Convert your Rekordbox library to Engine DJ with Lexicon. Playlists, hot cues, beatgrids, and tags transfer — and you can write directly to your USB or Denon hardware. Free, Windows and macOS.
Applies to Rekordbox 6 and 7 as the source. Rekordbox 5 works via XML. Engine DJ means any recent Engine DJ Desktop version — including direct-to-hardware sync on Denon media players.
Requirements
You need to have these installed:
- Rekordbox 6 or 7 (Rekordbox 5 supported via XML)
- Engine DJ, launched at least once
- Lexicon — free for library conversion
Lexicon runs on Windows and macOS.
Steps to convert Rekordbox to Engine DJ
The process has two parts: import your Rekordbox library into Lexicon, then sync it to Engine DJ.
Part 1 — Import from Rekordbox
- Close both Rekordbox and Engine DJ completely. Background processes must terminate for the databases to be readable.
- Open Lexicon and go to the Sync page.
- Click
Import tracks & playlistsat the bottom.
- Choose Rekordbox from the dropdown. Lexicon auto-detects the database.
- Leave
Fullselected to import your entire library.
- Click
Start importing. Your Rekordbox library now lives in Lexicon.
Part 2 — Sync to Engine DJ
- Go back to the Sync page (don't click Import again).
- Choose Engine DJ from the dropdown. Lexicon auto-detects the Engine DJ database.
- Leave
Fullselected. Leave the other options on their defaults.
- Click
Sync to Engine DJ. Wait for it to finish.
When it completes, open Engine DJ and your full library is there — playlists, cues, beatgrids and tags intact.
What transfers from Rekordbox to Engine DJ
| Item | Transfers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Playlists & folder structure | Yes | Your Rekordbox playlists and folders sync to Engine DJ as crates/playlists. |
| Intelligent playlists | Partial | Rekordbox stores intelligent playlists as normal playlists in XML. They sync to Engine DJ as regular playlists. Rebuild as Lexicon smartlists to get dynamic lists in Engine DJ. |
| Hot cues | Yes (up to 8) | Both apps support 8 hot cues. Labels carry across. |
| Memory cues | Merged into hot cues | Engine DJ has no memory cues. Rekordbox memory cues merge into the cue list in Lexicon. |
| Cue colors | Yes | Engine DJ displays cue colors the same way Rekordbox does. |
| Track colors | Via field mapping | Engine DJ does not natively support track colors. Use Lexicon's Field Mapping to write the color name (e.g. Red_Dark) into a comment or custom tag. |
| Beatgrids | Yes | Beatgrid markers and BPM transfer 1:1. |
| Loops | Yes (one active) | Engine DJ supports saved loops. |
| Track metadata | Yes | Title, artist, album, genre, BPM, key, comments, ratings, custom tags. |
| Album art | Optional | You can choose to write album art during sync. This is slower (Lexicon reads every audio file) but required if you're syncing directly to USB or hardware where Engine DJ can't reload art afterwards. |
Notes specific to Rekordbox → Engine DJ
Close Rekordbox completely
Rekordbox's background processes (rekordbox and rekordboxAgent) must exit before Lexicon can read the database. If import hangs, force-quit them via Task Manager / Activity Monitor.
Choose your target: desktop, USB, or Dropbox
When syncing to Engine DJ you can pick where the library is written:
- Engine DJ Desktop — the default. Writes to the Engine DJ library on your computer.
- USB drive / Denon hardware — writes directly to your USB or a connected Denon player. Requires the device to be in Computer Mode.
- Dropbox — writes to your Engine Cloud-synced Dropbox folder.
Pick this in the Sync options before clicking Sync to Engine DJ.
Album art on direct-to-hardware sync
If you're syncing direct to USB or a Denon player, Engine DJ can't reload album art afterwards (no file system access from the player). Enable Write album art in Lexicon's sync options for this case. It's slower but ensures art shows on the player.
Track colors need a field mapping
Engine DJ doesn't have a native track-color field. If you want to preserve your Rekordbox color labels, set up a Field Mapping in Lexicon that writes the color name (e.g. Dark Red → Red_Dark) into a comment or custom tag. See Field Mappings in the manual.
Beatgrid lock behavior
Engine DJ locks beatgrids that have been touched. By default Lexicon respects existing locks — if a grid is already locked in Engine DJ, Lexicon won't overwrite it. You can flip this to lock all or unlock all in the sync options if you want Lexicon's grids to win.
Remote Library is not supported
Engine DJ's Remote Library feature (streaming tracks from a networked machine to your player) is not supported by Lexicon. Tracks synced through Lexicon need to be locally accessible to the Engine DJ instance or device.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sync directly to my Denon player's USB?
Yes — put the Denon player or USB into Computer Mode, then choose that drive as the Target Drive in Lexicon's sync options before syncing.
Will my Rekordbox track colors appear in Engine DJ?
Not natively — Engine DJ has no track-color field. Use a Lexicon Field Mapping to write the color name into a comment or custom tag, where it will be searchable in Engine DJ.
What happens to memory cues from Rekordbox?
They merge into the cue list in Lexicon, because Engine DJ has no memory-cue concept. Enable memory cues in Lexicon settings before importing if you want to keep them separate for a future round-trip back to Rekordbox.
Do I need to write album art?
Only if you're syncing direct to USB/hardware. For desktop Engine DJ you can skip it and use Engine DJ's Re-import track information later to pull art from the files. The "write album art" option is slower because Lexicon has to read every audio file.
Does this work with Engine Cloud / Dropbox?
Yes. Pick the Engine Cloud Dropbox folder as your target drive. Lexicon writes there, and Engine Cloud handles the sync to other devices.
Does this work on macOS?
Yes. The process is identical on Windows and macOS.
Other conversion guides
Converting from a different app, or to a different app?
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