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Import to Pro Tools

PT Peek can import basic track, file, and clip data into an open Pro Tools session (Pro Tools 2025.6 or later).

  1. Tracks - Track (type, name, and color), audio files, and clips spotted to the track.
  2. Audio Files - Optionally copied. Optionally sample rate converted.
  3. Clips - Individual clips, not organized as region groups.

Import is intentionally limited

PT Peek's Import to Pro Tools is basic by design — it is constrained by what the Pro Tools scripting API exposes. Many things that Pro Tools' own File → Import Session Data… can do are simply not available to third-party tools. In particular, PT Peek import does not transfer:

  • Plugins, plugin settings, or insert order
  • Sends, busing, I/O assignments, or routing folder relationships
  • Automation (volume, pan, plugin parameters, mute)
  • Track groups, VCA assignments, or hidden/inactive states
  • Region groups, clip gain, fades, or crossfades
  • Memory locations, markers, tempo/meter maps
  • MIDI data and Instrument track parameters
  • Mix window state, comments, or color groupings beyond track color

If you need any of the above, see Using PT Peek with Pro Tools Import below.

Using PT Peek with Pro Tools Import

PT Peek is most powerful when you use it as a session browser to find what you want before doing a full-featured import inside Pro Tools itself. A typical workflow:

  1. Browse with PT Peek — open the source .ptx in PT Peek to see all of its tracks, clips, plugins, and audio files at a glance, without launching Pro Tools.
  2. Audition — play back audio files and clips inline to confirm you've found the right material.
  3. Locate files — right-click any audio file or clip and choose Reveal in Finder to see exactly where it lives on disk.
  4. Note the tracks you want — write down (or remember) the track names you need to bring across.
  5. Switch to Pro Tools — in your destination session, choose File → Import → Session Data… and point it at the same source .ptx.
  6. Cherry-pick in Pro Tools' import dialog — check only the tracks you identified in PT Peek, and choose exactly which elements to import (plugins, sends, automation, groups, markers, tempo map, and so on).

This combination gives you PT Peek's fast browsing and listening with Pro Tools' full-featured import.

Requirements

  • Pro Tools 2025.6 or later must be running
  • A session must be open in Pro Tools
  • The session sample rate must match the .ptx file's sample rate
  • Audio files must be accessible on disk (online)

How to Import

From the Menu

  1. Select one or more items (tracks, audio files, or clips)
  2. Use File → Import to Pro Tools… or press Cmd+Shift+I

From the Context Menu

  1. Select one or more items
  2. Right-click → Import to Pro Tools…

From the Track Row

Right-click any track to import it and its clips.

Imports respect your current filters

When you import tracks with an Overview rectangle or a search filter active, only the currently visible clips on each track are imported. Hidden clips are skipped. This lets you trim a track down to just the clips you want by filtering first, then importing. See Search and Filter and Filter by Overview Rectangle.

Import Dialog

Before importing, PT Peek shows a dialog that verifies:

  1. Connection — can PT Peek connect to Pro Tools?
  2. Version — is Pro Tools 2025.6 or later?
  3. Session — is a session open? Shows the session name.
  4. Sample Rate — does the Pro Tools session match the file's sample rate?

If all checks pass, you see a list of items to import with a Cancel / Import button.

What Gets Imported

Tracks

Importing a track creates:

  • A new track in Pro Tools with the same name, type, color, and format
  • All audio files used by the track's clips are imported to the clip list
  • Clips are created with the correct source offset and length
  • Clips are spotted at their original timeline positions
  • Clips are not combined into groups

Audio Files

Importing audio files adds them to the Pro Tools clip list. No tracks are created. Files are copied to the destination session's Audio Files directory. If the destination sample rate is different from the source, sample rate conversion will be applied.

Clips

Importing clips:

  1. Imports the associated audio files to the clip list
  2. Creates sub-clips with the correct offset and length in the source file

No tracks are created and clips are not placed on the timeline.

Interleaved and Multi-Mono

PT Peek handles multichannel tracks and files for interleaved and multi-mono cases:

  • Tracks are created with the appropriate stem format
  • Source audio files can be interleaved or multi-mono
  • Audio files that are copied will match the destination session's session setup: interleaved or multi-mono

Error Handling

If an import fails, the dialog shows the error message from Pro Tools. Common issues:

  • "Cannot connect" — Pro Tools is not running or not responding
  • "Version not supported" — Pro Tools is older than 2025.6
  • "No session open" — open or create a session in Pro Tools
  • "Sample rate mismatch" — change the Pro Tools session sample rate to match