Getting expansions into EZdrummer 3 requires you to download them through Toontrack's website, authorize them in the software, and then load them into your drum kits

EZdrummer 3 comes with a solid core library, but expansions add new drum sounds, kits, and grooves. The process involves three separate steps: downloading the expansion files from Toontrack, authorizing them in EZdrummer 3 itself, and then accessing them inside the software. Most people get stuck because they download the files but forget to authorize them, or they look in the wrong place inside the program.

This guide walks you through each step in order, with the exact buttons and menus you'll click. You'll need your Toontrack account login and about 10 to 30 minutes depending on file size and your internet speed.

Key Takeaways

  • Expansions must be downloaded from your Toontrack account on their website, not from inside EZdrummer 3.
  • After downloading, you must authorize each expansion in EZdrummer 3 using the Expansions menu before you can use it.
  • Once authorized, expansions appear in the Kit browser and Groove browser inside the software.
  • If an expansion doesn't show up after authorization, restart EZdrummer 3 completely and check that the download finished without errors.

Step 1: Log into your Toontrack account and find your expansions

Go to www.toontrack.com in your web browser and click the login button in the top right corner. Enter the email address and password you used when you bought the expansion. If you don't remember your password, click "Forgot password?" and follow the email link to reset it.

Once you're logged in, look for "My Products" or "My Account" in the menu. Click it and you'll see a list of everything you own, including expansions you've purchased. Find the expansion you want to download and look for a download button or link next to it — this is usually labeled "Download" or shows a down arrow icon.

Click the download button. Your browser will start downloading a file that's usually between 500 MB and 2 GB depending on the expansion. The file will be named something like "EZdrummer3_ExpansionName.zip" or similar. Save it somewhere you can find it, like your Downloads folder.

Step 2: Extract the downloaded file to the correct location

Once the download finishes, you need to extract (unzip) the file. On Windows, right-click the .zip file and select "Extract All". On Mac, double-click the .zip file and it will extract automatically. This creates a folder with the expansion contents inside.

Now you need to move this folder to the location where EZdrummer 3 looks for expansions. On Windows, that location is C:\Users\[YourUsername]\Documents\Toontrack\EZdrummer3\Expansions. On Mac, it's Macintosh HD/Users/[YourUsername]/Documents/Toontrack/EZdrummer3/Expansions. If the Expansions folder doesn't exist yet, create it yourself.

Drag the extracted expansion folder into the Expansions folder. You should now have a path that looks like Documents/Toontrack/EZdrummer3/Expansions/[ExpansionName]. Do not put the .zip file itself in this location — it must be the extracted folder.

Step 3: Authorize the expansion inside EZdrummer 3

Open EZdrummer 3. At the top of the window, look for a menu bar with options like File, Edit, View, and Help. Click on EZdrummer (on Mac) or File (on Windows) and look for an option called Expansions or Manage Expansions. Click it.

A window will open showing all the expansions EZdrummer 3 has found on your computer. You should see the expansion you just downloaded in the list, but it will show a status like "Not Authorized" or "Inactive". Click on the expansion name to select it, then look for an Authorize button or link. Click it.

EZdrummer 3 will ask you to sign in with your Toontrack account. Enter the same email and password you used on the website. The software will verify that you own this expansion, and then it will authorize it. This usually takes 30 seconds to a few minutes depending on your internet connection.

Step 4: Restart EZdrummer 3 and find your expansion

Close EZdrummer 3 completely — don't just minimize it. Then open it again. This forces the software to reload all your authorized expansions.

Once it's open, look at the left side of the window where you see the Kit browser. You should now see your new expansion listed as a category or folder. Click on it to expand the list and see all the drum kits that came with that expansion. The same goes for grooves — if the expansion included grooves, they'll appear in the Groove browser on the right side.

Click on any kit or groove to load it into your project. You can now use all the sounds and patterns from the expansion just like the ones that came with EZdrummer 3.

Troubleshooting: What to do if your expansion doesn't appear

If you've followed all the steps and the expansion still doesn't show up, check these things in order. First, go back to the Expansions menu and confirm the expansion shows as "Authorized" — if it still says "Not Authorized", the authorization didn't complete. Try authorizing it again and make sure you're using the correct Toontrack login.

Second, verify that the expansion folder is in the right location. On Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\Documents\Toontrack\EZdrummer3\Expansions. On Mac, open Finder and go to Documents > Toontrack > EZdrummer3 > Expansions. The expansion folder should be visible there. If it's not, you may have extracted it to the wrong place — move it to the correct location and restart EZdrummer 3.

Third, check that the download actually finished. Go back to your Downloads folder and look for the .zip file. If it's still there and shows a small size (like a few MB instead of hundreds of MB), the download was interrupted. Delete the incomplete file and download it again from your Toontrack account.

Installing multiple expansions at once

If you own several expansions, you can download and install them all using the same process. Download each one from your Toontrack account, extract each .zip file, and move each extracted folder into the Expansions directory. Then open EZdrummer 3 and authorize all of them in the Expansions menu before restarting.

You don't have to authorize them one at a time — you can select multiple expansions in the Expansions window by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while clicking on each one, then click Authorize once. This saves time if you're setting up several expansions at the start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to download expansions or can I get them from inside EZdrummer 3?

You must download them from your Toontrack account on their website. EZdrummer 3 itself does not have a built-in store or download feature. The software only lets you authorize expansions you've already downloaded to your computer.

What if I lose the .zip file after I extract it?

You can delete the .zip file once you've extracted it and moved the folder to the Expansions directory. The .zip file is just a container — what matters is the extracted folder in the correct location. Keep the extracted folder, not the .zip.

Can I move an expansion to a different computer?

You can download it on any computer using your Toontrack account, but you'll need to authorize it on each computer separately. The authorization is tied to your account, not to a specific machine, so you can authorize the same expansion on multiple computers as long as you're logged in with the same Toontrack email.

Why does my expansion show as authorized but doesn't appear in the Kit browser?

Restart EZdrummer 3 completely. The software sometimes needs a full restart to load newly authorized expansions into the browser. Close the program entirely and open it again, then check the Kit and Groove browsers.

What if I get an error message during authorization?

Check your internet connection first — authorization requires a live connection to Toontrack's servers. If your connection is fine, try signing out of your Toontrack account in EZdrummer 3 and signing back in. If the error persists, restart your computer and try authorizing again.