An open file format for moving a whole project between DAWs. A .dawproject file is a ZIP container with XML for tracks, clips, notes, automation and plug-in state, plus the audio. Bitwig and PreSonus created it, and the specification is on GitHub.

Which DAWs support DAWproject?

The format's repository lists Bitwig Studio 5.0.9, PreSonus Studio One 6.5, Steinberg Cubase 14, Cubasis 3.7.1, VST Live 2.2 and n-Track Studio 10.2.2. Waveform's current manual documents import and export. These lists date from different times, so check your DAW's current manual for your version.

Does DAWproject work with Logic Pro, FL Studio or Ableton Live?

We found none of them named in the format's own support list or in Bitwig's. Check each maker's current manual. Bitwig imports Ableton Live and FL Studio projects directly, which is a different feature.

Does monody support DAWproject?

No. monody opens Ableton Live 12 sets and exports a Live project folder with stems. It exports a MIDI clip or track as a .mid, and the mix or stems as WAV, FLAC or AAC. It does not read or write DAWproject, .flp or .logicx files.

When should I send MIDI and stems instead of a DAWproject file?

When the receiving DAW doesn't document DAWproject, when you only need the notes or the sound, or when you can't be sure both sides have the same plug-ins. MIDI and WAV are the most widely supported formats, but the receiving DAW still has to read them.

DAW workflows

DAWproject, MIDI files and stems: which one to hand off

What a DAWproject file carries that MIDI and stems don't, which DAWs document it, where plug-in state and automation get lost, and a checklist for a handoff.

By monody4 October 20266 min read

The short answer. Use a DAWproject file when both DAWs document it and you want tracks, clips, notes and some mixer state to arrive as a project. Use MIDI files for notes, and stems for sound, when either side doesn't, or when you can't be sure the plug-ins match. Whatever you send, include a short note with the tempo, sample rate and plug-in list, and open the result next to the original to check it.

Moving a project between DAWs used to mean stems and a lot of rebuilding. DAWproject is an open format built to avoid that, but support is uneven and the details matter. This guide explains what each handoff carries, what the documentation says about limits, and how to check a transfer. It is based on the makers' documents as of 4 October 2026. We did not test a DAWproject file between DAWs.

What each option carries

	Stems (WAV)	MIDI file (.mid)	DAWproject	Native import
Notes and velocities	No	Yes	Yes, with note expression	Depends on the importer
Sound as rendered	Yes	No	Audio clips yes, synths only via plug-in state	Depends
Tempo and time signature	Only if written in	Yes	Yes, with automation	Yes
Track structure and groups	No	Track names only	Yes	Yes
Automation	Baked in	Controller data	Volume, pan, mute, sends, plug-in parameters	Varies by DAW
Plug-in state	Baked in	No	Embedded, for plug-ins both sides have	Varies
Needs the receiving DAW to	Read the audio format	Read Standard MIDI Files	Support DAWproject	Have an importer for that project

The DAWproject column follows the format's own comparison table, which also lists clip launcher data and generic EQ, compressor, gate and limiter devices. "Native import" means one DAW opening another's project file directly, such as Bitwig's import of Ableton Live and FL Studio projects.

Who documents DAWproject

The format. The DAWproject repository calls version 1.0 stable and lists support in Bitwig Studio 5.0.9, Studio One 6.5, Cubase 14, Cubasis 3.7.1, VST Live 2.2 and n-Track Studio 10.2.2. It also points to converters for other formats, including one for REAPER.
Bitwig. Export is File, Export DAWproject. Bitwig's user guide says this saves "all of your generic project data into a file, which can be opened by any other music software that supports the format". Bitwig's FAQ lists its supporters as of 6 November 2024, so treat it as dated, not as a 2026 list.
Cubase. Steinberg's help has pages for DAWproject files in Cubase 14 and exporting DAWproject files in Cubase 15. We couldn't read the text of those pages with our tools, so read them for your version before you plan a handoff. The DAWproject repository lists Cubase 14.
Waveform. The current manual documents File, Export Other, Export as DAWproject file and File, Import Other, Import a DAWproject file, with a list of what does and doesn't travel.
Fender Studio Pro. Bitwig's FAQ lists Studio One 6.5, with File, Convert To, DAWproject File as the export path. Studio One is now Fender Studio Pro. We haven't confirmed the current version's menu, so read its Reference Manual.
Logic Pro, FL Studio, Ableton Live. None is named in the repository's list or in Bitwig's FAQ. We have no source saying they support or don't support it today, so check each manual.
Bitwig's other routes. Its MIDI and audio export and its controller extensions are in Bitwig and AI.
monody. No DAWproject support. AI basslines you can edit shows the .mid route instead.

