make any changes (which you want to keep/transfer/backup), you have to restart Cubase first. Then you can save the Profile in Cubase.

[Reco29]

Hi Martin,
that’s an important addition to point 4 under profiles, thanks for pointing this out ! I will add this information to the text

[Greg_Purkey]

Good stuff!

I would even consider creating a tutorial video for this. I dont know of any that currently exist.

[battleangel]

Now imagine if there would be just one option: “save all settings”. Ideally somewhere easily accessible like Documents folder.

I work on a computer that is strongly secured by the IT. For now, I can still access folders where those settings are stored. But one day IT may also lock me out from those. Then I’ll need to ask IT for a special permission, which they may or may not give me.

The worst part is that if we have an issue with the new Cubase version, the “best” recommendation is to put all settings into the bin. I’m not looking forward to a day where I’ll be “the lucky one”

[Reco29]

Yeah, I totally agree, the current system is confusing when it comes to secure all your customized settings as I pointed out. Ideally, this would be condensed into a folder that contains global settings and project related settings.
However, the little tutorial above grabs more settings/presets than you might think and boils it down to a routine with just two links. I have done this for years by now and it saved me tons of time. Give it a try, you’d be surprised. As long as you regularly save these three files you’ll be the lucky one in a literal sense

[Reco29]

@Greg_Purkey

Good stuff!

I would even consider creating a tutorial video for this. I dont know of any that currently exist.

Cheers, that’s a good idea
Especially profiles are such a powerful source to save/export/update many presets in one go. I think what keeps many users away is that you must know your way around these pitfalls I mentioned. Once you do, it’s a piece of cake

[fese]

@battleangel

Now imagine if there would be just one option: “save all settings”. Ideally somewhere easily accessible like Documents folder.

I work on a computer that is strongly secured by the IT. For now, I can still access folders where those settings are stored. But one day IT may also lock me out from those. Then I’ll need to ask IT for a special permission, which they may or may not give me.

You will always be able to access the Cubase Settings folder. If not, Cubase simply wouldn’t work at all, because it needs access to that folder to operate properly.

[fese]

In addition to @Reco29 's post I would add that there are still other presets you might want to pay attention to:

• Track Presets: Those are not stored in the “Cubase XX_64” settings folder, but one level up in the “Track Presets” folder.
• VST Presets: Those are stored in your Documents folder under “VST3 Preset” (on Windows, dunno for Mac).

(and it goes without saying that of course you should do regular backups of your computer anyway, not just the Cubase settings)

[battleangel]

It’s not working like that. IT can restrict my access as the user. I already have limited privileges which is already causing issues with eg. Native Access installer.
It’s real PITA but that’s the price for working on a computer that belongs to a company. IT is obsessed with security and I don’t blame them, after all they’re paid for it.

[Martin.Jirsak]

Hi,

@fese

Track Presets: Those are not stored in the “Cubase XX_64” settings folder, but one level up in the “Track Presets” folder.

I’m not with Cubase at this moment, but I would be really surprised, if it’s out of the preferences folder.

[Reco29]

Good addition @fese
As a matter of fact, there are many files that constitute the customized eco system Cubase. Saving them all would require a different approach, of course. As a result, picking just three files is a choice. I didn’t explain why I picked them because the tutorial is long enough as is and the longer it gets the more complicated it may look at first glance.
Here’s my simple explanation why I picked these three files:

• Profiles contain a huge bulk of personal settings and presets
• RAMPresets and ControlRoomPresets are sometimes set back to their defaults and overwritten. A known issue for years now, so I thought I’d better include them.

In other words, your additions are highly welcome

[fese]

I was surprised, too, but it is even described in that KB-article (https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/115000245510-Preferences-of-Cubase-and-Nuendo [btw, there is an error in that article regarding the VST3 presets paths, they are wrong, dunno if you maybe know someone who can fix that]).

[Martin.Jirsak]

Hi,

Sorry, you are right. I checked the real location on my system and also the article.

@fese

btw, there is an error in that article regarding the VST3 presets paths, they are wrong, dunno if you maybe know someone who can fix that

I have informed the people in charge. Thank you!

[gitarul]

Thank you @Reco29. I’m preparing to set a new system on my desktop PC and your post is going to help me maintain my Cubase config. Thanks!

[Reco29]

Glad I could be of help!
There are more files you might want to save, though. As @fese mentioned VST3 presets or track presets for starters. Or templates. If you want to make sure you got everything go big and save the lot.
However, saving your latest profile following the description above and the other files is a decent and reliable starting point which will save you a lot of time.
Enjoy your new system!

[soundngin]

+1 Great topic Reco29!
I’ve put off backing up my settings for so long and have spent so much time resetting settings it’s not even funny. This is a huge help for me to get into it. The only thing that I have been backing up was my system preferences and other random settings. Wish to get organized and also back up all my user presets including instrument and track user presets and project templates as well.

[gitarul]

These are not my problem as I’m taking my documents folder with me. I have all user files including Firefox and Thunderbird and profiles on separate drive so once I set up new system I’m updating location of them and everything is before format. I’m also making disk image before format, so if I have major problems I can revert my machine back to working state.
It’s sad that templates, settings and so are not located in Steinberg’s folder in user documents. This way my config would apply by default after reinstall.

[Nico5]

@gitarul

It’s sad that templates, settings and so are not located in Steinberg’s folder in user documents. This way my config would apply by default after reinstall.

I feel your pain. However:

The Documents folder in modern operating systems is intended for fully user controlled content and not for configurations.

Keeping content and configurations clearly separated is a feature and not a bug. Configurations make software behave differently, and thus are conceptually somewhere between program code and content - and often need to be managed quite differently. Not only in corporate or institutional environments, but even in my single user environment.

One of the big pains in configuration management is, that operating systems have changed over the years and with that, they’ve changed where and how configuration data is supposed to be stored.

As a result, configuration storage has evolved on the various operating systems over the years. And we have the big mess of inconsistency on our systems these days.

Software makers like Steinberg are as much pawns and victims in this evolutionary process as us end users.