FAQ: Max 8

The application connects to our authorization server and verifies the authorized state. Starting with Max 7, we no longer support Pace "challenge/response" copy protection. If you own a full license (no subscriptions) of Max 7 (or later), you may use iLok. Visit the authorization page for information.

If you've never used the Max 8 demo on your computer before, you can install and use it in fully functional demo mode for 30 days. After 30 days, saving is disabled. To use the demo, you need to create an account inside the application or on cycling74.com. Both require an internet connection. Learn more about accounts.

Yes, it will run offline for up to 180 days before you need to connect to the internet again. Max will prompt you when you get close to that time to reconnect to our authorization server. Also, full licenses (no subscriptions) can be transferred to iLok for offline use.

When you first purchase a subscription, your computer must be connected to the internet to receive the authorization. If you have purchased a monthly subscription, you must then be connected to the internet once every 30 days. If you have purchased an annual subscription, you must then be connected to the internet once every 180 days.

If you own one license, then Max 8 can run on one computer at a time. However, we understand many people have multiple computers and need more than one authorization. Therefore, you can authorize up to 3 computers as long as they’re not running Max simultaneously.

No. Max 8 is a different product from the Max for Live editor (included in Live 10 Suite or purchased separately as "Max for Live"), but the Max 8 installation is still necessary to run the Max for Live Editor. There is no need to separately authorize the Max for Live Editor, as Live 10 Suite or Max for Live is authorized by Ableton.

Your Max authorization is tied to your Max account. Once you sign into your account inside the Max application, it is authorized. Contact Support if you have any questions about using multiple machines.

No. Instead, use the Max demo which still functions without saving after 30 days or Max Standalones to run patches on the unauthorized machines.

Yes, you can authorize both. And, yes, patches will work on both.

No. You need an account to purchase Max 8. Your Max authorization will be tied to that account instead of a serial number.

No. There is only one installer and only one flavor of the Max application. The only difference between a 'academic' (student, teacher, or school), 'subscription', and 'permanent' license is the amount paid for the program and/or whether or not your license expires after some period of time (e.g. the 12-month student license). The '30-day demo' simply refers to the fact that Max will run without copy protection for the first 30 days. There are no limitations to the program during this period.

Visit this page for details.

If it is a Max Patch: You can send your patch to any person who owns Max and has it installed. That person can open it directly, edit and save. There's also a 30-day demo available for downloading. During the 30-day period, that person can open it directly, edit and save. After 30 days, it cannot be saved.

If it's a Max Collective: You may also build a collective out of your patch. This bundles up your patch into one file to make it easier to send. It's especially useful if your patch contains a number of different files. Collectives are cross-platform compatible (Max/MSP 4.3 or greater). Like a Patch, a Collective also requires a Max installation, demo, or runtime version (only for Max 6 or older). Refer to the documentation for more details on how to create collectives.

If it's a Max Standalone: You may turn your patch into a platform-specific standalone application. A standalone does not require any additional Max installation or runtime. You can give this away free.

If it's saved as a Max 8 Project: The project is portable and can be opened by other Max 8 users.

Yes.

Yes, you can authorize both. And, yes, patches will work on both.

Max audio processing bit depth was updated to 64-bit as of Max 6.0. The bit resolution of Max messages is dependent on the version of software that you are using. Versions before Max 6.1, and the 32-bit versions of Max 6.1+, use 32-bit numeric data. The 64-bit version of Max 6.1+ uses 64-bit numeric data for all message contents.

Apple has announced their lack of continued support for 32-bit applications, the embedded Chrome web browser technology we rely upon for in-application web browsing (including Reference, File Browser, Package Manager, and Search features) has removed 32-bit support long ago, and maintenance issues across architectures has become increasingly burdensome for us to provide you with the best Max experience possible. 64-bit applications also remove the memory restrictions of 32-bit applications, and Max is able to provide you with significantly improved math for integer operations under 64-bit than its 32-bit counterpart. For these reasons, we feel that moving to a 64-bit only architecture is the best path forward for Max and its community.

If you must use 32-bit due to the reliance on older third party externals, audio plugins, or operating systems, we suggest you use Max 7.3.5. We realize that this might be an obstacle for those of you that wish to integrate new Max 8 features into existing Max patches that do have 32-bit dependencies, and we encourage you to let us know the 32-bit only third party externals or other features that you rely upon for your patches. We'll do our best to offer recommendations for alternative solutions to make these patches work in Max 8, and are open to helping third party external developers port their objects to 64-bit as we've already been doing for the past several years.

All Max externals need to be ported and recompiled. Please contact the 3rd party developer to see if they have recompiled their externals with a compatible SDK version. Get the latest Max SDK.

Go to the Download SDK page.

In Max 6, we introduced an architecture for the translation of the user interface. We hope to extend this architecture to the rest of Max Documentation and Max patches at some point in the future. Currently, we have partnered with MI7 for a Japanese translation, and CMMAS for a Spanish translation. If you are interested in translating Max, please contact Support.

Yes, it is compatible with Ableton Live 10.

Gen works within Max for Live with a full Max 7 (or later) license. However, to edit Gen patchers, you will need to purchase a crossgrade to Max 8. Learn more about the Crossgrade to Max 8 for Max for Live users.

For features new in Max 8 such as Gen event domain or Multi-Channel mc.gen~ patchers, you will need to purchase a crossgrade to Max 8. For legacy features like gen~ patchers, full Max 7 authorizations will be honored.

Inside the application, go to 'File > Show File Browser' or 'Help > Reference'. On the website, you can find others not included with the application documentation on the Tutorials page.