How to Back Up and Restore Your EP Device
Take a proper backup of your EP-40, EP-133 or EP-1320 before a firmware update, a big reorganisation, or just for peace of mind. Here's how the three backup scopes work in EP-PatchStudio, and how restoring works.
Hardware is replaceable. The hours you've put into your projects aren't. A backup is the difference between a firmware hiccup being a minor annoyance and losing a set you can't get back. Backing up and restoring an EP-40, EP-133 or EP-1320 in EP-PatchStudio is straightforward, so here's how it works and when to reach for each option.
Three backup scopes
In Backup & Restore you choose what to capture using the tabs at the top.
Single Project saves one project, every sample on its pads plus its settings, as a .ppak file.
All Projects saves all nine projects as a ZIP containing nine separate .ppak files (P01 to P09).
Full Device saves everything, every sample slot and all projects, as a single .pak file. That's
the most complete safety net.
These are the standard EP .pak and .ppak formats, the same ones Teenage Engineering's EP Sample
Tool uses, so your backups aren't locked into one app.
Fast, because it caches your samples
EP-PatchStudio keeps a local cache of your device's samples. The first full backup takes a couple of minutes while it builds that cache. After that it only has to pull what's changed, so later backups drop to around 20 seconds. The EP Sample Tool re-reads everything every time, which can take a few minutes, so once you're cached, this is a lot quicker.
When to use each one
Before a firmware update, always take a Full Device backup first. If an update ever goes sideways, you can restore exactly where you were.
Before a big reorganisation, the same. About to clear out samples or rework your projects? A Full Device backup means you can undo the whole thing if you change your mind.
Before a gig, back up your live set, so a mistake on stage or a flat battery never costs you the night.
Sharing a project
A single-project backup is a .ppak, and it bundles the project together with its samples. So if you
want to pass an idea to someone, back the project up and send them the .ppak. They drop it into
EP-PatchStudio and restore it to a slot on their own device, samples and all.
Restoring
Restoring reverses the process. Pick a .ppak to restore a single project (you can send it to any
project slot you like), or a .pak to restore a full device.
A couple of things worth knowing. Restoring overwrites matching content on the device, so back up anything current you want to keep before you restore an older file. And because a backup records which device it came from, EP-PatchStudio warns you if the serial or model doesn't match the connected device, so you can stop and check it's what you meant before going ahead.
Keep your backup files named and dated on your computer, so you always know which is which when you need one.
Backups vs an organised library
Backups are your safety net, full snapshots you reach for when something needs recovering. For day-to-day creativity, pair them with a named, searchable project library, which is about organising and recalling your work rather than disaster recovery. Most people use both: the library for everyday flow, full backups for peace of mind.
Get started
EP-PatchStudio is free to download, and Backup & Restore is included.
Download EP-PatchStudio free →
EP-PatchStudio is an independent app from SquareWave Studio. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Teenage Engineering AB.