This article provides an overview of the data (files and folders) created during the installation and execution of TRAKTOR. The article also specifies the locations of these components on your system.
Installing and Launching TRAKTOR for the First Time
If you are a new user, you will be installing and launching a full version of TRAKTOR on your computer for the first time. The TRAKTOR installer as well as the TRAKTOR software will create the following TRAKTOR data on your system:
TRAKTOR Application Folder
The default path of the application folder is:
- OS X: Macintosh HD > Applications > Native Instruments > Traktor 2
- Win: C: > Program Files > Native Instruments > Traktor 2
After installing TRAKTOR for the first time, the application folder will contain the following components (see image below): 
- Traktor: This executable file is your main TRAKTOR application. Usually you will launch TRAKTOR via a shortcut on the Desktop (Win) or Dock (OS X). The main TRAKTOR application bears a specific version number. You can find out the version number by right-clicking on the file and selecting Get Info (OS X) or Properties (Windows) from the context menu. In our example, we are using the full version 2.7.0:
- Documentation: This folder contains several documents regarding the use of TRAKTOR soft- and hardware products as well as TRAKTOR Ready controllers:
- Controller Mappings (folder): Contains an overview of the functions for several TRAKTOR Ready controller mappings.
- Keyboard Shortcuts (folder): Contains an overview of the functions for the default keyboard mapping.
- License Agreement (folder): Contains legal information about your Native Instruments user license as well as the use of third-party content and licenses.
- Traktor Kontrol *Device Model* (folder): Contains the user manual for this device or controller (in five languages).
- Traktor 2 Manual *Language* (file): The TRAKTOR user manual (in five languages).
- Traktor 2 Getting Started *Language* (file): A start-up guide for learning the basic concepts of the TRAKTOR software (in five languages).
- Readme (file): This text file logs the history of all changes, new features and software fixes introduced for each TRAKTOR version.
TRAKTOR Root Directory
The TRAKTOR Root Directory- or TRAKTOR database- is where the TRAKTOR user data is stored. This data includes your Track Collection (your tracks, tags and playlists) and Traktor Settings file (your layout and preferences), among other documents.
Important Note: The TRAKTOR Root Directory contains personal user data which cannot be recovered after deleting. For this reason, do not delete this folder or modify its contents unless you have specific reasons to do so. It is strongly recommended to create and regularly update a backup copy of your Root Directory.
The default path of the Root Directory is:
- OS X: Macintosh HD > Users > *Username* > Documents > Native Instruments > Traktor *Version Number*
- Win: C: > Users > *Username* > My Documents > Native Instruments > Traktor *Version Number*
The Root Directory will be created when you launch TRAKTOR for the first time after having installed it on your system. The number in the folder name corresponds to the version of number of your TRAKTOR main application in the application folder. In our example, it is 2.7.0: 
Note: If you operate other Native Instruments products on your system (i.e. MASCHINE, BATTERY, ABSYNTH, etc.), the Native Instruments folder may contain additional subfolders next to the TRAKTOR Root Directory, named after their corresponding product name. Please consult the manual of the corresponding NI product to learn more about these folders.
As shown in the image above, the TRAKTOR Root Directory contains the following files and subfolders:
- collection.nml (file): This is the most important file of the Root Directory as it contains your current Track Collection. TRAKTOR loads this file every time the software is launched. If you perform changes in the Collection / Playlists, the file will be updated when closing the software. The file contains all the information regarding your tracks and their tags, as well as Playlists. It is created when TRAKTOR is launched on your system for the first time.
- Traktor Settings.tsi (file): This files determines the layout of TRAKTOR as well as all user-defined parameters in the TRAKTOR Preferences menu. TRAKTOR loads this file everytime the software is launched. If you perform changes in the Preferences or in the layout of the TRAKTOR user interface, the file will be updated when closing the software. This file is created at the time of launching TRAKTOR for the first time via the Setup Wizard configuration menu.
- Coverart (folder): When a music file (or the folder in which this file is contained) includes cover art information, TRAKTOR extracts this information at the time of import and places it into this folder in order to display the Cover Art in TRAKTOR's Browser.
- History (folder): Contains all History Playlists. A History Playlist contains information on tracks played in a given TRAKTOR session. Each Playlist is generated if more than one track has been played in the Decks, and it is automatically saved when closing TRAKTOR. The History Playlists can be reached via the Explorer > Archive node in TRAKTOR's Browser.
