---
title: Autofix
description: "Autofix does the legwork of finding where your files went — proposing a replacement path for anything the database, folders, playlists or history worksheet has marked `Not Found`. It only ever works on Not Found rows: anything you've already reviewed…"
url: "https://vdjtools.com/docs/autofix/"
updated: "2026-10-28"
category: Feature Guide / Repair / Stages
---

# Autofix

Autofix does the legwork of finding where your files went — proposing a replacement path for anything the database, folders, playlists or history worksheet has marked `Not Found`. It only ever works on Not Found rows: anything you've already reviewed is left alone.

## When to use it

Straight after an export, before you start reviewing rows by hand. Let Autofix take the first pass, then spend your time on whatever it couldn't resolve.

## How it searches

| Repair | How Autofix searches |
| --- | --- |
| **Database** | Your file system — the database can only be repaired against files that actually exist. |
| **Everything else** | Your database — if it's in a folder, playlist or history, it has to exist in the database first. |

So if folder, playlist or history rows are still `Not Found` when Autofix finishes, their files aren't in your VirtualDJ database. Add them in VirtualDJ, then run the repair again.

That split isn't arbitrary: everything in VirtualDJ, from history to playlists to folders, ultimately traces back to a track you loaded from the database. Fix the database against the real files, and everything downstream can trust it.

## The standard pass — `/stage:autofix`

Running `/stage:autofix` works through three rounds automatically, each one a little more forgiving than the last:

| Round | What it checks |
| --- | --- |
| **Sweep** | The file name alone, ignoring most of the folder structure — the fastest, most obvious match. |
| **Context** | File name plus the parent folder — useful when several files share a similar name but only one fits the surrounding folder. |
| **Close** | The folder alone, without leaning as much on the filename — useful when a track's been renamed but the folder still clearly points to the right place. |

If an exact match is found, the row's status is set to `Autofix`. If there's a plausible but not certain match, it's set to `Possible` — worth a look before you validate.

## The Keyword round — `/stage:autofix /keyword`

Whatever's left after the standard pass gets a second, more intensive attempt using keyword matching — artist, album, remix and similar metadata clues. It's run separately, on request, rather than automatically, since it's more resource-intensive and takes longer.

- `/keyword` — runs the Keyword round using VDJTools' own curated keyword dictionary
- `/keyword:<word1,word2,...>` — runs it against your own supplied list instead

If there's a clear winner, it's reconnected. If there are two or more close matches, the row's set to `Possible` for you to review. If nothing convincing turns up, it's left unresolved — Autofix won't force a guess.

## Key arguments

- `/repair:<target>`
- `/stage:autofix` — the standard three-round pass
- `/stage:autofix /keyword` — the Keyword round, run on its own
- `/keyword` or `/keyword:<word1,word2,...>`

## Example commands

```
vdjtools /repair:database /stage:autofix
vdjtools /repair:history /stage:autofix /keyword:artist,album,remix
```

## Example output

```
Virtual DJ Tools (vBeta)
Copyright© 2024-2026 Quick Apps UK. All rights reserved
Build: 1.0.38.0

repair: database
stage: autofix
Database loaded: 11 songs from C:UsersDJOneDriveVirtualDJdatabase.xml
Database loaded: 1 songs from D:VirtualDJdatabase.xml
Database loaded: 33755 songs from E:VirtualDJdatabase.xml
Database loaded: 3133 songs from F:VirtualDJdatabase.xml
Database loaded: 0 songs from H:VirtualDJdatabase.xml
AutoFix complete: 1571 fixed, 7530 not fixed
```

## Safety notes

Autofix only ever proposes a value into the worksheet — nothing is written to VirtualDJ until you validate and import as normal. Treat every proposed row as a suggestion worth a glance, not a finished answer.

## Limitations

Autofix can leave rows unresolved, and can occasionally propose a wrong match — particularly in the Keyword round, where the matching is looser by design. Always review before validating.

## Common scenario

A drive letter changes and hundreds of tracks show as missing. The standard pass clears most of them in seconds. The handful left over — tracks with unusual names or thin metadata — are exactly what the Keyword round, or a manual update, is for.

## Related pages

- [Export](https://vdjtools.com/docs/export/)
- [Validate](https://vdjtools.com/docs/validate/)
- [Understanding the Workbook](https://vdjtools.com/docs/understanding-the-workbook/)