Use this guide to export a crate from Crate Hackers and open it inside VirtualDJ.

VirtualDJ works well with M3U playlists, but you may need to turn on M3U playlist support inside VirtualDJ first. Do that before exporting, unless you enjoy looking for a playlist that technically exists but refuses to show itself. Great use of an afternoon.

Fast Fix

  1. Open VirtualDJ.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Open Options.
  4. Search for M3U.
  5. Turn on the M3U playlist options.
  6. Open Crate Hackers.
  7. Open the crate you want to export.
  8. Make sure the tracks are matched to your music library.
  9. Click Export.
  10. Choose the VirtualDJ export option if available.
  11. If needed, export as M3U.
  12. Open or restart VirtualDJ.
  13. Look for the crate under M3U Playlists.
  14. Load a few tracks to test before using it live.

Before You Export

Before exporting to VirtualDJ, make sure Crate Hackers knows where your music files live.

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Go to Library.
  3. Open Music Sources.
  4. Add the folder where your music files are stored.
  5. Run the scan.
  6. Re-sync if you recently added new tracks.

VirtualDJ needs access to the actual audio files. Crate Hackers can help build and export the crate, but VirtualDJ still has to find the files on your computer, external drive, or cloud folder.

Step 1: Turn On M3U Playlists in VirtualDJ

VirtualDJ may need M3U playlist support turned on before your exported crate appears correctly.

  1. Open VirtualDJ.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Open Options.
  4. Search for M3U.
  5. Set the M3U playlist options to Yes or On.
  6. Close the settings window.

After this is enabled, you should see an M3U Playlists area in the VirtualDJ browser.

If you do not see it right away, close and reopen VirtualDJ after exporting.

Step 2: Choose a Crate in Crate Hackers

Open the crate you want to use inside VirtualDJ.

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Go to Crates or My Crates.
  3. Open the crate you want to export.
  4. Review the track list.
  5. Confirm the crate has the songs you want.

If you are using a curated crate, imported Spotify playlist, or text import, save it to My Crates first so you have a working version you can review and export.

Step 3: Match the Tracks

Crate Hackers needs to match the crate songs against your scanned music library before exporting a useful playlist.

Tracks may show as:

  • Matched: Crate Hackers found a likely version in your library.
  • Missing: Crate Hackers did not find that song in your scanned folders.
  • Needs review: A similar track may exist, but you should confirm the version.

Only matched tracks can export cleanly as playable files. Tracks without matches may be skipped or may not load correctly in VirtualDJ.

Check your versions before exporting. Clean, explicit, intro, short edit, extended, remix, and live versions are not interchangeable just because the title looks close.

Step 4: Export from Crate Hackers

Once the crate is reviewed and matched, export it from Crate Hackers.

  1. Open the crate inside Crate Hackers.
  2. Click Export.
  3. Rename the crate if needed.
  4. Choose the VirtualDJ export option if available.
  5. If a direct VirtualDJ option is not available, choose M3U.
  6. Follow the export steps shown inside the app.

Depending on the export options available, you may also see PDF, CSV, or Spotify backup. Those are useful for reference or sharing, but they are not the same as exporting a playable crate into VirtualDJ.

For VirtualDJ, the important export path is the playlist file that points to your actual music files.

Step 5: Open the Crate in VirtualDJ

After exporting, open VirtualDJ and check the browser.

  1. Close and reopen VirtualDJ if it was already open.
  2. Look for M3U Playlists in the VirtualDJ browser.
  3. Open the exported crate or playlist.
  4. Load a few tracks to confirm they work.
  5. Check that the order looks correct.

If the crate appears and the songs load, you are good to go.

Alternate Method: Manual M3U Export

If the direct VirtualDJ export is not available or does not show correctly, use the manual M3U method.

  1. Open your crate in Crate Hackers.
  2. Click Export.
  3. Choose M3U.
  4. Save the M3U file to a folder you can find.
  5. Open VirtualDJ.
  6. Drag the M3U file into VirtualDJ, or open it from the M3U Playlists area if available.
  7. Create a playlist or folder inside VirtualDJ if you want to organize it further.
  8. Load a few tracks to test.

The M3U file is a playlist file. It points VirtualDJ to your music files. It does not contain the actual audio. Tiny file. Big responsibility. Very annoying when misunderstood.

Important: The Music Files Still Need to Exist

Exporting a crate does not copy every song into VirtualDJ. The exported playlist points to the files already on your computer, external drive, or cloud folder.

  • If your music is on an external drive, plug it in before opening VirtualDJ.
  • If your music is in Dropbox or Google Drive, make sure the files are downloaded locally.
  • If you move your music after exporting, VirtualDJ may not find the files.
  • If a track was missing in Crate Hackers, it may not export as a playable track.

If VirtualDJ cannot find the audio file, the playlist may appear but the track may not load. That is usually a file path issue, not a crate issue.

Troubleshooting

The Crate Does Not Show in VirtualDJ

  • Make sure M3U playlist options are turned on in VirtualDJ.
  • Close and reopen VirtualDJ.
  • Check the M3U Playlists area in the browser.
  • Export the crate again from Crate Hackers.
  • Try the manual M3U export method.

The Crate Shows, But Tracks Are Missing

This usually means VirtualDJ cannot find the original audio files.

  • Plug in your external drive.
  • Make sure cloud files are downloaded locally.
  • Confirm the files were not moved or deleted.
  • Open Crate Hackers and re-sync your music sources.
  • Export the crate again.

Some Tracks Did Not Export

Tracks without matches may be skipped or may not load correctly. Go back to Crate Hackers and check which songs are matched, missing, or need review.

The Order Looks Wrong

Check the sorting inside VirtualDJ. Some playlist views may sort by title, artist, BPM, date added, or another column instead of the original crate order.

Look for a track number, playlist order, or manual sort option inside VirtualDJ.

M3U Playlists Folder Is Missing

  • Open VirtualDJ settings.
  • Go to Options.
  • Search M3U.
  • Turn on the M3U playlist options.
  • Restart VirtualDJ.

Tracks Load With No BPM or Key

If BPM or key data is missing inside VirtualDJ, analyze the tracks inside VirtualDJ.

Crate Hackers can help organize and export the crate, but VirtualDJ may still need to analyze the files for its own library data.

The Playlist Opens, But Nothing Plays

Check whether the original files are still available. An M3U playlist points to files. If the files are missing, moved, offline, or on an unplugged drive, VirtualDJ has nothing to play.

Best VirtualDJ Export Workflow

  1. Add your music folders to Crate Hackers.
  2. Scan your library.
  3. Open or build a crate.
  4. Save it to My Crates if needed.
  5. Match the tracks you own.
  6. Add missing tracks if needed.
  7. Re-sync your music sources.
  8. Turn on M3U playlist support in VirtualDJ.
  9. Click Export in Crate Hackers.
  10. Choose VirtualDJ if available, or use M3U.
  11. Open or restart VirtualDJ.
  12. Open the crate from M3U Playlists.
  13. Load a few tracks and test.

That is the clean path. Turn on M3U support, export matched tracks, then test inside VirtualDJ before the gig.

Need More Help?