Rekordbox to Serato Playlist Transfer — Native, No XML

The problem

Moving playlists from Rekordbox to Serato has historically meant: export Rekordbox XML → hope Serato parses it correctly → manually rebuild crate hierarchy → discover cue points and hot cues didn't translate. On top of that, modern Rekordbox 6+ ships with an encrypted master.db that most third-party tools can't open at all, so the XML route is often the only option — and it's lossy by design.

How Music Library Doctor does it

1 Install Music Library Doctor on the same Windows 10+ or macOS machine where Rekordbox and Serato are installed. MLD auto-detects both libraries.
2 MLD opens Rekordbox's master.db directly — including encrypted Rekordbox 6+ databases — without requiring Rekordbox to be running.
3 Select the Rekordbox playlists or folders you want to move. The full nested folder hierarchy is preserved.
4 Choose Serato DJ as the destination. MLD writes Serato's native crate files and the Serato-specific %% hierarchy format so nested folders survive the jump.
5 Open Serato DJ — your crates are already there with folder structure intact and file paths pointing at the right tracks.

Supported today

Rekordbox · Serato DJ · VirtualDJ (incl. Favorite Folders) on Windows 10+ and macOS (Apple Silicon + Intel).

Why native integration matters

Rekordbox stores playlists in a SQLite database (master.db) with rich metadata. Serato stores each crate as its own file plus a master DB, using a `%%` separator to encode nested folders. XML export throws away the hierarchy on both sides. MLD speaks both formats natively — it reads master.db (encrypted DB keys supported) and writes real Serato crate files, so nothing is lost in translation and Serato doesn't need to re-import anything.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to install Rekordbox and Serato on the same machine?

Yes. MLD reads both libraries locally, so both apps (or at least their library files) must be accessible on the same computer. Nothing uploads anywhere — all scanning is local.

Does it work with encrypted Rekordbox 6+ master.db files?

Yes. MLD supports Rekordbox's encrypted database key format, so you don't have to downgrade or export anything to read your playlists.

Will nested folder hierarchies transfer correctly?

Yes. Serato uses a `%%` separator for nested crate folders and MLD writes that format directly. A Rekordbox structure like House → Deep House → 2024 arrives in Serato as the same three-level tree.

Can I go the other way, Serato back to Rekordbox?

Yes — see the Serato to Rekordbox guide. MLD supports every direction between Rekordbox, Serato, and VirtualDJ.

What if my music files moved after I built the Rekordbox library?

Run the Missing File Fix first. MLD scans your drives, matches moved/renamed files, and repairs links in Rekordbox before the transfer so Serato receives a clean library.

Does it back up my libraries before writing?

Yes. MLD copies master.db and the _Serato_ folder to a timestamped backup before any write. You can roll back if anything surprises you.