Running Live as Administrator (Windows)

  • Live Versions: All
  • Operating System: Win

Running Live as administrator gives the program a higher level of access to the operating system and might solve some problems such as:

  • Certain VST plug-ins not running correctly, or licensing not being preserved. 
  • Problems installing Live Packs.

Note: In general, Live doesn't need to run as administrator. Unless you're encountering issues like the ones above, there's no need to do so. Also bear in mind that when Live is running as administrator it is not possible to drag and drop files from Windows Explorer/File Explorer into Live.

To run Live as administrator:

  1. Locate the Live icon on the Start Bar, Task Bar, or Desktop.  
  2. Right-click the icon, and select the 'Run as administrator' option. 
  3. You can also use the shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT and click the icon.

To permanently run Live as administrator:

  1. Right-click the Live icon from the Desktop, Start Bar or Task Bar. 
  2. Choose 'Properties' from the list.
  3. Select the 'Compatibility' tab. 
  4. From the 'Privilege Level' section, tick 'Run this program as an administrator'. 

Ableton offers these in-depth help and learning resources: