Maschine 3 – Plugin GUI doesn't open automatically (Big Step Back from Maschine 2)

MATAKAO · 2025-06-18T20:43:07+00:00

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Hi NI team and Maschine users,

Since upgrading to Maschine 3, I’ve noticed a major workflow regression:
When loading a plugin (instrument or effect), its graphical user interface (GUI) no longer opens automatically, unlike in Maschine 2. There a just tiny vertical column with buttons for open GUI.

Now, we have to double-click or manually click the small arrow to open the plugin window — which slows down the creative process, especially when working with multiple plugins. Also, very bad for a good workflow in every situation.

👉 This feature was crucial in Maschine 2, and its removal in Maschine 3 breaks a previously smooth and efficient workflow.

Could you please consider:

Bringing back the auto-open plugin GUI behavior in the lower panel (as in Maschine 2) ?
Or at least adding a user preference option to enable it?
Or possibly a global toggle or shortcut key for "auto-open plugin window on load"?

Several users (myself included) have expressed frustration about this in other threads — especially in the Plugin Window GUI Issues topic. It's a clear pain point.

Thank you in advance for listening 🙏
And thanks to the community for supporting this request!

All the best,

Mat

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Comments

Olivier57

Hello,

There are still a lot of issues with window display in general even though version 3.2 is improving.

1- When selecting a soundslot with a plugin loaded inside, and there are multiple plugin windows open, the selected soundslot does not bring the plugin window to the front of the interface. (This with the software and the hardware)

2- All Maschine menus are displayed in the background when a plugin window is open, even the 'Save as' window appears in the background.

3- If you close the Maschine 3 application with the cross, the 'Save Project' window also appears behind.

4- The soundslot menu has been displayed in the background since Maschine 2 and it still is with Maschine 3.

Maybe I forgot some.

All of this, as you say, greatly penalizes the workflow.

I have a Mikro MK3, because I prefer to interact between hardware and software. This is also why NI made the Mikro model, to give each customer the choice of using the MK3 or Mikro MK3 depending on their use. This should not penalize Mikro users.

Especially since NI seems to want to move towards a DAW, see the characteristics of Maschine 3 software on their web page: "No hardware needed". Maschine 3 . In this case for a good workflow the GUI and display must be efficient and logical.

I'm not the only one seeing all these display issues ?

Olivier57

I posted a SHORT VIDEO to illustrate.

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/46021/maschine-3-plugin-gui-doesnt-open-automatically-big-step-back-from-maschine-2

Kind of…

It remembers, so if you do open a GUI, after that, it always opens the GUI automatically when loading new plugins… But once you actually close a window, then it doesn't. This can be good or bad depending on your point of view but, in my case I would agree that at least when first loading it should always show the GUI.

Olivier57

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/231248#Comment_231248

This is logical.

If you want the window to remain displayed, you must pin it.

What doesn't make sense is that pinned windows don't become active correctly by selecting a soundslot or pressing a pad. (look at the video)

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/231258#Comment_231258

Ooohhh… When there's more than one Pinned Plug-GUI Window on the same Group, changing Pad focus does not auto focus on the active Pad Plugin, is that it?

Yeah, that's kind of odd… But for me on Maschine V2 it's also strange, the windows dont fully focus in terms of coming to the forefront, they have a priority based on Pad number, the higher the Pad, the more it sticks to the front of other windows… I'm on MacOS tho, maybe that's why it's different for us.

Altho related, not sure this falls exactly into what OP was reporting.

Olivier57

"Ooohhh… When there's more than one Pinned Plug-GUI Window on the same Group, changing Pad focus does not auto focus on the active Pad Plugin, is that it?"

Yes.

I posted on the beta community, hoping NI sees these GUI/Display issues and fixes them.

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