> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.samplevault.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Changelog > Product updates and announcements ## Loops in the Sequencer Layer always-playing loops under the pad grid: a bassline, a chord bed, a drum break. Each one stretches to your pattern's tempo, and you can swap any of them for a similar loop from your own library. * Drop a loop into a slot and it plays continuously under your beat at your pattern's tempo * Lock a filter to cycle through matching loops, or press ≈ to swap the current loop for one that sounds like it * Mute, solo, volume, and pan per loop * **Build a stack** fills every loop slot with tempo-matched loops from your library in one click, local and free * **Stack around this**: right-click a sample to open the sequencer with that sound as the first loop * **Design with AI** now works the loop lanes too. Ask for a bassline or drum break and it pulls a matching loop from your library * Ask the chat assistant for a kit and it can layer loops underneath, saved into your Sequencer library * Keyed loops follow the transpose control into your target key * Loops are included when you export or render the pattern to WAV ### Filters as chips Every filter you apply in the Library now shows as a chip beneath the search bar, so you can see and edit exactly what's narrowing your results. * **Add filter**: one menu covers tags, genres, category, key, scale, tempo, type, favorites, creator, sample pack, collection, and sound profile * Press F to search the menu and jump to a filter type, or to a specific tag, genre, creator, pack, or collection by name * Click a chip to edit it, its × to clear it, or right-click a tag, genre, or category to flip it to `not:` and drop every sample that carries it * **Suggested filters**: describe a sound and matching filters appear as dashed chips. "bright punchy kick" offers Brightness, Attack, and a Kicks category, to apply one at a time or **Add all** * Structured tokens like `@Cmin` or `#120-140` turn into chips, keeping the search box for plain text * **Shortcuts** with the Library focused: A applies suggested filters, D runs Deep Search, ⌘/Ctrl-B toggles the sidebar, ⌘/Ctrl-S saves a preset, C clears everything ### Deep Search Deep Search now turns your request into a plain search plus editable filter chips, then checks its own results and adjusts the filters until they fit. It handles asks that plain search gets wrong, like "warm pads, nothing cheesy" or "no vocals". * Run it from the **Deep Search** button, ⌘/Ctrl-Enter in the search box, or **Run Deep Search** when a search comes back thin * Its choices land as the same editable chips as any other filter, and your current results stay up until the refined set is ready * **Deep Search from this**: right-click a sample and describe the shift ("darker, more sub, less clicky") to find variations anchored to that sample's measured character * **Shows its work**: a line above the results streams each query it tries, then a one-sentence summary of what it applied or relaxed * Tempo filters match half- and double-time, so an 87 BPM loop still shows up in a 174 BPM search * It reads what a sample sounds like plus its filename and folder, not just its tags, so a mistagged sample still surfaces for the right search ### User Experience * **Add to collection** now starts with **Create new collection**, so you can name one and drop the sample straight in * Step or shuffle through a lane's matches right on the sequencer pads and loops, and hover to see the filter and its match count * Library and File Browser lists keep your scroll position when you switch panel tabs and back * Running a new Library search keeps your current results on screen with a thin progress line, instead of clearing them to a spinner * Tags Sample Vault adds to its own captures and renders (X-Ray, waveform, sequencer) are grouped under a **Sample Vault** filter and left alone when tidying tags and genres * When Sample Vault upgrades your local library on launch, the startup screen now says so, and warns it can take a few minutes on large libraries ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Browsing, filtering, and searching stay fast on very large libraries. The heaviest per-sample data no longer weighs down every list and search * Deep Search and filtered searches now return in about a second on large libraries instead of stalling for tens of seconds, most noticeably with a tag, genre, or tempo filter active * Samples pre-load on hover and press, along with their neighbors, so arrow-key stepping starts each sample instantly * Fixed audio staying silent on macOS after the computer went to sleep and woke back up * Fixed opening a second Sequencer panel blanking out both panels * Fixed switching back to a Library or File Browser tab sometimes showing an empty list or rows at the wrong height * Fixed the Waveform panel showing "No sample loaded" for samples downloaded from a cloud library * Fixed the Library processing status bar staying visible after all processing had finished * Fixed bulk and chat-assistant metadata edits not refreshing what a sample matches on in search * Fixed a large import sometimes slowing to a crawl, with a wildly inflated time-remaining estimate, and the Map view failing to build until the app was restarted * Fixed backups being refused with a "database may be corrupted" error after a recent update, even though the library was intact * **Repair Database** now rebuilds the local database file when an integrity check finds free-space damage, not just drifted indexes, and reclaims the disk space it was holding ## X-Ray Drop any track, loop, or sample into the new X-Ray panel, select any part of it, and find the closest sounds in your own library. It runs on your machine — nothing is uploaded, and it's free. * Open X-Ray as a panel, or right-click any sample and choose **Open in X-Ray** — WAV, MP3, AIFF, or FLAC * Drag across the waveform to select any part — a hit, a phrase, a loop — and the closest matches rank underneath * Regions audition the moment you select them, with a toggle to turn auto-play off * Approve or reject individual matches to steer the ranking without starting over * Save a matched region into your library as a new **X-Ray Captures** source, or copy it to the clipboard * Zoom, fit to width, and reopen recent tracks from the panel ### User Experience * **Spectrogram**: A new panel shows the playing sample as a time–frequency view, sharing the waveform's zoom, scroll, and timeline * **Waveform regions**: Drag across the Waveform panel to select a region that plays on its own, then right-click it to copy it or save it into your library under a new Captures source * **Deep Tagging**: AI indexing is now called Deep Tagging — the metered pass that labels samples with genres, creators, packs, and tags for Deep Search * **MIDI control**: Connect a MIDI controller and play the sequencer's pads with velocity, choosing your device from the transport bar * **MIDI recording**: Press record to capture the pads you perform onto the grid, quantized to each lane's step rate * **Sample folders**: The library now shows the folder each sample came from, with the full clickable path in the sample info panel * Samples with no creator or pack assigned no longer show "Unknown Creator" or "Unknown Sample Pack" * Library search now shows name matches as you type, while sound matches fill in underneath as they're found * In the sequencer, right-click a step to clear it, and the step inspector stays empty until you select a step * Build kit now draws each drum role from across your whole library at random, instead of favoring the alphabetically-first pack * Sequencer pads now hold a minimum size and the grid scrolls sideways when they don't all fit ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed typing a tag, genre, creator, or pack that doesn't exist in your library showing every sample as a match instead of none * Fixed picking certain tags or genres from the search bar making the library flicker endlessly between empty and full results * Fixed samples with accented or unusual characters in their filename failing to analyze and asking you to relocate a file that hadn't moved * Fixed the account menu hiding your Lifetime license when you also own a subscription * Fixed the Starter AI actions counter showing a negative number on accounts granted a larger starter pool * Fixed the library processing indicator staying stuck on "Processing your library" when a sample's file had been moved or deleted * Fixed being sent back to the sign-in screen while still signed in when a background check briefly couldn't reach the server * Fixed mono samples playing silence or the previously-played sound instead of the sample you clicked * Fixed playback starting late while the Waveform or Spectrogram panel was still loading * Build kit now assembles kits much faster on large libraries, with or without a vibe * Randomizing all sequencer lanes now re-rolls every pad at once instead of one at a time ## Faster on large libraries Filtering, finding similar samples, and Deep Search now run roughly 6–8× faster. ### Performance * Filtering by category is now near-instant on large libraries, even as your first filter, instead of scanning the whole library * Finding similar samples and Deep Search both run roughly 6–8× faster * The Similar Samples panel now shows the closest 50 matches first and loads more as you scroll ### Referrals Refer a friend and you both benefit: they save on a Lifetime or annual plan, and you earn a reward when they buy. * **They save**: \$20 off Lifetime, Home Studio annual, or Professional Suite annual on a first purchase. * **You earn**: subscribers get a free month credited to their next invoice; Lifetime owners get an extra device activation. * Referral codes are now available on paid plans, each with a redemption limit. ### User Experience * Category, tag, genre, creator, and pack filters now show how many samples each value covers, updating as you narrow with other filters * Selecting several tags or genres now narrows to samples matching all of them, with a count on each remaining option * Tag and genre groups can now be selected whole in one click, or expanded with an arrow to pick a sub-tag, without opening the group first * A tag or genre group with only one matching tag now shows that tag directly instead of nested * Assistant replies that suggest samples now have an actions row to copy them all, add them to a collection, send them to the Sequencer as a kit, or select them for drag-and-drop and bulk edits * Each sample folder now has a **Remove missing files** action that clears every moved or deleted file in one pass instead of one at a time * Right-clicking a folder in the directory list now opens its full set of actions — scan, retry, reprocess, remove missing files, and delete — without opening it first * The assistant chat box now grows to fit multi-line messages and matches the