Authorizing Live for all users on macOS

For installing Ableton Live in a multi-user environment such as a computer lab, this guide contains the suggested method relevant in most cases. 

If you are deploying Live 12.0.20 or later via MDM, please see the guide Hands-Off Authorization for Deployment Systems.

Note: As of Live 12.0.10, Unlock.cfg is named Unlock.json.

Step 1: Install Live

• Login with admin credentials to the computer.
• Install the latest version of Live. You can download this from your Ableton.com user account.

Step 2: Authorize Live

• Launch Live. The authorization screen will pop up.
• Follow the instructions to authorize Live online (the easiest method). You can also authorize offline if the computer is not connected to the internet.
• Once successfully authorized, close Live.

Step 3: Copy the Unlock.cfg file

Live's authorization is stored in a file called Unlock.cfg.

• Open Finder and click "Go" from menu bar. Press and hold "alt/option", then click on the Library shortcut which appears. (This is the user level library which is normally hidden).
• From the Library folder go to: Application Support/Ableton/Live x.x.x/Unlock/
• Copy the Unlock.cfg file contained there:

Step 4: Manually create a new Unlock folder in a shared location

You can now create an unlock folder in a shared location so that all users of the computer can access the same unlock file.

• Open Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support
• Create a new folder and name it Ableton. Within this folder create a new folder called Live x.x.x. (replace x.x.x with the correct Live version, e.g. Live 11.1)
• Within this folder create a new folder called Unlock. 
• The entire path of the newly created folder structure should be:
  Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Ableton/Live x.x.x/Unlock
• Now paste the copied Unlock.cfg into this newly created Unlock folder.

Step 5: Delete the default Unlock folder

In order for Live to use the unlock file in the newly created shared location, the default unlock folder needs to be deleted:

• Delete the default Unlock folder
  Macintosh HD/Users/[Username]/Library/Application Support/Ableton/Live x.x.x./Unlock/

Step 6: Disable automatic updates using a shared Preferences file

Live auto-updates will break this configuration, so we recommend you disable automatic updates for all users on the computer:

• Open Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/
• Create a new folder called Ableton, then within that, another folder with Live's version number (e.g. Live 11.1).
• The full path of the newly created folder should be:
  Macintosh HD:/Library/Preferences/Ableton/Live x.x.x/
• Create a plain text file (using TextEdit). In the Format menu click "Make Plain Text".
• Add this line to the text file: -_DisableAutoUpdates.
• Save the text file and name it Options.txt
• Move the text file into the newly created shared folder: 
  Macintosh HD:/Library/Preferences/Ableton/Live x.x.x/

Step 7: Delete the folder named "Live x.x.x" inside the Preferences folder

For Live to use the Preferences file in the newly created shared location, the existing default Preferences folder named "Live x.x.x" must be deleted.

• Delete the default "Live x.x.x" folder located at this path:
  Macintosh HD/Users/[current user]/Library/Preferences/Ableton/Live x.x.x

Step 8: Log-in as a standard user and test

Login with a standard user account and test to see that Live launches without asking for authorization.

Step 9: Repeat steps 1-8 on every computer

This process needs to be repeated on all computers in the lab.

Step 10: Install Live Packs (optional)

Live Packs are quite large and should be installed only once on a machine so that they can be shared by all users on that computer. To install your Ableton Live Packs in a shared location:

• Create a folder for Live Packs in a shared location on the computer, for example MacintoshHD/Users/Shared/Ableton/Factory Packs/

1. Open Preferences → Library to set the installation folder for Packs to the folder you just created.
2. Then download and install your Ableton Live Packs.
3. Each user can then set the installation folder for Packs to the folder you have created, and access the installed Packs.

Note that Ableton Packs can only be installed from the computer's primary Admin user profile. If you try to install Packs from other computer user accounts, the Packs section of Live’s Browser will show the message "Can’t retrieve list (Missing authorization)":

This is because Packs authorization is linked to the computer Admin profile where Live was installed and authorized. To resolve this error, sign in to the computer's primary Admin account to install Packs.