Year/Release Date : 07/18/2025
Version : 8.5.1
Developer : Native Instruments
Developer’s website : native-instruments.com
Format : STANDALONE, VSTi, VSTi3, AAX*
Bit depth : 64bit
Treatment : not required (full-featured version Full), for protected content mandatory registration is required (adding to the built-in Library Manager).
System requirements : Windows 10 with the latest updates (but this is not certain)
Description :Update of the popular sampler.
• Tools : MIDI effects that work with all Kontakt instruments. The Chords section includes a large collection of chord progressions, allowing you to play them by pressing a single key. Similarly, the Phrases section allows you to play melodies by pressing a single key.
• Leap : Allows you to play loops and one-shots, comes with new effects and a streamlined interface for quickly customizing samples.
• Default View : The new default view of the sidebar lets you connect MIDI effects to instruments, mix different rack instruments, and quickly load and change presets for both effects and instruments.
• Piano Uno : Kontakt 8 comes with an easy-to-use piano library.
• Improved Wavetable module : allows phase and frequency modulation and significantly expands Kontakt’s synthesis capabilities.
• Komplete UI : A developer assistant for quickly creating the look and feel of high-resolution instruments that not only sound great, but look great, too.
History of changes :
8.5.1 (2025-07-18)
BUILDER CHANGES
ADDED Komplete UI: Popover feature transitioned from Experimental to Stable
FIXED Komplete UI: Arc thickness was not constrained to parent frame properties
8.5.0 (2025-06-30)
OVERALL CHANGES
ADDED Scroll to focused instrument in Default View
FIXED Crash when loading a recently saved new Bank
FIXED Crash on ignoring missing samples when loading an Instrument
FIXED Prevent automatic switching back to Plugin Page from Browser View when navigating Instruments on Hardware
FIXED Default Navigator Artwork for 3rd-party content
BUILDER CHANGES
IMPROVED KUI Updated to version 1.2
FIXED KUI Errors inside callbacks are not logged
ADDED KUI Modifiers to enable drag and drop functionality on components
IMPROVED KUI Enums can now be used as keys in maps
IMPROVED KUI Compile time improvements
How to install Kontakt 8 PORTABLE.
- Create an empty folder. The name of the folder itself and the path to it MUST NOT CONTAIN CYRILLIC. The folder MUST BE WRITTEN (it cannot be installed in the Program Files folder).
- Run the installer (KontaktPortable_v851.exe).
- Click the Browse… button and select the created empty folder.
- Click the Extract button.
- The first time you launch the Library Manager, it will automatically scan the factory content, as well as the already installed libraries (scanning in the registry).
After scanning is complete, you must save the changes and (re)launch Kontakt.
If the changes were not saved the first time you launched it, you can launch the automatic scan at any time using the Alt + Insert key combination or from the context menu of the Manager:
ADD > quick search
By default, libraries are added to the classic browser only (except for factory content, which is not added to the classic browser). This behavior can be changed in the Library Manager settings:
Libraries > Manage Libraries in NKS Browser
How to update from a previous version of Kontakt 8 PORTABLE.
1. Run the installer KontaktPortable_v851.exe
2. Click the Browse… button and select the folder containing the files of the previous installation of Kontakt 8 PORTABLE.
3. Click the Extract
button 4. When the Confirm file replace window appears , confirm the replacement of files (Click Yes to All )
Note : in version 8.2.0 a new type of midi effects has been added: “patterns”. To add them to the database and, accordingly, to the VKontakte browsers, you need to launch the Library Manager, click the SAVE button and restart Kontakt.
How to add Kontakt 8 PORTABLE VST3 to DAW :
Method 1 (not suitable for all DAWs):
Add the Kontakt8Portable\Kontakt 8\x64\VST3\ folder as an additional plugin scanning folder. For details, refer to your DAW’s manual.
Method 2.
Run Kontakt8Portable\Install.exe
On the component selection page, check the “Add VST3 plugin to DAW” box.
