# NKS - Overview

## NKS in a nutshell

* Most VST plugins do not report their presets to your DAW
  * As such, you cannot select presets from your DAW
* NKS glues together your VST plugin presets with additional information
* You need .nksf files (for instruments) or .nksfx files (for effects), shortly named NKS files
* Each NKS file contains the preset data and meta-information like banks, authors, controller mappings etc
* Maschine and Komplete Kontrol loads these files and can present their information in the software or on your hardware
* Some plugin vendors also deliver NKS files for their plugins
* NKS files will NOT be auto-generated by Maschine, Komplete Kontrol or your plugins

## How to generate NKS files

You can either generate NKS manually or automatically. Note that the manual process requires lots of time, because you have to select each and every preset in your plugin and save an NKS file for it.

### Manual approach

* Open Maschine or Komplete Kontrol
* Load the plugin
* Select the preset inside the plugin you wish to save
* In Komplete Kontrol: Select File->Save As
* In Maschine: Select the Option "Save as" in the same menu where you selected your plugin

This saves a single NKS file, which then appears in the **User Library.**

![](https://2044697727-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LVXFbos0hxPs1OruITv%2F-LVXQfl40nbI9bmFWtNd%2F-LVXT0ykkfznudsStj5x%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=21eaed24-d89c-492f-8aea-fb8ba9127902)

### **Pre-Created NKS files**

There's an effort by volunteers creating NKS files, called the NKS user library. You can find it in the [Native Instruments Forum.](https://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/nks-user-library.262959/) Note that you need to re-scan your user library in order for them to appear.

![](https://2044697727-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LVXFbos0hxPs1OruITv%2F-LVXQfl40nbI9bmFWtNd%2F-LVXSSCTyoAkSBVZaOg3%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=5ce306d8-9afe-42fd-9a1f-eb5442a016f7)

### Automatically creating NKS files

That's where PresetMagician comes into play - it automatically generates NKS files for you, including audio previews. To quickly get results, please read the [Getting Started](../manual/guides/getting-started) guide.