rest of the app's inputs * The assistant now has a header showing the current chat's title, with controls to start a new chat, browse history, and rename, pin, or delete it * Panel tabs now show each panel's icon, with cleaner selected and hover states * Pressing Ctrl/⌘+F now jumps straight to the library search from anywhere, opening a Library panel first if none is open ### Bug Fixes * Fixed the "Open in Library" quick action doing nothing instead of opening the Library with your search applied * Fixed selected sample chips being nearly indistinguishable from unselected ones in the assistant chat * Fixed the Suggestions panel silently falling back to only recent picks when AI suggestions weren't available instead of explaining why and disabling refresh * Fixed genres and tags you add by hand not joining your genre and tag lists, leaving them out of the filter families and automatic cleanup * Fixed some samples failing analysis because of an unusually low sample rate, such as 8 kHz field recordings * Fixed some 24-bit and floating-point WAV files being incorrectly rejected as corrupt * Fixed some AIFF files, including those Logic exports, being incorrectly rejected as corrupt * Fixed file browser rows flashing white while scrolling on light themes * Fixed the waveform timeline's labels and tick marks being unreadable on light themes ## A library that organizes itself Sample Vault now organizes your library for you — building live collections you describe, correcting categories by how samples sound, and tidying sprawling genre and tag lists. It also keeps verified local backups, so a damaged library is recoverable instead of lost. ### Live collections Describe a collection — "lo-fi drums, warm rhodes, and vinyl textures around 80–90 BPM" — and Sample Vault builds it from your library, organised into labelled groups that keep filling as matching samples arrive. Start one from the collection picker in the Library. * **Grouped browse**: each live collection shows a section per group, with "See all" to open just that group's matches. * **Refine with AI**: adjust a live collection in plain language — "stricter, only F minor" or "add a vinyl textures group". * **Hands-off**: live collections update on their own and stay read-only; manual collections are still yours to fill by hand. * **Built for you**: Sample Vault also assembles a few live collections on its own, shaped by the genres, DAW, and standing instructions in your profile. * Available on paid plans. ### Categories by sound Sample Vault groups samples that sound alike, then uses those groups to fix categories that don't match the sound and to name new ones your library was missing. It runs as part of Organize library. * **Corrects miscategorised samples**: a sample whose category doesn't match how it sounds moves to the one its neighbours share. * **Names new categories**: a distinct kind of sound with no existing home — hardstyle kicks, reverse cymbals, sub drops — becomes its own category. * **Your categories stay put**: categories you've made or renamed by hand are never changed. * Available on paid plans. ### Cleaner genres and tags Sample Vault now keeps your genre and tag lists from sprawling — merging near-duplicates, nesting specific values under broader parents, and dropping tags that only repeat a filter you already have. * **Browse by family**: genres and tags filter as a two-level tree — pick a parent like *trap* or *keys* to match everything beneath it, or open it to choose a single child. * **Your edits stay put**: tags you've created or renamed yourself are never deleted — a cleanup can only nest or relabel them. * Available on paid plans. ### Organize library A single **Settings → Processing** action runs category cleanup, genre and tag tidying, and collection building together — free in the background as your library grows, or on demand for some premium requests. * A status indicator in the title bar shows which step organization is on, whether it started on its own or you ran it. ### Backups and recovery Sample Vault keeps verified local snapshots of your library on a schedule, and when the library can't be read at startup it offers recovery instead of looping on Reload. Manage it under **Settings → App Data**. * **On by default**: choose daily or weekly snapshots and how many to keep. * Each snapshot is verified before it's kept, so a damaged backup is never saved. * **Restore or rebuild**: roll back to your most recent verified snapshot, or re-scan your folders to rebuild the library from the files on disk. ### Interface refresh A pass over the Library and app chrome for one consistent control style that holds up across every theme. * **Consistent filters**: chips, inputs, selects, and toggles in the Library now share one size and surface, with a single emerald highlight for what's selected. * **Cleaner canvas views**: on the Map, Scatter, and Circle views, the fit, isolate, axis, and scope controls moved into a floating panel on the canvas, leaving a slimmer header. * **Quieter title bar**: the workspace, loop, and library-status controls now match the rest of the title bar instead of standing out as boxes. * **Theme polish**: control surfaces and the sidebar now read correctly on light themes and adapt to each theme instead of staying fixed to the dark one. ### User Experience * **Steadier filters**: the Category, Genres, and Tags lists now fill the panel and scroll in place instead of shifting it as options change or you open a sub-group. * **Loading placeholders**: the Category, Genres, and Tags lists show placeholder chips while your library loads, instead of a blank panel. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed saving an incomplete OpenRouter key showing a generic error instead of telling you the key is too short or missing its `sk-or-` prefix. Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## v2.14.4 ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed Ableton Link switching off when you closed and reopened the tempo and key sync popover. * Fixed background sample processing stalling for long stretches while a large library is being indexed. * Background sample details (genres, tags, descriptions) no longer pause while a folder is being AI-indexed, and now keep processing while you're offline. * Sample details now generate roughly 2–3× faster during indexing. * Queueing a folder for AI indexing is faster, by enqueuing them in one pass instead of one at a time. * Fixed the Library status breakdown staying stale after a folder finishes scanning instead of refreshing with the rest of the library. ## v2.14.1 ### Build a kit from chat Ask the Assistant for a kit or a beat and it pulls matching sounds from your library, saves them as a named kit, and drops a button in the chat that opens it in the Sequencer. * **One click to the grid**: the button loads the kit, and an optional starter beat, straight into the Sequencer — opening the panel if it's closed. * **Unsaved work is safe**: if the open Sequencer has edits, it asks before replacing them. ### Manage collections The collection picker in the Library now lets you rename or delete a collection in place, and you can move a whole selection in or out of a collection at once. * **Rename or delete**: hover a collection in the picker for rename and delete actions — deleting drops the collection but leaves the samples in your library. * **Bulk add or remove**: select samples and use **Collections** in the selection menu to add them to a collection, or remove them from one they're all already in. ### User Experience * Switching your update channel now checks for a new version right away instead of waiting for the next automatic check. * The title-bar library status is now a compact icon — its full processing breakdown opens on demand and refreshes from the title-bar refresh button instead of recomputing continuously in the background. * The library now refreshes when new samples first appear, when a scan finishes, and when processing completes, with the title-bar refresh button on hand any time in between — instead of re-querying every few seconds while jobs run. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * A range of performance improvements keep browsing, search, and filtering responsive while large libraries are being scanned and processed. ## The Sequencer (Beta) A pad-grid step sequencer now lives in the dock. Drop your own samples onto pads, program them across polymetric lanes that drift against each other, and hand the result to your DAW — it's built to sketch a groove, not replace the DAW you finish in. The sequencer is in beta. Use the **Feedback** button in the **Sequencer** panel to tell us what's working and what isn't. ### The pad grid Open the **Sequencer** panel and pick a grid from a single row of eight pads up to 8×8. Each pad holds one sample and maps to a MIDI note for later. * **Fill a pad**: pick from your library, drop a sample on it, or let it choose — click a pad to audition it. * **Per pad**: mute, solo, and lock. ### Polymetric step lanes Every pad gets its own lane with its own length and rate, so lanes fall out of sync and only line back up after a long cycle. * **Length and rate per pad**: 1–32 steps at anything from 1/4 down to 1/32, plus triplets. * **Velocity per step**: drag or scroll a step to set how hard it hits. * **Per-step pitch**: tune individual steps, with the resulting note shown against the pad's key. * **Snap to key**: lock step pitches to the detected key and scale so nothing clashes. * **Choke groups**: let pads cut each other off, the way a closed hat silences an open one. ### Sourcing from your library The sequencer leans on what Sample Vault already knows about your sounds. * **Swap for similar**: replace a pad with a sample that sounds like it. * **Build a kit**: fill the unlocked pads with a matching set of sounds from your library. * **Design with AI**: describe a vibe and the designer picks the kit, programs the pattern, and sets the tempo and swing to match. * **Design one lane**: point the same AI at a single pad to swap its sound, rework its rhythm, or both. * **Shared tempo and swing**, following Ableton Link when a session is running. ### Export to your DAW When the groove is right, take it with you. * **MIDI clip** of the whole pattern, each pad on its own note, plus a manifest mapping every note to its sample. * **Audio render** to WAV, clamped for polymetric patterns whose loop runs long. * **Save as a sample**: render the pattern straight into your library — analyzed on the spot and tagged as a loop at the pattern's tempo, searchable immediately. * **Copy to clipboard**: send the MIDI clip or the WAV render straight to the clipboard to paste into your DAW. Sequencer playback and kit suggestions run on your machine and are free. Patterns save automatically as you work. ### Plans & Usage Deep Search, the assistant chat, the Sequencer Designer, and library suggestions now share one **AI actions** allowance instead of separate search and chat grants — heavier actions cost more from the same pool. Free accounts get a one-time starter grant; paid plans stay effectively unlimited under fair use. The Premium-requests pool (Smart chat, AI collections) and the indexing coverage pool are unchanged. See [Plans & Usage](/reference/plans-usage#starter-pools). ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed the assistant failing with a cryptic error when your session expired mid-conversation, instead of telling you to sign in again Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## v2.12.0 ### User Experience * **Library status panel**: The status popover mirrors the per-folder view — All / Ready / Working / Failed counts, a Details toggle for the full processing pipeline, and a live processing rate — with the activity feed now behind a View full activity button. * Reprocessing, retrying failed samples, and deleting a directory now use the same cancellable progress toast as other bulk actions, on a single folder or every directory at once * Similar Samples now offers a **Classify now** button when a sample hasn't been analyzed yet, so you can process it on the spot instead of waiting for background classification ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed large libraries slowing browsing and search to a crawl the longer indexing ran * Fixed the Library's category filter crashing the view when a sample carried a malformed category value * Fixed your sample directories disappearing from settings while working offline on a device-activated license * Fixed CPU spikes and stalled processing when changing the Analysis Speed setting while a library was still indexing * **Faster library scans**: Adding a folder writes new samples up to 8× faster on large libraries, so a scan that used to crawl for an hour finishes in minutes. * **Responsive during scans**: Browsing, searching, and playback stay smooth while a large folder scans or indexes in the background, instead of stalling for seconds at a time. * **Faster search-readiness**: New samples become searchable by sound several times faster after a scan, and faster still once the scan's other work has finished. * Fixed the app freezing for up to a minute, or edits and saves failing, when heavy scanning and indexing ran at the same time. * Fixed your remaining Deep Search count lagging behind actual usage after a search, AI suggestions, or a sequencer design. * Fixed search tokens being too pale to read on light themes across the library search, sequencer query, and command palette inputs. ## See Your Whole Library The Sample Browser is now the **Library**, and it lays your collection out four ways: a list, a map of similar sounds, a circle of fifths, or a scatter plot. Search collapses to one bar that matches filename and sound together, with an optional cloud AI pass on top. This release also adds app themes and Google Drive backup. ### Four views of the Library The renamed **Library** panel keeps every workflow and adds a view switcher; existing dock layouts migrate automatically, and each panel remembers its own view, search, and filters. * **List** — the familiar browser. * **Map** — samples that sound alike sit close together, coloured by category, thinning to representatives when you zoom out; scope it to one category or the whole library. * **Circle** — the circle of fifths, majors outside and relative minors inside; click a key to filter, and pick what distance from centre means (tempo, brightness, attack, and the rest). * **Scatter** — every sample plotted on two characteristics you choose, axes swappable in a click. * **Shared across views** — click plays, drag drops into your DAW, filters and search dim non-matches (**Isolate** hides them), and **Fit** / **Regenerate** reframe or rebuild the layout. ### Deep Search The search bar lost its modes. Type, and it matches by name and by how samples sound at once, free and offline. The new **Deep Search** button runs a cloud AI pass for sharper matches, and falls back to the free search when your allowance runs out. * **Ideas to try** — suggested searches under the bar surface sounds worth playing next, and **Surprise me** leans on the corners of your library you rarely open. * **Relevance by default** — results lead with the closest name and sound matches instead of newest first. ### Themes Sample Vault now ships more than one look. Pick a theme in **Settings → Display** and the whole app follows. Your choice sticks between sessions. * **Neutral** — Midnight (the default), Graphite, True Black, Dim, Ember, Paper, and Daylight. * **Accessibility** — Contrast and Contrast Light for low-vision use or bright rooms. * **Studio classics** — Wavetable, 808, Session, Console, Pocket, and Screen, each with one bold accent. ### Bring Your Own Google Drive Back up and sync new uploads through your own Google Drive. Connect under **Settings → Connections → Cloud storage**, and files land in a top-level `Sample Vault/` folder mirroring your source folders. * **Three-way default** — switch new uploads between the built-in cloud, your Dropbox, and your Google Drive without disconnecting any. * **Your own cloud needs no subscription** — only the built-in cloud requires a Home Studio or Professional Suite plan. ### Also New * **Copy the playing sample with Ctrl/Cmd+C** — drops its file on your clipboard ready to paste into a DAW, while highlighted text still copies as text. * **Redesigned Sample Directories settings** — a cleaner master/detail layout with per-directory processing detail. * **Tidier Dropbox folders** — new uploads land directly under `/Apps/Sample Vault/` mirroring your source folders. ### Performance and Bug Fixes * **Lower-priority analysis** — indexing runs below your other apps, so a large library processing in the background no longer steals CPU from your DAW. * **Better-spread characteristics** — the sound traits behind the views and filters now use their full range, so sounds separate more clearly. * Fixed the app occasionally starting up unable to load your library until you reloaded the window. * Fixed AI suggestions coming up empty on machines without on-device sound matching. * Fixed analysis occasionally stalling a few samples short of 100%. * Fixed the filter sidebar reopening every time you switched between layouts that reuse the Library panel. * Fixed downloading a sample in the web app opening it in the browser instead of saving it to disk. * Fixed the web app intermittently failing a sample copy or download instead of refreshing your sign-in session. * Fixed clearing completed jobs from the activity log failing on large libraries with a big backlog. * Fixed the right-click menu not opening on macOS when Control-clicking instead of using a two-button mouse. * Fixed the folder shortcuts in Settings → App Data failing to open in Finder on macOS. * Fixed dragging a file into the app window on macOS replacing the app with that file. * Fixed uncategorized samples being left out of the Library's category filter instead of appearing under Unknown. * Fixed loosely-named vocal samples and other one-shots staying uncategorized instead of landing in the right family. Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## v2.12.0 ### Directory health and failure triage Each sample directory's settings view is now a triage console: see what's ready, still processing, or failed at a glance, and fix problems without leaving the page. * **Three states** — every directory splits into Ready, Working, and Failed, so a library that's still processing reads differently from one that's stuck. * **Failures grouped by cause** — failures are grouped (file was locked, unsupported format, file moved or deleted) and split into the ones a retry can fix and the ones it can't. * **Retry failed** — one button re-runs everything recoverable, while corrupt or missing files are called out with what to do instead of being retried forever. * **Live progress** — the Working count shows how fast samples are clearing and roughly how long is left, with a shortcut to the processing speed controls. * **Find a file fast** — the sample list filters by name and stays smooth at tens of thousands of files, with multi-select for bulk retry, reveal, or delete. * **Reprocess on demand** — re-run analysis, classification, enrichment, or cloud upload for a whole directory or your entire library from the directory menu, without deleting anything. ### Cancel any bulk action Folder- and selection-wide actions — setting key, tempo, or genres, analysing, classifying, enriching, uploading, AI-indexing, deleting, rescanning — now show live progress with a Cancel button. * **Stops where it is** — cancelling keeps whatever already finished instead of rolling the whole batch back. * **Consistent across the app** — directory menus, multi-select edits, the Activity Log's retry and clean-up, and reanalysis all behave the same way. * **Steady on big libraries** — bulk edits over tens of thousands of samples stay responsive instead of stalling, especially on Windows. ### User Experience * **Now playing in the Map, Circle, and Scatter views** — clicking a dot brings up a player at the bottom of the view with the sample's name, key, tempo, and waveform, plus play/pause, scrub, copy, drag, and favorite, so you can tell what's playing without leaving the layout. * Moved **Delete directory** into an overflow menu so the recovery actions, not the destructive one, lead the directory view. * Renamed **Rescan** to **Scan for new** and added a heads-up before scanning very large folders, since scanning only picks up newly added files — it won't retry failures or reprocess existing samples. