Backward Compatibility

In Ableton Live, any Set made in an earlier version of Live can be opened in a later version. For example, a set made in Live 1-10 can be opened in Live 11 or Live 12.

Important: Sets created or saved in later versions of Live cannot be opened in earlier versions. For example, a set created or saved in Live 12 can't be opened in Live 11, or any earlier version of Live.

Point release compatibility
Save Set as a new file
Packs compatibility
Backward compatibility with Live-specific file types

If you encounter a problem opening a specific Set in a version later the one used to create it, update any plug-ins and third-party Max for Live devices used in the affected Set. Learn more about Troubleshooting a crash.

Point release compatibility

Sets saved in some "point" releases of Live cannot be opened in earlier releases of the same major version.

Live 11

Live 11.3
Live 11.2
Live 11.1

Sets cannot be opened in previous versions of Live 11 once edited and saved in Live 11.3.x., 11.2.x, or 11.1.x. To avoid accidental overwriting of an older set when opening it in Live 11.3.x, 11.2.x, or 11.1.x, Live will prompt you to save a new version, using the option Save as… Make sure to create a new name for your Set when saving.

Legacy Live versions

Live 10.1

Sets created or saved in Live 10.1 or later can't be opened in earlier versions of Live 10. Update all versions of Live to the very latest version of Live 10 in order to work on those sets.

Live 9.5 and 9.7

Live 9.5 and 9.7 introduced changes which means sets created there can't be opened in any earlier versions of Live 9. You'll need to update Live 9 to the latest version available in order to work with sets created in 9.5. or 9.7.

Save Set as a new file

After an update to Live, if you've opened a Live Set created in an earlier version, you'll be prompted to save it as a new file, using Save As... This ensures that the original Set remains openable in older versions of Live.

Packs compatibility

You can continue to use your Ableton Packs after an update to Live. To install a Pack, drag the Pack file from its location on your computer and drop anywhere in a Set opened in your current Live version. Once installed, the Pack will appear in the Places section in Live's Browser under Packs.

Ableton Packs are compatible with specific Live versions. Version requirements are listed on the Ableton Packs details page under the Download button for each pack, depending on the licenses in your account. Use the relevant Download button for your current Live version:

Note: Use the latest version of each Pack compatible with your Live version. Check for updates to installed Packs via Live's Browser, by going to Packs → Updates. Visit the linked article to learn more about Managing Packs.

Learn more about Downloading and Installing Packs in the Browser.