By NaJade · DJ in Bangkok · Published November 6, 2026
This guide is part of the DJ software guide.
The best library in the world is useless if it only exists on the laptop you left at home.
If you prepare music on one computer and play from another — or want to dig through your crates on your phone in a taxi — keeping rekordbox in step used to mean exports, copies and mistakes. Cloud Library Sync makes your library the same everywhere: change a hot cue at home and it’s there on your gig laptop. It’s one of the most useful features in rekordbox 7, and also one of the easiest to set up badly.
rekordbox Cloud Library Sync keeps your library data — playlists, hot cues, memory cues and beat grids — identical across your computers and mobile devices, while the music files themselves live in Dropbox or Google Drive. It’s included in the Creative and Professional plans; Free and Core users need the Cloud Option add-on.
What Cloud Library Sync Actually Syncs
There are two layers, and understanding them prevents almost every problem:
- Library data — playlists, hot cues, memory cues, beat grids and track information. rekordbox syncs this automatically through your AlphaTheta account.
- Music files — the actual audio. These are uploaded to a cloud storage service, either Dropbox or Google Drive, so other devices can download or stream them.
A few things don’t travel, according to AlphaTheta’s Cloud Library Sync operation guide: histories, hot cue bank lists, the tag list, matching, the sampler list and related tracks. Your core prep work does.
Which Plans Include It
Prices change, so treat these as a snapshot from the official rekordbox plans page at the time of writing.
| Plan | Cloud Library Sync | Devices that can sync | Price (billed yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Only with Cloud Option | 3 with Cloud Option | $9/month with Cloud Option |
| Core | Only with Cloud Option | 3 with Cloud Option | $19/month with Cloud Option |
| Creative | Included | 4 | $15/month |
| Professional | Included | 8 | $30/month |
Monthly billing costs a little more. For the full breakdown of what each tier unlocks, see rekordbox plans and prices. On Free and Core without the add-on, there’s only a small trial playlist to test the feature.
How to Set It Up
- Update rekordbox on every computer and phone you’ll use, and sign in with the same AlphaTheta account on all of them.
- Open Preferences, go to the CLOUD category and the Library Sync tab. Turn on Sync library to another device.
- Choose your storage — Dropbox or Google Drive — and log in through the browser window that opens. Use the same storage account everywhere.
- Pick a sync method. Synchronize selected music files only is the recommended option and suits a gig laptop; Synchronize all music files needs the Dropbox desktop app and suits a home studio machine.
- Upload tracks. Right-click tracks and choose Cloud Library Sync, then Upload tracks. Choose Copy rather than Move if other apps use the same files.
- On your phone, turn on Cloud Library Sync in the rekordbox app’s account screen and log in to your storage.
AlphaTheta recommends a connection of around 20 Mbps or faster for uploading and downloading. Do the first big upload at home, not on hotel Wi-Fi.
Common Problems and How to Avoid Them
| Problem | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Greyed-out tracks | The file only exists on another device | Upload it from that device |
| Duplicate tracks | Same song imported on two machines | Import once, let sync do the rest |
| Library won’t sync | Different AlphaTheta or Dropbox accounts | Use one account on every device |
| Nothing syncing at all | Using LINK EXPORT mode | Cloud sync doesn’t run in LINK EXPORT |
| Tracks missing in other apps | Uploaded with Move | Use Copy for shared files |
One more: cloud sync is for one DJ’s library. It isn’t designed for two people sharing an account. And it doesn’t replace a proper backup — see how to back up your rekordbox library.
Does It Replace USB Sticks?
Not for most club gigs. Booths still run on USB, and you should still export rekordbox to USB and carry a spare. What Cloud Library Sync does brilliantly is keep the source right, so every export starts from the same, up-to-date library. Pair it with a tidy structure from how to organise your DJ music library.
A Note From NaJade
For a long time I had three versions of my library: the studio one, the laptop one, and the one on my phone that I never trusted. I’d fix a beat grid at home and find it wrong again at a gig. Cloud sync ended that — but only after I stopped importing the same tracks on two machines. My rule now is simple: new music only goes in on one computer, gets prepared there, and syncs everywhere else. Then I still export two USBs before a show. The cloud keeps my prep honest; the sticks keep the night safe. Neither does the other’s job.
Related: the rekordbox review, rekordbox plans and prices, the DJ software guide, and exporting rekordbox to USB.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is rekordbox Cloud Library Sync?
Is rekordbox Cloud Library Sync free?
Does rekordbox cloud sync work with Google Drive?
How many devices can I sync with rekordbox?
Why are some tracks greyed out after syncing?
Can I still play from USB if I use cloud sync?
About the Author
NaJade is a Bangkok-based DJ playing progressive house, melodic EDM, pop, and Thai music across clubs, rooftops, and weddings in Thailand. He teaches beatmatching and mixing to beginners both in person in Bangkok and online over Zoom. When he’s not behind the decks, he’s documenting the journey on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.