How do i midi files into a pro tools session from an external drive

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asked by anonymous· 6/10/2026

Instant AI Answermedium confidenceVerified Contributor Reviewed

15d ago· last updated 15d ago

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Importing MIDI into Pro Tools involves using the Import menu or dragging and dropping directly from your OS file browser or the Pro Tools Workspace Browser.

What to do

1.Connect your external drive to your computer and ensure it is recognized.
2.Open your Pro Tools session.
3.Go to the 'File' menu and select 'Import' > 'MIDI...' (or use the shortcut Cmd+Option+I on Mac / Ctrl+Alt+I on Windows).
4.In the file browser dialog, navigate to your external drive and select the MIDI file(s) you wish to import.
5.Click 'Open.' An 'Import Selection' dialog box will appear.
6.Choose whether to import the MIDI into a 'New Track' or the 'Region List' (Clip List). Select 'Session Start' or 'Selection' for the location.
7.If the MIDI file contains Tempo/Meter map data, check 'Import Tempo/Meter Map from MIDI File' if you want your session tempo to match the file.
8.Click OK to finish the import.

Common mistakes

×MIDI files do not contain sound. You must route the MIDI track to a Virtual Instrument (AAX plugin) or external hardware to hear anything.
×Importing the Tempo Map from a MIDI file will overwrite your current session tempo settings.
×Ensure your external drive is formatted correctly for your OS (APFS/HFS+ for Mac, NTFS/exFAT for PC) to avoid read errors during import.

Pro tip

If you are importing a Standard MIDI File (SMF) with multiple tracks, Pro Tools will ask if you want to import it into 'New Tracks.' Selecting 'Yes' will automatically create and name the tracks based on the metadata in the MIDI file.

Based on AI training data — may not reflect current information.

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