The Ultimate Guide to Fixing Ableton 12 Browser Duplicates
The Ultimate Guide to Fixing Ableton 12 Browser Duplicates
Introduction: The Frustration of a Cluttered Browser
If you’ve been working in Ableton Live 12, you might have noticed an annoying issue: your browser is suddenly flooded with duplicate samples. Nothing kills your creative flow faster than scrolling through the same sounds over and over again. Even worse, if you’ve reached out to Ableton support, you may have received an answer that wasn’t exactly helpful.
In this post, I’ll break down why this happens and give you the simple fix that keeps your browser clean while still giving you access to the sounds you need.
The Root Cause: Ableton Places & Collect All and Save
The problem comes down to how Ableton’s “Places” system works.
When you add an entire drive to Places, Ableton indexes everything on that drive — including the samples stored inside old project folders. If you’ve ever used “Collect All and Save” (which copies all external samples into your project folder), Ableton now sees both the original and the collected versions as separate files. Result? A browser full of duplicates.
The Step-by-Step Fix
Here’s how to clean up your browser and stop duplicates for good:
Step 1: Remove entire drives from your Ableton Places.
Step 2: Instead, add only the specific sub-folders you actually need — for example, Drums, Synths, FX, or a dedicated Sample Library.
By narrowing down what Ableton indexes, you eliminate duplicates while keeping your go-to sounds right at your fingertips.
The Trade-Off & The Workaround
Of course, there’s a trade-off. Removing whole drives means you won’t be able to instantly browse older project folders.
My workaround? Keep your production drive organized and only add folders you actively use to Places. If you ever need to grab assets from an older project, just navigate directly in your file system and drag them into Ableton. It’s a quick adjustment that keeps your workflow clean.
Why This Fix Matters for Your Workflow
A clean browser isn’t just about organization — it directly impacts your creativity and speed. When you aren’t wasting time scrolling past duplicates, you can focus on actually making music. Plus, a streamlined workflow reduces frustration and makes Ableton feel more like a creative instrument than a technical hurdle.
Watch the Full Video Walkthrough
If you want to see the entire process step by step, check out the video below where I demo exactly how to set this up inside Ableton Live 12.
And for members, there’s a free download available inside the member portal that helps you stay organized.
YOUTUBE MEMBERSHIP: https://www.youtube.com/@DistinctMastering/join