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed some MP3 files being marked corrupt and skipped during analysis even though they play fine * Fixed folder and multi-select edit dialogs freezing — unable to close or start another edit — while a previous bulk change was still applying to a large library * Fixed automatic genre, tag, creator, and sample-pack matching skipping samples whose names or folders were close to a known label but not an exact match ## Duplicate Detection and Playback Cleanup Sample Vault now recognises audio duplicates and collapses them so each sound shows up once. A new non-destructive playback chain evens out loudness, trims silence, removes DC offset, and de-clicks edges. Originals on disk are never touched. ### Duplicate Detection Every analysed sample gets a signature based on what it sounds like. Matching samples are grouped, one copy shows in the browser, search, and similar results. The rest are hidden, never deleted. The same sound at WAV / AIFF / FLAC, 16- / 24-bit, 44.1 / 48 kHz, or normalised to a different level all count as one. **Settings → Duplicates** shows what's collapsed and the controls: * **Collapse toggle** — turn off to see every copy again. * **Match strictness** — *Exact* through *Looser* (near-identical, lossy re-encodes, light edits). Starts at Exact. * **Scan now** — re-check on demand. Also runs after every directory scan. * **Review** — flip copies between *kept* and *hidden* per group. * **Move to Trash** — send hidden copies to your system Trash. The kept copy is untouched. Samples added before this update need to be reanalysed to detect duplicates correctly. ### Playback cleanup Every newly scanned sample now carries peak (dBFS), integrated loudness (LUFS), RMS, and silence-boundary measurements. **Settings → Preferences → Playback** (and the popover behind the title-bar volume button) turns these into a non-destructive chain: * **Normalize playback loudness** — match each sample to a target true-peak (default −1 dBFS, range −6 to 0). * **Trim leading / trailing silence** — skip auto-detected dead air. Head and tail toggle independently. * **Remove DC offset** — subtract DC bias before playback. On by default. * **Boundary declick** — 1–50 ms symmetric fade at sample edges to kill ticks. ### Render on drag / copy Turn on **Render samples as heard when dragging or copying** to bake the active chain into the file your DAW receives. Off by default. Rendered copies preserve the original sample rate and bit depth. ### Bring Your Own Dropbox Route new uploads through your own Dropbox account. Connect from **Settings → Connections → Cloud storage → Connect Dropbox** — files land under `/Apps/Sample Vault/`, mirroring your source folders. A **Default upload destination** card flips between built-in cloud and Dropbox without disconnecting either. Cloud uploads still require Home Studio or Professional Suite. See [Cloud Storage](/reference/cloud-storage). ### Bring Your Own AI key Paste an OpenRouter API key in **Settings → AI** to route AI calls through your account. * **Key only** — every call uses your key; no Sample Vault pool is touched. * **Pools first, then key** — pools drain first, your key picks up when they're empty. Also the only way to keep Smart chat, AI Collections, Prompt search, and AI indexing working on Demo Room or One-Time License after starter grants run out. See [Plans & Usage → BYOK](/reference/plans-usage#bring-your-own-key-byok). ### Delete to Trash Sample deletion can now move the underlying audio files to your system Trash instead of just removing them from the library. Available on single, multi-select, and directory deletes. Off by default. ### Activity Log management Right-click any job to delete or requeue it. Right-click a grouped row (e.g. *"12,000 enrichment jobs pending"*) to apply the action to every job in the group, with a confirmation showing the count. Requeue is offered only for failed or completed jobs. Bulk operations stream a live progress toast. ### User Experience * **Analyze samples** on a folder no longer pops a confirmation — it queues right away and reports in a toast, matching Classify, Enrich, Upload, and Index. * **Scans become visible immediately** — directories start populating the browser as the first batch lands, not after a minute's wait. * **Analysis and enrichment results land sooner** — finished runs surface in the browser instantly. * **Title bar refresh icon** appears while background changes are pending; click to pull them through. * **Tempo Lock / Key Lock** now show retuned BPM and key on every row in the sample browser, not just the playing row. * **Audition volume slider** moved to **Settings → Preferences → Playback** alongside the cleanup toggles. * **Add sample directory** disables Upload and AI Index toggles when your plan or sign-in state can't run them, with a one-line note explaining what's needed. * Right-click menus now scroll when taller than the window and no longer get clipped at screen edges. ### Browser demo * The browser demo now opens straight into the full app — workspaces, tempo and key sync, play/pause, auto-loop, and the playback options popover all work against the demo library. Install lives in the title bar. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed the browser demo blocking anonymous visitors with a "Subscription required" screen on first load. * Fixed reanalysis wiping tags and overwriting key, tempo, or loop values you'd set by hand. * Fixed AI enrichment replacing genres you'd set by hand instead of merging with the folder's detected ones. * Fixed device activation not refreshing the rest of the app — the API Keys page and profile menu sometimes kept showing "activate this device" until the next refetch. Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## v2.8.2 ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed right-click context menus not opening in some places in the app. ## v2.8.1 ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed scanning a new sample directory silently dropping every file — the scan reported "done" but added nothing to the library. ## Sample Vault in the Browser Sign in at [samplevault.ai](https://samplevault.ai), click **Open app**, your library opens in any browser tab. ### Browser Access * Sample Browser, filters, Sound Profile, search modes, Similar Samples, AI Assistant, Quick Actions all work the same. Edits sync back to your other devices. * Only cloud-uploaded samples are visible. Local files stay hidden. * Local-only features (scanning, analysis, indexing, Ableton Link, drag-from-disk) show a "desktop app required" prompt. * Globe pill in the title bar marks browser mode. Included on **Home Studio** and **Professional Suite**. See [Browser Access](/reference/browser-access). ### Suggestions Panel A new dockable panel that surfaces samples based on your recent activity, the sample playing, and your project's tempo and key. * **Recent moves**: anchored on your last drag or copy. Local, no network call. * **AI-picked sections** (2–4 per refresh) with titles like "A bass for the drop" — uses semantic search, similarity, or hard filters per section. * Refreshes on new prompt search, drag, or project switch. ### User Experience * **Calmer chrome** across the app: softer filter borders, ghost play buttons that fill only when playing, mono loop / one-shot badges. * **Type filter** is now two toggles (Loops, One-shots). **Sort filter** collapsed to a single dropdown. * **Dock tabs** muted at rest. × hidden until hover, "+ New Tab" only visible on active panels. * **Quick Actions suggestions strip** under the search input. Tab / Shift + Tab to cycle, Enter to insert. * **Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts** lists the full set, including arrow-key playback (`↑`/`↓`, `Space`, `Shift + Space`). * **Retry failed** button in Activity Log requeues failures with fresh attempts. Respects the type filter; batched for large queues. * **First-run setup** jumps straight into **Add sample directory** after you click **Open Sample Vault**, so you can point at your first folder immediately. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed F5, Ctrl/Cmd + R, and right-click → Reload resetting the window mid-session. * Fixed sign-in refresh loops in Firefox. * Fixed "Sign in" from the marketing site landing on Account with an error after the browser demo. * Fixed a single failed database query cascading into errors across sample browser, search, and indexing until app restart. * Fixed Quick Actions palette ignoring `category:`, `&creator`, `+pack`, `*`, characteristic ranges, `collection:`, and `sort:` tokens. * Fixed Quick Actions palette "Open in Sample Browser" and "Prompt Search" actions doing nothing. * Fixed phantom hover square on Collection, Creator, and Sample Pack filters when empty. * Fixed the app asking you to sign in every day. * Fixed AI directory indexing failing when the AI model was temporarily unavailable — it now falls back to an alternate model. * Fixed library coverage not being refunded when AI directory indexing failed. Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## v2.7.1 ### Free in-browser tools Two new tools at samplevault.ai/tools — same audio engine as the desktop app, runs locally, no upload, no sign-up: * **[Pitch Shifter](https://samplevault.ai/tools/pitch-shifter)** — transpose any audio file by ±12 semitones with the tempo unchanged. Preview both versions, download the result as WAV. * **[Time Stretcher & BPM Changer](https://samplevault.ai/tools/time-stretcher)** — drop a file, source BPM auto-detected from the filename or by analysing the audio. Set the target BPM (or pull a rate slider directly), preview, and download the matched WAV. Pitch unchanged. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed database connection getting stuck on an unexpected error and all operations failing. * Fixed dragging a sample on macOS sometimes opening the audio file inside the app and forcing a restart. ## Multi-Select Everywhere Selection works consistently across every place you see samples — Sample Browser, Prompt Search, File Browser, Similar Samples, and the assistant chat. Pick a batch in one panel, add to it from another, drag the whole set into your DAW, or bulk-edit through one consistent menu. The same shortcuts work everywhere: **Cmd/Ctrl + click** toggles, **Shift + click** ranges, **Cmd/Ctrl + A** selects every sample currently loaded. In the Sample Browser, scroll to load more and press Cmd/Ctrl + A again to extend. In the assistant chat, Shift + click ranges within a single message, and with nothing focused Cmd/Ctrl + A falls through to text selection as you'd expect. ### Repair Database A new "Repair Database" button in Settings → App Data runs an integrity check and rebuilds drifted indexes. Use it when scans, deletes, or batch operations stall. Safe to run any time, no data loss. ### Free in-browser tools Three new tools at samplevault.ai/tools — same DSP as the desktop app, runs locally: * **[BPM Detector](https://samplevault.ai/tools/bpm-detector)** — tempo, detection confidence, half/double alternatives, loop check. * **[Mono-Compatibility Checker](https://samplevault.ai/tools/mono-compatibility)** — per-band phase incompatibility (sub-bass through highs) so you can spot what collapses on club PAs, phone speakers, or vinyl. * **[Camelot Wheel Converter](https://samplevault.ai/tools/camelot-key)** — pick a key (or drop a track to detect) and see the three harmonically-compatible neighbours for DJ transitions. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed "Upload to cloud" actions queueing uploads that would never succeed for Demo Room users and over-quota subscribers. Opens the upgrade dialog instead. * Fixed the delete confirmation referring to non-refundable "credits" instead of library coverage. * Fixed the browser demo getting stuck on "Downloading your library samples". * Fixed selecting a top-level category (Instruments, Drums, FX, Synth, Vocals, Other) in the sample browser sidebar clearing itself instead of filtering. ## Help & Feedback in One Place One front door for everything help-related. A new sidebar icon opens a single dialog covering documentation, changelog, keyboard shortcuts, bug reports, feature requests, messages, and the Discord invite. The right-click menu, profile menu, error screen, and the new `Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+/` shortcut all open the same dialog. ### Send feedback without leaving the app * **Report a bug** attaches diagnostics automatically: app version, OS, recent errors, and up to the last 10 MB of the local log file. A summary line shows what's being sent, and you can switch the toggle off if you'd rather send nothing. * **Request a feature** captures a short title and description. * **Send a message** is for everything else — questions, comments, things that don't fit a category. * The error screen now has an "Add details about what happened" button that opens the bug form pre-filled with the error you just hit. ### User Experience * The "Update available" notification now pops up automatically as soon as a new version finishes downloading, instead of waiting for you to click the sidebar button. * Both the "Update available" and post-update "Updated to vX.Y.Z" notifications now show the release notes for that specific version when available. * Search bar suggestions now surface sample-type and category filters from plain typing. Type `loop` or `one-shot` to see the matching type filter; type a category name like `kick`, `snare`, or `drums` to see matching folders from your library — no need to remember the `!loop` / `category:` syntax. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed the Add Directory dialog flashing back to the top of the subfolder list while other samples were being processed in the background, making it hard to scroll through and select subfolders. * Fixed deleting, bulk-editing, or resetting libraries with more than \~900 samples taking 2-3 minutes. The same operations now finish in under a second. * Fixed macOS metadata sidecars (`._` files that macOS writes next to real audio when copying to exFAT/NTFS drives) being treated as audio samples. They no longer get scanned, no longer appear in the library, and no longer fail to play with a "file path is not permitted" error. If you're already seeing `._`-prefixed entries in your library from before this fix, remove and re-add the affected directory, or ask the AI assistant to clean them up for you. ## The Master Search Bar ### Sample Browser Enhancements Every filter in the sample browser now runs through the search bar. Tags, genres, creators, sample packs, categories, collections, sort order, sample type, favorites, BPM, key, and all 16 sound profile characteristics are each a typeable, color-coded chip. Pick from the suggestion dropdown to learn the syntax, click a chip to remove it, or type the tokens directly if you already know them. The chip strip above the results is gone, and the toolbar that replaces it stays visible whether or not the filter sidebar is collapsed. #### New tokens Eight short prefixes plus `field:value` long forms cover every filterable dimension. | Dimension | Short | Long | Example | | ------------------- | ----------- | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | | Tag | `%bass` | `tag:bass` | `%dark %"sci fi"` | | Genre | `$dnb` | `genre:dnb` | `$"drum and bass"` | | Tempo | `#120` | `bpm:120` | `#90-140` `#100-` | | Key + scale | `@Cmin` | `key:Cmin` | `@F#min` | | Sample type | `!loop` | `type:loop`, `is:loop` | `!oneshot` | | Favorite | `*` | `is:favorite` | `*` | | Creator | `&adam` | `creator:adam` | `&"Adam Smith"` | | Sample pack | `+cymatics` | `pack:cymatics` | `+"Cymatics Hyperbits"` | | Category | — | `category:drums/kicks` | `category:bass` | | Collection | — | `collection:wip` | `collection:"Work in Progress"` | | Sort | — | `sort:newest` | `sort:tempo-asc` | | Sound profile (×16) | — | `atk:30-80`, `bright:0-50`, etc. | `stereo:80-100` | Sound profile aliases include `atk` (attack), `bright` (brightness), `bass`, `sub`, `mids`, `highs`, `lomids`, `stereo`, `perc` (percussiveness), `dyn` (dynamic range), `pitch`, `rhythm`, `tonality`, `noise`, `complexity`, `temporal`. Range syntax matches BPM: `atk:30-80` (between), `atk:30-` (at least), `atk:-80` (at most), `atk:50` (exact). #### Smart suggestions dropdown * Type two characters and the dropdown opens with matching values across all dimensions, grouped by section. Pick one to insert the right token automatically. * A "Filters" section at the top shows field shortcuts (`creator:`, `pack:`, `collection:`, etc.) when your prefix matches one. You pick up the grammar by using it. * After committing to a dimension (typing `&` for creator, `category:` for category, etc.) the dropdown immediately shows top values without the two-character gate. * The top of the dropdown also offers shortcuts to run your current query in the *other* search modes. For example, while typing in Find mode you can jump straight to Prompt or Instant search without manually toggling modes first. * Suggestions are validated against your library: typing a partial value like `&ad` no longer applies a partial-name filter that zeroes out results. * Keyboard: arrow keys to move, `Tab` to autocomplete, `Enter` to apply, `Esc` to close. #### Chip interactions * Click any chip in the search bar to remove just that filter. On hover, the chip shows a red strike-through and × icon previewing the removal. * The **×** button on the right side of the input clears every filter at once. * Chips track the input's scroll position now, so typing into a long query keeps the caret visible and the chips aligned with what you're editing. #### Toolbar reshuffle The chip strip above the results is gone. A single toolbar replaces it with the search mode toggle, the search bar, favorites, presets, and the sidebar collapse button. The search bar stays visible regardless of sidebar state, so collapsing the sidebar gives you full-width browsing without losing access to filtering. The mode toggle now uses a proper segmented control with a distinct active state. Buttons in the toolbar grow text labels at wider widths (≥ 520px) and collapse to icons at narrower widths. #### Other improvements * Tag and genre filter sections in the sidebar now show every value in your library, sorted alphabetically. Previously the list was capped at 50 and ordered by frequency, so less-common tags were either missing or appeared in a confusing order after expanding "+more". * Search bar font is slightly tighter (13px) so more chips fit on screen. * Smarter placeholder text in Find mode shows token examples right in the input. * Empty `category:` (or any other field with no value yet) is no longer treated as a filename search. Partially-typed tokens are correctly ignored until you finish them. * Fixed typing into a search bar that already has many tokens not scrolling the chip overlay to follow the caret. Previously the visible text stayed static while you typed beyond the right edge. * Help dialog (the `?` button) is now wider with a proper table layout for tokens and modes, and uses higher-contrast text throughout. ### Performance * Folders in the file browser tree now preload their contents on hover, so expanding feels instant. * The tag and genre filter rail opens roughly 7× faster on large libraries, sub-second instead of multiple seconds. * Background indexing no longer stalls the sample browser or filter sidebar for seconds at a time on Windows. * Processing status and the System Status panel refresh roughly 6× faster. * Browsing large libraries is much faster on Windows. The main sample list now loads in milliseconds instead of seconds, even at 1M+ samples. ### Bug Fixes * Fixed stacking multiple tags or genres widening the matching samples (OR) instead of narrowing them (AND). The remaining filter chips correctly shrink as you add constraints. * Fixed assistant chats getting stuck on a tool call that never finishes when the connection drops mid-request. The interrupted tool now shows as "interrupted" with a one-click **Continue** button that picks the conversation back up from where it left off. ## New pricing: No more credits Clearer pricing, faster indexing, and a long list of UX cleanup. ### No more credits "Credits" are gone. Library size is now **unlimited on every plan** — only the AI indexing pass that detects genre, mood, creator, and tags is metered. Two pools replace the single credit balance: * **Premium requests** — Smart chat and AI collections. * **AI indexing** — samples tagged per month. Monthly limits per plan: * **Home Studio**: 50,000 indexed samples, 100 Premium requests. * **Professional Suite**: 200,000 indexed samples, 400 Premium requests. * **Demo Room** (free, one-time grants): 100 AI searches, 30 chats, 5,000 indexed samples. ### Library Status and Usage * A dot on your profile avatar warns when a usage pool is running low. Open the menu to see which. * Billing shows clear per-pool meters with reset dates instead of a single opaque credit number. * The Library status dialog opens with a one-line verdict — *"Analyzing 1,248 of 3,500 samples"*, *"All caught up"*, or *"Nothing's running"*. * Adding a folder that exceeds your remaining coverage now tells you how many samples will be queued vs. skipped, instead of blocking the whole folder. ### Indexing Performance * AI directory indexing is significantly cheaper and faster — sibling folders are tagged together. * CPU stays saturated through long indexing runs, especially on Windows. RAM stays flat instead of climbing. * The **Analysis speed** presets (Battery / Balanced / Fast / Max) now actually cap CPU usage. Previously every preset pegged multi-core machines at \~100%. * Large DSP speedup on Windows. * Long files (DJ mixes, full albums, multi-hour recordings) are skipped instead of loaded into memory and discarded. * The sample browser and filter sidebar no longer stall for seconds at a time during background indexing. Windows and Linux x86\_64 builds now require a CPU with AVX2 — Intel Haswell (2013+), AMD Excavator (2015+), or newer. Older CPUs need to stay on v2.4.1. ### Sample Browser * **Continuous scroll** replaces Previous/Next pagination. Auditioning through long searches no longer breaks every 25 samples. * Scrolling is noticeably smoother on large libraries. ### User Experience * Sign-in and startup splash screens now show window controls, so you can move or close the window before the app finishes loading. * While offline, the title bar shows a single amber **Offline · Sign in** pill instead of a duplicate sign-in button. ### Bug Fixes * Fixed default workspace layouts being duplicated on launch when the initial cloud sync was slow. Existing duplicates clean up automatically. * Fixed directory indexing being partially charged or silently completing with empty tags when coverage ran out mid-batch. Coverage is now refunded in full, and jobs fail upfront with a clear message. * Fixed assistant messages scrolling out of view while tool calls were running. Your last message now stays pinned near the top. * Fixed sign-in showing a generic error toast when requesting a verification code too quickly. You now see an inline countdown. * Fixed multi-word search tokens (e.g. `$drum and bass`, `%hip hop`) dropping everything after the first word. Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Faster Indexing, Heavier Right-Click ### Parallel Indexing Pipeline Local audio analysis (tempo, key, spectral, stereo) and AI classification now run as independent workers with their own thread pools. Tempo, key, and waveforms show up much sooner on a fresh scan, and tagging no longer throttles DSP work. * **Richer System Status panel**: processing now breaks into six stages — Total, Analyzed, Classified, Uploaded, Enriched, and Embedded — each with a tooltip explaining what it unlocks (tempo/key search, similarity, sync, genre/mood filters, prompt search) * **Classify samples on demand**: right-click a sample or folder and pick **Classify samples** to re-run AI classification without redoing local analysis ### Right-Click, Edit Anything The sample right-click menu now has quick editors for **Key**, **Scale**, **Tempo**, **Creator**, **Sample pack**, **Type** (loop/one-shot), and **Category**. Creator and Sample pack open a searchable picker; Tempo suggests your library's most common BPMs as chips; Category mirrors the full tree. * **Batch-edit directories**: right-click any folder in the File Browser to set the same properties on every sample under it, with live progress on large folders * **Tags and genres, inline**: dedicated Tags and Genres dialogs on samples, and Add/Remove Tags/Genres on directories. Remove dialogs only list values that actually exist under that folder * **Rename or delete tags and genres library-wide**: right-click any tag or genre chip in the filter rail or Sample Info pane to sweep or strip it from every sample at once ### Per-Folder Upload and Indexing Control The Add Directory dialog now shows your sample folders as a tree with per-directory checkboxes for cloud upload and AI indexing. Live directory count, file sizes, and credit estimates update as you toggle folders, so you can see exactly what a scan will cost before committing. * **Simplified credits**: removed the Safety Reserve setting — your whole balance is now available for both AI features and background processing ### Also New * **Smarter search for poorly-named samples**: each sample now inherits its parent folder's AI description when generating its embedding, so a file like `01.wav` inside a "Vintage 70s funk drum breaks" folder matches searches for that vibe. Applies to newly enriched samples ### Bug Fixes & Performance * **Faster local analysis on laptops**: background analysis no longer oversubscribes CPU threads when multiple classifier sessions run in parallel; audio resampling during tagging is also \~3× faster. Biggest gains on 4–8 core machines * **Smoother indexing throughput**: results now save as each file finishes instead of waiting for the whole batch, so one slow file no longer stalls the rest * Fixed the assistant sometimes failing to send a message and leaving behind an empty chat that couldn't be reopened after refreshing * Fixed re-indexing a folder while a previous index was still running queueing duplicate jobs for the same directories * Fixed dragging a sample and dropping quickly occasionally loading the audio file in the app window and forcing a restart (mostly on macOS) * Fixed similar-samples search breaking after downloading a bundled library. Existing libraries are repaired automatically on next launch Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Unified Search: Find, Prompt, and Instant The [Sample Browser](/core-features/sample-browser) now has three search modes in one place — pick the one that fits how you're searching right now. ### Find · Prompt · Instant A mode toggle above the search bar lets you switch between three ways to search. Press `Tab` while typing to cycle modes. * **Find** (default): filters by filename as you type. Free, instant, fully offline. * **Prompt**: describe any sound in plain English — AI returns the best matches even when filenames don't help. Costs 5 credits per search. * **Instant**: free on-device matching using a local model. Fast and offline, but less accurate than Prompt. All three modes support the same search tokens (`#120 @Cmin !loop %dark $techno`) for filtering by tempo, key, type, tag, and genre. In Prompt and Instant, tokens act as hard filters while the rest of your query drives the AI match. The search bar and sidebar filters now stay in sync — type `@Cmin` and the Key dropdown updates, or pick a key from the dropdown and the search bar updates to match. ### Analysis Speed A new single slider in **Settings → Processing** replaces the old separate thread and model controls. Four presets — Battery, Balanced, Fast, Max — with a live RAM and CPU estimate so you know what to expect. Also available in the **Add Directory** dialog and the **System Status** panel while analysis is running. ### User Experience * **Favorites** moved to the top of the filter sidebar for quicker access * Active filters are now visually highlighted so you can see at a glance what's narrowing your results * Search help button (?) opens a quick reference with mode comparison and token syntax * New **Help** button in the sidebar footer links to the documentation ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed the update notification showing "Update & Restart" before the download finished * Fixed sign-in and sign-up links dropping the redirect parameter after authenticating * Fixed the Getting Started checklist briefly flashing on launch for users who had already completed it Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## v2.2.2 ### User Experience * **Font picker**: Choose your preferred UI font in Settings → Preferences. Ships with Space Grotesk (default), Inter, Geist Sans, Plus Jakarta Sans, Sora, Exo 2, Oxanium, and JetBrains Mono ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Significantly faster sample and directory deletion, especially for large libraries * Fixed scanning directories failing with "An unexpected error has occurred" when a filename contained unusual control characters * Directory scans that were interrupted by closing the app now automatically resume on restart ## Ask Your Library Anything The AI assistant can now query and edit your entire sample library directly. Ask analytical questions, run similarity searches with filters, and make bulk changes — all with inline approval before anything is written. AI assistant running a library query with inline approval panel ### Assistant SQL Tools * **Ask questions about your library**: "how many kicks between 60–80 BPM?", "which genre has the most samples?", "show me favorited samples I haven't played in a month" * **Similarity search with filters**: "samples that sound like this one but only lofi, under 80 BPM, in F minor" — combines vector similarity with any filter you describe * **Make bulk changes**: "archive everything tagged lofi that isn't favorited", "remove the 808 tag from all kicks" — the assistant proposes the change and you approve it inline before anything happens * **Safe by default**: Destructive statements are blocked automatically, and every write shows a confirmation card with a plain-English summary before executing The assistant can now answer questions and act on your library in ways we haven't pre-built features for — any question you can describe, it can query. ### User Experience * Prompt Search now works in the browser demo * Web account area consolidated into a single page — plan, usage, referral, and settings in one place * Email preferences now sync between desktop and web * Assistant chat messages pin your question to the top so you read the response from the beginning * Tool steps in the assistant are now compact — in-progress steps show a spinner, completed steps collapse to a single line * Notes editor is tighter and more compact * The app uses custom scrollbars in more places to provide a more native feel ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed web account page throwing errors when adjusting preferences * Fixed global shortcuts not being recognized * Fixed demo video not playing on some browsers * Fixed email verification sign-in bouncing back to the sign-in page Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## v2.0.8 ### User Experience * "Check for Updates" in the user menu now opens the update dialog directly when a new version is found ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed sign-in on macOS silently returning to the sign-in screen after a successful browser auth * Fixed a potential race condition when authenticating leading to authentication failing silently ## v2.0.1 ### User Experience * Added "Copy sign in link" option on the sign-in waiting screen for cases where the browser doesn't open automatically * Landing page navbar now shows an **Account** button in place of "Try Demo" for signed-in users, linking to account settings ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed "Analyze samples" context menu not queuing analysis jobs * Fixed sync pulling from remote after a failed push, which could overwrite local data * Fixed potential database corruption from background and manual syncs running simultaneously * Fixed fresh installs with sync credentials failing on a nonexistent remote database * Optimized database size and sync throughput when it's idle Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## The Rebuild: Offline-First, Faster Everything Sample Vault 2.0 is a ground-up rebuild of how the app stores and processes your data. Every operation is faster, everything works offline, and a new processing pipeline gives you more control over how your samples are organized. ### Offline-First Architecture The local database has been completely replaced. The previous in-memory engine was fragile and kept all data in RAM — the new one writes to disk, syncs reliably, and uses a fraction of the memory. * **Faster everything**: Browsing, searching, and filtering are all significantly faster * **Lower memory usage**: Data is no longer held entirely in RAM * **More stable**: Fewer crashes and edge cases from the previous in-memory database * **Full data sync**: All data in the app now syncs to the cloud — previously only a subset was synced The [AI Assistant](/core-features/ai-assistant) still requires an internet connection. All other features work fully offline after initial sign-in. ### Sound Profile A new **Sound Profile** tab in the [Sample Browser](/core-features/sample-browser) filter sidebar lets you filter samples by their sonic characteristics using range sliders. * **Core**: Tonality, Percussiveness, Brightness, Noisiness, Complexity, Attack, Rhythmic Density, Pitch Stability * **Frequency Content**: Sub Bass, Bass, Low Mids, Mids, Highs * **Stereo & Temporal**: Stereo Width, Temporal Centroid, Dynamic Range Set a min-max range on any characteristic to narrow your results. Active filters appear as removable chips in the filter rail. Sound Profile tab showing range sliders for sonic characteristics ### Sample Enrichment Sample processing is now