Patch
a.k.a. a preset / a tone
A patch is one complete saved tone: amps, cabs, stompboxes and effects with all their settings. On Zoom, a preset is called a patch, and it exports as a single .zptc file.
Everything you need to export presets from every Zoom multi effects device. Learn exactly how patches, Guitar Lab, .zptc files and the Patch Pool work, so you can export your tones, back them up, import them, and get every preset ready to share or sell.
Before you export anything, it helps to know how Zoom organizes your tones. These few ideas cover every Zoom multi effects unit, from the compact MultiStomp pedals to the flagship G11.
A patch is one complete saved tone: amps, cabs, stompboxes and effects with all their settings. On Zoom, a preset is called a patch, and it exports as a single .zptc file.
The Patch Pool is the library in Guitar Lab where your patches live on the computer. You drag patches between the pool, your device and your desktop to save, load and share them.
A single patch is a .zptc file. On the G6, G11 and B6 a patch can also use an imported IR, a WAV cab file in the IR Pool. Keep the IR with the patch when you move it.
The free Mac and Windows software that connects over USB to manage, back up, import and export your patches.
The file a single patch exports as. Drag a patch to your desktop and Guitar Lab creates a .zptc for it.
Patches are tied to their model family. A G3n patch will not load on a G6 or a G11, so match the file to the unit.
Exporting presets from a Zoom takes just a few things. Get these ready first and the how to below becomes a two minute job.
A G11, G6, G5n, G3n, G3Xn, G2 Four, a MultiStomp, or a bass B6, B3n or B2 Four. Every model with Guitar Lab support can export patches.
The free Zoom Guitar Lab app for Mac and Windows, in the version for your device. Download it only from the official Zoom site.
A data USB cable to connect your Zoom to your computer. The G6 and G11 can also pair to the mobile app with a BTA 1 Bluetooth adapter.
Keep your unit and Guitar Lab up to date, and always back up your patches before a firmware update or a factory reset.
Always get Guitar Lab, firmware, the mobile app and manuals straight from Zoom, on their official downloads page, never a third party mirror. Back up your patches before every firmware update or reset.
The reliable route works on every Zoom: Guitar Lab. It connects over USB, and you export a patch simply by dragging it out to your desktop as a .zptc file. Here is the full process.
Dial in and save your tone on the Zoom itself. Custom patches are made on the unit, then managed and exported through Guitar Lab.
Download Guitar Lab for your device from the official Zoom site, install it, connect your Zoom over USB and open the app.
Select the PATCH view. Your device patches show on one side and your Patch Pool library on the other, ready to drag between them.
Drag the patch you want out of Guitar Lab onto your desktop or a backup folder. Guitar Lab creates a .zptc file for it. That file is your exported preset, ready to store, share or sell.
On the G6, G11 and B6, if a patch uses an imported IR, save that WAV file alongside the .zptc, so the tone stays complete when you move it.
Bought a patch pack, or restoring a backup? Importing is the same drag and drop in reverse: bring the .zptc into Guitar Lab, then drop it onto your device.
If your download is a zip file, decompress it first. Inside you will find one or more .zptc patch files for your model.
Connect your Zoom over USB, open Guitar Lab and click the PATCH icon so your Patch Pool and device are both visible.
Drag the .zptc files into the blue Patch Pool area in Guitar Lab. They are added to your library, ready to place.
Drag the patch from the pool onto an empty slot on your device. For IRs, use IMPORT IR, drop the WAV into the IR Pool, then assign it to a User IR slot.
Patches are model specific. Zoom patch systems are isolated between models, so a .zptc for one unit will not load on another, for example a G3n patch will not run on a G6 or G11. Only load .zptc files made for your exact device, and if a patch uses an imported IR, share and load that IR first.
Zoom gives you a couple of solid ways to keep your tones safe. Pick whichever fits your setup, and always back up before a firmware update or a factory reset.
Drag each patch you care about out of Guitar Lab to a backup folder as a .zptc file. This is the tidy way to keep and share individual tones.
Your saved pool patches live in the ZOOM Guitar Lab folder on your computer. Copy that folder to another drive to back up your whole library at once.
On the G6 and G11, the Handy Guitar Lab app with a BTA 1 adapter lets you manage banks and patches wirelessly, a handy second way to organize your tones.
The Guitar Lab and .zptc workflow applies across the Zoom lineup, but each unit has its own notes. Find your gear below.
Export patches as .zptc in Guitar Lab, and import your own WAV IRs into the IR Pool. Pairs with the mobile app over Bluetooth.
The same drag and drop export and IR import as the G11, plus wireless control through the Handy Guitar Lab app.
Connect over USB and manage patches in Guitar Lab. Export any tone to a .zptc file to keep, share or sell it.
Create patches on the pedal, then drag them out of Guitar Lab as .zptc files. Their patches are shared within the G3n family.
The latest compact G series. Manage and export patches in Guitar Lab over USB, the same .zptc workflow as the bigger units.
The MS series MultiStomp pedals connect to Guitar Lab too. Back up and export your patches over USB as .zptc files.
Bass players use the same Guitar Lab workflow. The B6 supports IR import, and all export patches as .zptc files.
If your unit connects to Guitar Lab over USB, the drag and drop .zptc export steps above apply.
Custom patches are made on the unit itself. Drag the finished patch out of Guitar Lab to create its shareable .zptc file.
A firmware update or factory reset can clear your patches. Export them all as .zptc files first, then reload after.
Zoom patches only work on the model they were made for. Tell buyers the exact unit, so a G6 tone goes to a G6.
On the G6, G11 and B6, a patch can rely on an imported IR. Always include that WAV file when you share the patch.
Quick answers about Zoom patches, Guitar Lab and backups
A patch is one complete preset, your full tone with its amps, cabs, stompboxes and effects. On Zoom a single patch exports as a .zptc file.
Zoom patches are .zptc files. You create one by dragging a patch out of Guitar Lab to your desktop, and load one by dragging it into the Patch Pool.
The free Zoom Guitar Lab software for Mac and Windows, in the version for your device. Download it only from the official Zoom site, and connect over USB.
No. Zoom patch systems are isolated between models, so a .zptc made for one unit will not load on another. Only use patches built for your exact device.
On the G6, G11 and B6, click IMPORT IR in Guitar Lab, drag your WAV files into the IR Pool, then drag an IR to an empty User IR slot on your device.
No. Exporting patches with Guitar Lab over USB works fully offline. You only need internet to download Guitar Lab, firmware and new factory patches.
You have exported your Zoom tones. Turn them into income on Tons of Tones, the world's first marketplace built just for guitarists.