- Logs (folder): Contains the Traktor.log file which protocols certain operations in TRAKTOR. This file may result useful for specific troubleshooting issues.
- Settings (folder): Contains several TRAKTOR setting (.tsi) files including TRAKTOR Ready controller mappings, audio settings, keyboard and GUI layout. These files are automatically added to your TRAKTOR configuration when you choose certain options in the TRAKTOR Setup Wizard menu. See this video for more information.
- Stripes (folder): The contents of this folder are generated during analysis of your music files. The Stripes are displayed below an already analyzed track when loaded into a Deck.
- Transients (folder): The contents of this folder are generated during analysis of your music files. The transient files contain the beat information, which is essential for Beatgridding and Syncing your tracks.
- Backup (folder): This folder is created only after you have made changes in either your Track Collection or the TRAKTOR Preferences / layout. It may contain the subfolders Collection / Settings, which store backup versions of your collection / settings. Find detailed instructions on how to restore the state of your collection / settings from the Backup folder in the Related Articles section at the bottom of this page.
TRAKTOR Music Folders
During installation, TRAKTOR creates a separate folder to store specific audio content (recordings or samples) created via dedicated functions of TRAKTOR. The default path of this folder is:
- OS X: Macintosh HD > Users > *Username* > Music > Traktor
- Win: C: > Users > *Username* > My Music > Traktor
Note: The Traktor folder stores audio content created through the use of the TRAKTOR features Remix Deck, Mix Recorder and Loop Recorder. These features are not available in TRAKTOR LE 2 versions. This article explains how to upgrade your LE software to TRAKTOR (SCRATCH) PRO 2.
As shown in the image above, the Traktor folder contains the following subfolders:
- ContentImport: This folder holds your Remix Deck content. Each time you import a Remix Set (.trak file) or create a new Remix Set in TRAKTOR, a folder with the name of the Remix Set and all its associated samples will be created here. If you add or modify the samples of an existing Remix Set, the contents of these subfolders will be modified accordingly.
- Recordings: This folder holds all recordings made with TRAKTOR's Mix Recorder. The recordings can also be accessed via the TRAKTOR's Browser from the corresponding Audio Recordings folder.
- Samples: This folder holds all audio files that have been created and saved in TRAKTOR automatically as Samples, i.e. the audio material that you copy from the Loop Recorder / Track Deck onto a Remix Deck slot / another Track Deck.
Note: TRAKTOR allows you to additionally define one or several music folders for manual or automatic import of your music files. The inclusion of this folder is only optional and not required. The paths to the user-defined music folders can be set or modified in TRAKTOR Preferences > File Management > Music Folders. Please refer to your TRAKTOR manual for more information on Music Folder management.
Installing and Launching a TRAKTOR Update
When installing a TRAKTOR update, the following important additions will be made to both your application folder and your Root Directory:
TRAKTOR Application Folder
During the update installation, TRAKTOR will create a backup copy of your previously installed version. The application folder will now contain an additional Backup folder after the update installation. In our example, we had installed the full version 2.0.3 and had been regularly updating to each new version. In the image below we have installed TRAKTOR 2.7.1 update so now this is the main Traktor application. All previous versions starting 2.0.3 can be found and launched separatedly in the Backup folder. This is known as side-by-side installation.
TRAKTOR Root Directory
As each TRAKTOR software version requires its unique Root Directory, TRAKTOR will create a new Root Directory the first time you launch a newly installed update. Unless you have specific reasons to do otherwise, choose Yes when TRAKTOR prompts you to copy the collection and preferences from the previous installation. Likewise, click Yes for the second dialog box to import to the default path on your main drive.
Now TRAKTOR will copy the contents of the previous Root Directory into the new one. This operation may take a while depending on the size of your previous collection. 
At the end of the copying process, the new Root Directory will have been created in the Native Instruments folder. To continue with our example, the folder contains now the newly created Traktor 2.7.1 folder - which will be used by your main TRAKTOR application to manage your collection - next to the Root Directories for each previous TRAKTOR update version since 2.0.3. 
We recommend to keep and regularly update your TRAKTOR data on an external backup medium. You will find helpful advice on how to backup and maintain your TRAKTOR installation in the Related Articles section at the bottom of this page.