split into two distinct stages: 1. **Analysis** — Local audio processing that extracts tempo, key, spectral features, and sound characteristics. Deterministic, fast, and free 2. **Indexing** — AI scans your directories and generates relevant labels: genres, tags, creators, and sample packs. Costs 20 credits per indexed folder — a fraction of the previous per-sample cost, which has been removed entirely After indexing, **enrichment** automatically matches the AI-generated labels to individual samples — no additional AI cost. Right-click any directory in the [File Browser](/core-features/file-browser) and select **Index Directory** or **Enrich Samples** to get started. Manage AI-detected labels in **Settings > Processing > Enrichment Labels** — control which genres, creators, sample packs, and tags are allowed to be assigned to your samples. Enrichment Labels settings showing genre, tag, creator, and sample pack controls ### Prompt Search for Everyone [Prompt Search](/core-features/prompt-search) is now available to **all users**, not just premium subscribers. Each search costs 5 credits. Free plan users receive 100 daily credits — enough for about 20 searches per day. Samples must be enriched and embedded to become available for Prompt Search. When credits are unavailable, Prompt Search falls back to a local embedding model. Results are still useful but less accurate than the AI-expanded search. ### Processing Settings New **Settings > Processing** tab gives you control over how the app uses your hardware during audio analysis. * **Processing Threads**: Control how many CPU threads are used for audio analysis — higher values process faster but use more CPU * **Classification Models**: Control how many audio classification models run simultaneously — each instance uses approximately 500 MB of RAM Processing settings showing thread count and classification model controls ### User Experience * **Copy with effects rendered**: When time stretch or key transposition is active, right-click any sample to copy it with the effect baked in using "Copy timestretched", "Copy pitched", or "Copy timestretched & pitched" * **Master volume in title bar**: A volume slider is now accessible directly from the title bar with a click-to-mute toggle * **Activity log refresh**: The activity log has been streamlined to surface only the most relevant background events, reducing clutter ### Performance and Bug Fixes * Sample analysis is up to **\~10x faster** * RAM is now properly released after analysis completes * File browser is drastically faster for large libraries (100k+ samples) * Fixed a race condition where the AI Assistant's tools would occasionally stop responding * Fixed auth deep link occasionally failing to complete sign-in **macOS users:** Please redownload the app from the website and select the correct version for your CPU architecture. A previous bug caused Apple Silicon users to receive Intel builds. **This is a breaking update.** The new database architecture is not compatible with previous versions. You will be prompted to migrate your data after updating, although it's recommended to start fresh and reanalyze your samples. Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Native Experience Update The Sample Vault desktop app now runs entirely from your machine. The interface is bundled directly into the application instead of loading from a remote server. * **Instant startup**: The app launches immediately — no waiting for a remote connection or loading screen * **Full offline UI**: Every part of the interface works without an internet connection, not just the local features. Previously, a network hiccup could leave you staring at a blank screen mid-session * **Faster across the board**: Navigation, panel switching, and UI interactions are snappier since nothing is fetched over the network * **More reliable updates**: App versions are fully self-contained — what you download is what you run, with no risk of UI/backend version mismatches Cloud features like the [AI Assistant](/core-features/ai-assistant), [Prompt Search](/core-features/prompt-search), and sample sync still require an internet connection. ### Bug Fixes & Performance * Fixed a corrupt audio file being retried forever instead of failing after a few attempts, which could clog processing and slow the rest of your library Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Analysis Overhaul and Playback Controls Update ### Auto-Loop and Play Controls New **Auto-Loop** and **Play** buttons are now accessible directly from the title bar — start playback and toggle looping without reaching for a panel. ### Sample and Directory Reanalysis Right-click any sample or directory in the [File Browser](/core-features/file-browser) to trigger **reanalysis**, updating audio features without a full library rescan. ### User Experience * **Richer progress status**: Scanning and analysis now display extended progress details so you always know what's happening * **App data directory links**: **Settings → App Data** now includes direct links to reveal cache, logs, and other app-related directories on your system * **Improved playback behavior**: Pressing Space now always restarts playback from the beginning. Use Shift+Space to resume from where you left off * **New macOS icon**: Redesigned app icon that feels more native on macOS ### Performance and Bug Fixes * **10–20x faster sample analysis** — major optimizations to the audio analysis pipeline dramatically reduce processing time across your library * Fixed samples not obeying [Link](/core-features/link-tempo-key) and not playing in sync * Fixed [AI Assistant](/core-features/ai-assistant) chat input not rendering properly in certain cases * Fixed assistant sample player using outdated sample info/edit dialogs * Fixed download link on the web detecting the wrong architecture on macOS **macOS Apple Silicon users:** If you're on an M-series Mac, please download and reinstall the app from the [downloads page](https://samplevault.ai/downloads) to ensure you're running the correct native build. Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Recall, Refinement, and Waveform Update ### Recall Tab Sample Vault now remembers what you do. The new **Recall** tab keeps a running history of every sample you drag, copy, search for, or ask the assistant about — organized by workspace. * Tracks five interaction types: samples dragged to DAW, samples copied, browser searches, [prompt searches](/core-features/prompt-search), and assistant messages * Filter by interaction type to quickly find what you were working with * Embedded sample players let you re-audition directly from the history * **AI-aware context**: Your recent activity is automatically passed to the [AI Assistant](/core-features/ai-assistant), so it understands what you've been working with and gives more relevant responses — no need to re-explain Recall tab with interaction history and embedded sample players Refer to the [full feature documentation](/core-features/recall) for more details. Recall works best when you work within specific workspaces. Workspace-scoped history keeps context focused, so the AI Assistant gives more relevant responses without activity from other projects bleeding in. ### Similar Samples Refinement The [Similar Samples](/core-features/similar-samples) panel now lets you **approve or reject** results to steer the similarity search toward exactly what you need. * Hover over any result to reveal a **checkmark** (more like this) and **X** (not like this) * Approved samples pull the search toward their sonic characteristics; rejected samples push it away * Results update in real time as you refine * Click **Reset** to return to the neutral similarity search Under the hood, approve/reject works by adjusting the search vector using the embeddings of your marked samples — blending toward approved and away from rejected — so each refinement meaningfully reshapes the results. ### Waveform Visualizer Tab A new **Waveform Visualizer** panel provides a detailed, interactive view of the currently playing sample. * Click anywhere on the waveform to seek playback * Scroll to zoom in/out (cursor-anchored) * Shift+scroll (or trackpad horizontal scroll) to pan * Enable **[Tempo Sync](/core-features/link-tempo-key)** to display beat and bar markers aligned to the sample's BPM — musical intervals replace the default time ruler The visualizer uses a multi-LOD WebGL2 rendering pipeline with sinc interpolation at high zoom levels, so it stays smooth whether you're viewing the full waveform or zoomed into individual samples. ### Improved Tempo and Loop Detection The audio analysis pipeline now uses a **multi-algorithm approach** for more accurate tempo and loop detection. * Tempo detection combines spectral flux, high-frequency content analysis, phase deviation, and inter-onset interval histograms to produce more reliable BPM estimates * Loop detection classifies samples as loops or one-shots using separate heuristics for percussive, tonal, and mixed content * Grid-based matching cross-references detected BPM against expected loop durations (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 bars) for higher confidence on loops ### Also New * **Sample Info player**: The Sample Info tab now includes an embedded audio player with waveform visualization at the top — audition and inspect without leaving the detail view * **UI scale setting**: Adjust the interface scale in **Settings → Appearance** to match your display and preferences * **Web browser demo**: Try Sample Vault directly in your browser at [samplevault.ai/demo](https://samplevault.ai/demo) — no download required * **Public roadmap**: See what's coming next and vote on what's important to you on the [public roadmap](https://samplevault.ai/roadmap) ### User Experience * **Sample reconciliation**: If samples are moved or deleted from disk, Sample Vault detects the missing file on playback and offers to **locate** the file at its new path or **remove** it from your library. Relocating a sample automatically finds and updates other samples from the same original directory. * Extended activity log with more processing events * [AI Assistant](/core-features/ai-assistant) now has access to the most up-to-date documentation * New progress bar in the [Sample Browser](/core-features/sample-browser) shows analysis progress more cleanly — samples now auto-refresh every 60 seconds instead of continuously, reducing browsing interruptions * BPM sync now falls back to 120 BPM when no tempo is detected, instead of showing an empty state * **(Experimental)** Database backups available in **Settings → App Data** — may not handle very large datasets yet * Right-clicking the user icon now shows the same menu as left-clicking * Added a default right-click context menu anywhere in the app with links to keyboard shortcuts, settings, Discord, documentation, changelog, and more ### Performance and Bug Fixes * Audio analysis processing speed improved up to \~5× * Reduced