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Splice downloads every sound you audition into a folder that only grows: how to measure it and move it

Every sample you add to your Splice library is a file on your Mac, kept forever. Where they go, how big it gets, and how to move it without breaking projects.

5 min read

Splice makes collecting sounds effortless, which is exactly why the folder behind it gets large. Every sound you add to your library is downloaded into a folder on your Mac and kept. Splice's own help says the default location on a Mac is a folder named Splice in your home folder.

Measure it

du -sh ~/Splice
du -sh ~/Splice/*/ 2>/dev/null | sort -h

If you changed the location, it is shown in the Splice app under Preferences, in the Splice Folder panel.

Why it grows

  • Individual one shots are small, but whole packs and long loops at high sample rates are not.
  • Sounds stay on disk after you stop using them. Removing a sound from a collection does not remove the file.
  • Presets for synths and instrument content add a second, separate pile.

Moving it to an external drive

Splice supports this directly, which is the safest way to free the space without losing anything:

  1. Copy the whole Splice folder to the external drive.
  2. In the Splice app, open Preferences, find the Splice Folder panel and choose Set New Folder, pointing at the copy.
  3. Check that sounds play and drag into your DAW from the new location.
  4. Only then move the old folder to the Trash.

Keeping it in check

  • Prune packs you auditioned once and never used. Sort the folder by date last opened in Finder's list view.
  • Keep the Splice folder on the same drive as your projects if you use an external SSD for music. Our guide to moving files to an external drive covers what to check before relying on one.

Splice is usually one of several sample piles. The musicians' storage guide covers the rest, including Kontakt libraries.

Common questions

Where does Splice store samples on a Mac?

By default in a folder named Splice in your home folder. The current location is shown in the Splice app's Preferences, in the Splice Folder panel.

Can I move my Splice folder to an external drive?

Yes. Copy the folder to the drive, then choose Set New Folder in the Splice app's Preferences and point it at the copy. Remove the old one only after checking sounds still work.

Will deleting Splice samples break my old projects?

It can, if your DAW references the files in place rather than copying them. Collect or consolidate files into each project you care about before removing samples.

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