Browser Access

​

Overview

Sample Vault runs in any modern browser as well as the desktop app. Sign in at samplevault.ai on any computer, click Open app, and the Library, Deep Search, Sound Profile, Similar Samples, and AI Assistant come up against your cloud library — same UI, no install.

​

What works in the browser

The web tab is the same React app as the desktop window, so almost everything ports over:

• Library — every filter, Sound Profile, tags, collections, sorting, the extended search bar, and the Map, Circle, and Scatter views
• Deep Search — search by name or by describing the sound
• Similar Samples and the AI Assistant — Fast, Smart, and Creative chats plus workspaces and chat history
• Audio playback with the Waveform Visualizer and Tempo / Key Lock
• Library edits — favorites, tags, collections, sample edits, and chat actions all sync back to your other devices

​

What’s desktop-only

A few things need the OS or the local file system, so they only run in the desktop app. Each one shows a clear “desktop app required” prompt in the browser instead of failing silently:

• Library scanning — adding directories, watching folders, rescanning, deleting samples from disk
• Local analysis — BPM, key, and Sound Profile extraction
• Deep Tagging — runs against samples on disk before they’re uploaded
• Local-disk samples — files that exist on your disk but haven’t been uploaded to cloud storage are not visible in the browser library
• Ableton Link — uses your local network
• Always-on-top pin, global shortcuts, and the search overlay — need OS window control

​

How to tell you’re in browser mode

• A globe pill in the title bar marked “Browser mode”. Hover it for the full list of what’s available and what isn’t.
• The processing bar under the title bar reads “Analysis suspended — resume in the desktop app”.
• The Library status dialog opens with a one-line “X samples waiting — resume in the desktop app” verdict instead of a live processing view.

​

Requirements

• A current Chromium, Firefox, or Safari browser.
• An active internet connection — every query goes to your cloud library; the browser tab can’t work offline.
• A Professional Suite subscription. The browser tab uses the same account as the desktop app — sign in with the email tied to your subscription.
• Cloud sync turned on in the desktop app. Syncing is off until you turn it on in the app-data settings. The first sync uploads your library’s catalog, which can take a few minutes on large libraries.

​

Performance

The web tab is slightly slower than desktop because every read is a round-trip to your cloud library, where desktop reads from local disk. The difference is most noticeable on filter-heavy panels and very large libraries. Search and Sound Profile filtering stay responsive at every library size.

​

Troubleshooting

​

”Subscription required” at sign-in

Browser access needs a Professional Suite plan. Open the pricing page to upgrade, or keep using the desktop app on Demo Room, Home Studio, or Lifetime.

​

The browser asks you to finish setup on desktop

Your library reaches the browser through cloud sync, and syncing is off until you turn it on. Open the desktop app, enable cloud sync in the app-data settings, let the first sync finish, then reload the browser tab. If sync is already on, opening the desktop app once lets it complete the initial upload.

​

Some samples are missing in the browser

Only samples that have been uploaded to cloud storage are visible in the browser. Open the desktop app, right-click a directory, and choose Upload samples to the cloud. Missing files appear in the browser as soon as the upload finishes. See Adding & Managing Samples for the full pipeline.

​

Browser feels much slower than desktop

A small slow-down is expected — every read goes over the network. If pages are taking several seconds, check your connection, then reload the tab. Heavy filter combinations on very large libraries (200k+ samples) can take a second or two to resolve; refining the query usually brings it back down.

​

Drag-to-DAW doesn’t work in the browser

Most DAWs accept drops from the desktop app but not from a browser tab. If your DAW rejects the drag, right-click the sample and choose Copy to clipboard instead, then paste into the DAW. For full drag-to-DAW support, use the desktop app.