RAM usage during processing * Improved [Prompt Search](/core-features/prompt-search) accuracy * Fixed Assistant occasionally responding with empty messages due to invalid tool calls * Fixed playing assistant samples not triggering the [Similar Samples](/core-features/similar-samples) panel to update * Fixed chat context menu action redirecting to an old route * Fixed samples not being properly deleted during server sync * Fixed samples not grouped correctly into original directories when pulling from server sync * Fixed errors when extracting metadata from files during processing * Fixed virtual file tree being built incorrectly ([Settings](/reference/settings) → App Data → Rebuild File Tree if needed) * Fixed system status button in the title bar continuing to play sheen animation after analysis finishes * Fixed samples being visible across accounts on the same PC * Fixed links in [AI Assistant](/core-features/ai-assistant) chat not opening in the browser window Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Dock Layouts Update ### Dock Layouts Sample Vault now has a fully customizable layout engine. Arrange any combination of panels — sample browser, file browser, AI assistant, similar samples, note editor, and more — into your own tabbed workspace. * Drag and drop panels to rearrange or split the interface * Resize panels to fit your workflow * Save and switch between named layouts * Use as many or as few panels as you need Refer to the [full feature documentation](/core-features/dock-layouts) for more details. ### Improved Sample Info Tab The sample info tab has been redesigned with three focused tabs: **General**, **Characteristics**, and **Metadata**. * Characteristics tab shows all audio features extracted during processing (tempo, key, spectral data, and more) * Editing sample metadata is faster with a cleaner layout * Tab automatically refreshes based on the last selected sample ### Improved File Browser Tab The file browser now more closely mirrors how DAWs handle file trees. * Collapse and expand directories just like in your DAW * Right-click a directory to mark all samples underneath for upload/analysis, or delete them by directory * Collapse All button for quickly folding the entire tree * Search bar to filter by filename * Virtualized rendering for smooth scrolling across very large libraries * Add new samples directly from the browser ### New Similar Samples Tab A new **Similar Samples** tab automatically surfaces the most sonically similar samples whenever you play one. No searching required — just audition a sample and the tab updates instantly. ### Control Which Samples Get Analyzed and Uploaded You can now choose which samples get analyzed and synced to the cloud — both during the initial directory import and at any point afterward. * Configure during the **Add Sample Directory** flow * Right-click individual samples or entire directories in the File Browser to update the setting at any time Samples that were already analyzed or uploaded before this update cannot be retroactively changed to local-only. To keep them local, delete them from your library and re-add the directory with analysis and upload disabled. ### Activity Log All background events are now captured in an **Activity Log**, viewable in **Settings → Activity Log**. See a full timeline of sample processing steps and cloud sync events in one place. ### New Note Editor The note editor has been rebuilt with richer authoring support. * Full Markdown support — [see Markdown reference](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/) * Slash commands for quick formatting * Drag and drop to reorder sections * Create to-do lists with `- [ ]` syntax — previously separate to-do lists are now consolidated into notes ### User Experience * **Discord OAuth** is now available as a sign-in option * **Workspace selector** has moved to the title bar as a persistent global switch (previously called Projects) * When switching workspaces, the key and BPM are automatically applied to playback * Sample processing and sync status are now consolidated into a single **System Status** indicator with more detail and recent activity log entries System status indicator showing processing and sync state ### Performance and Bug Fixes * Drastically improved sample player rendering performance * Prompt Search results are now more accurate * Prompt Search results now display a similarity level next to each result * Fixed an error that occurred when using "Reveal in Path" on certain samples * Changed the icon to look better on MacOS * Fixed MacOS tray icon not showing menu actions on click * Fixed tray icon not having proper tooltip Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Quick Actions Update ### Quick Actions Press `Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + Space` to open the new Quick Actions menu — a fast way to search and filter your sample library using search phrases and tokens. Tokens let you narrow results instantly: * `!loop` / `!oneshot` — filter by sample type * `@Cmaj` / `@F#` — filter by key * `#120` / `#140-160` — filter by tempo or tempo range * `$edm` — filter by genre * `%dark` — filter by mood Quick Actions also leverages Link, key/pitch lock, and tempo lock to synchronize playback directly from search results. Refer to the [full feature documentation](/core-features/quick-actions) for more details. ### Sample Browser Filters Some of the sample browser filters have been rewritten. The were two goals with these changes: * Make sample filtering more efficient by eliminating redundant interactions * Provide a visual representation of possible options without having to click and browse through menus New sample browser filters panel ### User Experience * Restored the ability to delete sample directories * Key transposition buttons no longer jump unexpectedly * Expanded the user profile menu with additional links * AI Assistant chat now properly displays the character limit in the prompt instead of silently crashing * Added feedback buttons below assistant messages to improve model behavior over time New feedback buttons for assistant messages ### Performance and Bug Fixes * Fixed a critical bug on Windows where undownloaded samples would fail to download/play, showing an unexpected error * Fixed samples occasionally not playing at random * Fixed waveform progress not displaying correctly * Improved synchronization timing with Link * Improved sample categorization into virtual directories — fewer misassigned samples (e.g., samples incorrectly tagged as hats) * Time-stretching and key transposition are now bypassed when not in use, preserving original audio quality * Optimized rendering in the Sample Browser and other views with sample players * Uploads now handle choppy network conditions more gracefully and wait to reconnect before retrying Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ## Link, Tempo and Key Lock Update ### Lock Playback Tempo and Key Sample Vault now has a time-stretching and key transposing algorithm built-in. Globally define the tempo and key at which all samples play. Tempo lock requires samples with detected tempo. Key transposition requires samples with a detected key. ### Link — Synchronize Playback With Your DAW Sample Vault now supports [Ableton Link](https://www.ableton.com/en/link/) to synchronize sample playback with your DAW. Enable it by clicking the **Link** button in the title bar. See your DAW's documentation for how to enable Ableton Link — most major DAWs support it, including [Ableton Live](https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/synchronizing-with-link-tempo-follower-and-midi/), [Bitwig](https://www.bitwig.com/userguide/latest/the_dashboard/), and [Logic Pro](https://support.apple.com/guide/logicpro/ableton-link-in-logic-pro-for-mac-lgcp528602e4/mac). When Link is enabled, sample playback loops until paused. Enabling Link automatically locks tempo playback. Refer to the [full feature documentation](/core-features/link-tempo-key) for more details. ### Sample Processing * Sample directory view now shows richer details per sample and per processing step * Samples that fail to process or upload now automatically retry * More descriptive error messages for common processing errors * Directory scans now automatically resume if interrupted Sample directory view showing detailed sample metadata and processing status ### User Experience * New waitlist on the [pricing page](https://samplevault.ai/pricing) for a one-time purchase license * Removed upsell banner from sample browser for free plan users * New onboarding survey for a more personalized experience * Smoother application update flow for future updates * Public sample libraries are bundled with the app for faster first launch ### Performance and Bug Fixes * Sample browser search is significantly faster * Fixed AI Assistant chat errors caused by invalid tool calls * App no longer crashes after server-side updates — it gracefully reloads instead Something not working? Check our [troubleshooting guide](/reference/troubleshooting) or reach out on [Discord](https://discord.gg/JcV3kEw3V7). ### Known Issues * **Link peer detection:** Link may occasionally fail to detect other peers on the network. Toggle Link off and on to reconnect. * **Drag-and-drop with lock enabled:** Dragged samples do not yet preserve tempo/key lock settings. This will be addressed in a future update. This update is a breaking change. You must install the newest version of Sample Vault to use the application. You will be prompted to do so on startup if you haven't done already. You can manually download and update the app from the [downloads page](https://samplevault.ai/downloads). ## Offline Mode and Unlimited Free Plan Update ### Offline Mode (Local-First) Sample Vault now works fully offline. * **Zero Latency:** Searching and organizing happens locally on your device * **Auto-Sync:** Changes made offline automatically sync to the cloud once you reconnect (paid plans only) The AI Assistant and Prompt Search still require an internet connection. You must sign in while online before using offline mode. ### Unlimited Free Plan The Free Plan no longer has sample limits. Add as many samples as you want — all samples are analyzed locally. Cloud sync and AI analysis remain exclusive to [paid plans](/reference/plans-usage). ### AI Assistant: Fast Mode New **Fast Mode** toggle for the AI Assistant, optimized for quick questions, precise sample searches, and documentation lookup. Dropdown menu showing the new AI Assistant Fast Mode option ### Sample Libraries Management Enable or disable specific public sample collections to declutter your library. Configure this in **Settings → Sample Libraries**. Public sample libraries management interface ### Performance and Bug Fixes * **Search performance:** Sample browser loads faster and scrolls more smoothly * **AI Assistant reliability:** Reduced hallucinations and significantly lower error rate No breaking changes in this release.