What is the AUZ file format?
Files with the .auz extension belong to the category of registration files. Contents of .auz files are registration information for the software named Ableton Live, a professional application used for the production and editing of audio - recording, mixing, synthesis, and live performance.
In .auz files, encrypted digital keys are stored that authorize the full, paid version of the application on a specific machine. The file is hardware-bound: it is generated by Ableton's servers for the hardware fingerprint of one specific computer and cannot be used on a different machine.
.auz files were used for offline authorization in Ableton Live versions 1 through 9 (up to approximately 2018). Thanks to this format, it was possible to register the full version of Ableton Live on machines that do not have access to the internet. For this purpose, a hardware code generated by the software is necessary. The hardware code must be submitted on the manufacturer's website - this can be done on another computer with internet access or even on a smartphone. From that website it is then necessary to download the .auz file generated based on that hardware code. After copying it to the offline machine, registration is completed by double-clicking the .auz file.
Ableton Live 10 (2018) replaced this offline workflow with an online-only activation system. Current Ableton products no longer issue .auz files; users with older Live 8 or 9 licenses may still encounter them.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWAUZ files are small, hardware-bound license keys generated by Ableton's own servers - they are not an attack vector. Do not share your .auz file with others (it won't work on their machine anyway, being hardware-bound). If you receive an unsolicited .auz file claiming to unlock Ableton Live, it is a scam - Ableton licenses are delivered from ableton.com after login, not via unsolicited files.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open AUZ files
Windows1 app
Ableton Live
Paid Double-click the .auz file while Ableton Live is showing the authorization dialog, or drag and drop it onto the dialog window. Live will read and apply the license. 
macOS1 app
Ableton Live
Paid Double-click the .auz file while Ableton Live is showing the authorization dialog, or drag and drop it onto the dialog window. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Binary, encrypted (hardware-bound proprietary token; internal structure undocumented) |
| Machine binding | Hardware-specific - generated from a unique computer hardware fingerprint; invalid on any other machine |
| Encryption | Yes - encrypted license payload; algorithm undocumented |
| Typical file size | 1-10 KB |
| Magic bytes | None documented; proprietary format identified by .auz extension |
| Activation workflow | Offline: hardware code from Live submitted at ableton.com, .auz file downloaded, transferred to offline PC, double-clicked to activate |
| Version scope | Ableton Live 1 through 9 (approximately 2001-2018) |
| Superseded by | Online-only activation system introduced in Ableton Live 10 (2018); .auz workflow no longer used for current products |
| Platform | Windows and macOS |
| Transferability | Non-transferable - a separate .auz file must be generated for each individual machine |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
| Released | circa 2009 (Ableton Live 8 era; offline authorization workflow) |
| Latest version | Used through Ableton Live 9.x (circa 2018); replaced by online-only activation in Live 10+ |
| Specification | help.ableton.com |
Community Q&A
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