Direct import is not DAWproject

Bitwig describes importing Ableton Live and FL Studio projects directly. From Live it keeps audio, MIDI and group tracks with routings, and VST plug-ins with settings and automation, and converts stock Ableton devices to Bitwig equivalents. From FL Studio it brings patterns and audio events in as clips, but native FL devices aren't transferred and automation is lost, which Bitwig calls "a handy time-saver when transferring simpler material". Those are one-way import features of one DAW, not a shared format.

What gets lost

The makers say it plainly:

Plug-ins must exist on both sides. Waveform warns that a plug-in only loads if that exact plug-in is installed on the receiving machine, and is silently dropped otherwise. Bitwig's FAQ noted that Studio One AU data isn't read by Bitwig and Bitwig's CLAP data isn't read by Studio One, for the versions it listed.
Automation and routing vary. Waveform's list of what doesn't come across includes automation curves, sends and bus routing, step and Edit clips, pitch and time-stretch settings, and groove and quantize settings. Another DAW may differ, so read each side.
Built-in devices are generic. The format covers a generic EQ, compressor, gate and limiter. Everything else is the plug-in's own state or nothing.
Clip launcher data may not map. Bitwig's FAQ noted that Studio One didn't read Bitwig's clips and scenes.
A missing instrument plays nothing. Waveform says a plug-in that isn't installed on the receiving machine is dropped from the track, so check that the notes still have an instrument.

A handoff checklist

Say what the other person needs. Edit the arrangement, remix, mix, or just hear it. That decides the format.
Check both manuals for DAWproject at your versions, or for a direct import.
Save a copy and export from the copy. Some exports, such as FL Studio's project-wide MIDI macro, change the project.
Send all three when it matters: a DAWproject if both support it, stems that all start at bar 1, and MIDI for the key parts. Move MIDI and stems between DAWs has the steps for FL Studio and Logic Pro.
Write the note. Tempo, time signature, sample rate, key, and a list of every plug-in with its format (VST3, AU, CLAP) and version.
Import as a new project on the other side. Never into a session you care about.
Check the transfer. Compare track count, tempo, note counts and plug-in presence. Then bounce both versions and listen to them against each other at the same loudness.

When it goes wrong

What you see	Likely cause	Try
Empty or tiny .dawproject file	The exporter may skip some track types	Read the export page for your DAW and version, and send MIDI files and stems as a fallback
Instrument tracks silent	The plug-in isn't installed on the receiving side	Install it, or send a stem
Everything lands 1 bar or 1 beat off	Different start or tempo	Set the tempo first, import at bar 1
Automation missing	The importer or exporter doesn't carry it	Bake it into stems or redraw it
Notes right, sound wrong	MIDI carries no sound	Use the stem as a reference

Sources

DAWproject: repository and format comparison
Bitwig: Exporting projects, DAWproject FAQ, Transferring projects between Bitwig Studio and other DAWs
Steinberg: Cubase Pro help, DAWproject files (14) and exporting DAWproject files (15)
Waveform: Importing and exchanging projects

Checked on 4 October 2026.

Questions

What is DAWproject?: An open file format for moving a whole project between DAWs. A .dawproject file is a ZIP container with XML for tracks, clips, notes, automation and plug-in state, plus the audio. Bitwig and PreSonus created it, and the specification is on GitHub.
Which DAWs support DAWproject?: The format's repository lists Bitwig Studio 5.0.9, PreSonus Studio One 6.5, Steinberg Cubase 14, Cubasis 3.7.1, VST Live 2.2 and n-Track Studio 10.2.2. Waveform's current manual documents import and export. These lists date from different times, so check your DAW's current manual for your version.
Does DAWproject work with Logic Pro, FL Studio or Ableton Live?: We found none of them named in the format's own support list or in Bitwig's. Check each maker's current manual. Bitwig imports Ableton Live and FL Studio projects directly, which is a different feature.
Does monody support DAWproject?: No. monody opens Ableton Live 12 sets and exports a Live project folder with stems. It exports a MIDI clip or track as a .mid, and the mix or stems as WAV, FLAC or AAC. It does not read or write DAWproject, .flp or .logicx files.
When should I send MIDI and stems instead of a DAWproject file?: When the receiving DAW doesn't document DAWproject, when you only need the notes or the sound, or when you can't be sure both sides have the same plug-ins. MIDI and WAV are the most widely supported formats, but the receiving DAW still has to read them.