What is an .rpp file (and how to open one)
Updated August 2026
Work in another DAW? Convert the .rpp to a native project
Upload the .rpp (or the zipped project folder with its media) and download a native Logic, Ableton, or FL Studio project — arrangement, MIDI, audio and markers rebuilt natively. Free to start — see current plans. Your project uploads over an encrypted connection into a private space only you control — delete it anytime.
An .rpp file is a REAPER project — the file REAPER saves. Unusually for a DAW, it’s plain, human-readable text: open one in a text editor and you can read every track, item and setting.
It doesn’t contain your audio; it references media files by path. The project folder holding the .rpp and its audio together is the complete, portable project.
What’s actually inside an .rpp file
An indented tree of text chunks describing the whole project: tracks with names, colors, volume and pan; items (clips) with their positions, lengths, fades and takes; MIDI notes written as events; envelopes for automation; FX chains with plugin state; markers and regions; tempo and time signature. Because it’s text, diffing two saves, fixing a broken path by hand, or writing tools that read it are all genuinely possible — REAPER’s openness is one of its defining traits.
How to open an .rpp file
The straightforward answer: REAPER opens .rpp files — on Windows, macOS or Linux. Double-click the file or drag it onto REAPER. REAPER’s evaluation version is fully functional and free to download, so opening a project someone sent you is never blocked by a paywall.
How to open an .rpp without REAPER
Three real options, in increasing order of commitment.
1. Read it in your browser. Doseedo’s free .rpp viewer parses the project client-side — nothing uploads — and shows the tracks, items, markers, tempo and structure. The quickest way to see what’s in a project you were sent.
2. Convert it to your DAW’s format. Doseedo converts the .rpp into a native Logic .logicx, Ableton .als, FL Studio .flp, or Pro Tools .ptx — a real, editable project, not a folder of stems. Tracks arrive in order with names and colors, MIDI notes come across with their velocities, audio clips land where they were with their media, and markers, tempo and time signature, and per-track volume, pan and mute carry. The honest limits: plugin/device state and automation envelopes don’t cross an FL or REAPER boundary yet — tracks arrive named and placed with empty device chains. Every direction converts back to a native .rpp too; the full spec is on the what-carries-over breakdown.
3. Open it in a text editor. It’s plain text — every track name, path and setting is right there. Good for rescuing a broken media path; not a way to mix a song.
Can you convert an .rpp to MP3?
Not with a file converter — the file contains no audio, only instructions for assembling it. To get an MP3 you render: open the project in REAPER and use File → Render, or ask whoever sent it for a bounce or stems. A project converter like Doseedo changes the project format (REAPER ↔ Logic ↔ Ableton ↔ FL Studio ↔ Pro Tools), not the audio format.
.rpp vs .rpp-bak vs .rpp-undo — quick glossary
.rpp— REAPER project. The project file itself, as readable text. The one this guide is about..rpp-bak— automatic backup. The previous save, kept alongside the project. Rename it to.rppto recover..rpp-undo— undo history. An optional sidecar storing the project’s undo states so they survive closing REAPER. Safe to delete.
Work in another DAW? Convert the .rpp to a native project
Upload the .rpp (or the zipped project folder with its media) and download a native Logic, Ableton, or FL Studio project — arrangement, MIDI, audio and markers rebuilt natively. Free to start — see current plans. Your project uploads over an encrypted connection into a private space only you control — delete it anytime.
FAQ
Can I open an .rpp file without REAPER?
Yes, two real ways. Doseedo’s free in-browser .rpp viewer shows the tracks, items, markers and tempo without uploading anything. And if you work in another DAW, Doseedo converts the .rpp into a native Ableton, Logic, FL Studio, or Pro Tools project you can actually edit.
Can Logic, Ableton, FL Studio, or Pro Tools open an .rpp file?
Not directly — no other DAW reads REAPER’s format. You convert instead: Doseedo rebuilds the .rpp as a native .als, .logicx, .flp, or .ptx. The arrangement, MIDI, audio clips, markers, tempo and track levels arrive editable; FX chains and envelopes don’t carry yet.
Is an .rpp file really just text?
Yes — open one in any text editor and you’ll see an indented tree of chunks: every track, item, envelope and FX chain, readable as text. That openness is why third-party tools can work with REAPER projects.
Why does my .rpp open with missing media?
The .rpp references audio by path rather than embedding it. If the project moved machines without its media folder, REAPER can’t find the files. Ask for the whole project folder, or have the sender use File → Save project as… with “Copy all media into project directory” checked.
What is an .rpp-bak file?
REAPER’s automatic backup of the previous save. If a project file is lost or corrupted, rename the .rpp-bak to .rpp and open it — you lose only the changes since that save.