How to Install VST3 and AU Plugins on Mac and Windows

A plugin you just bought is only useful once your DAW can see it. Most "my plugin doesn't show up" problems come down to three things: the wrong format for your DAW, the file in the wrong folder, or a DAW that has not rescanned. This guide covers all three, on macOS and Windows, then the exact menu to rescan in each DAW.

Which plugin format does your DAW use?

• VST3: the standard on Windows and widely used on Mac. FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, REAPER and Bitwig Studio all load VST3.
• AU (Audio Unit): Mac only. Logic Pro and GarageBand load AU plugins only; most other Mac DAWs load both.
• AAX: Pro Tools only. A VST3 or AU plugin will not appear in Pro Tools.

Installers usually put every format on your system at once, so you rarely have to choose. If a plugin is missing in one DAW but present in another, check the format first.

Where plugin files go

macOS

• AU: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components
• VST3: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3

Most Mac plugins come as a .pkg installer that copies the files to these folders. If macOS blocks an installer that is not notarised, right-click the .pkg and choose Open, or go to System Settings › Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.

Windows

• VST3: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

A VST3 plugin on Windows is a folder ending in .vst3. Copy the whole folder, not just a file inside it. Use 64-bit plugins: current DAWs no longer load 32-bit ones. SmartScreen may warn the first time you open a build that is not code-signed.

How to rescan plugins in each DAW

• FL Studio: Options › Manage plugins › Find more plugins (or Find installed plugins). Then add the plugin from the Plugin Database or the Mixer insert menu.
• Ableton Live: Settings › Plug-ins. Turn on "Use VST3 Plug-in System Folders" (and Audio Units on Mac), then click Rescan.
• Logic Pro: Logic Pro › Settings › Plug-in Manager. Find the plugin, click Reset & Rescan Selection. Logic only lists AU plugins that pass Apple's validation.
• GarageBand: AU plugins appear after a restart of GarageBand, under Plug-ins › Audio Units in the track's Smart Controls.
• Cubase: Studio › VST Plug-in Manager, then rescan. Check the blocklist tab if a plugin is missing.
• Studio One: Options › Locations › VST Plug-ins (Settings on Mac), then Reset Blocklist and restart.
• REAPER: Options › Preferences › Plug-ins › VST, then Re-scan.
• Bitwig Studio: Settings › Locations › Plug-in Locations, check that the VST3 system folder is enabled, then rescan.

In every DAW, an effect plugin loads on an audio or mixer track insert; an instrument plugin loads on an instrument (MIDI) track.

Installing TuneDrip plugins

TuneDrip audio plugins ship as VST3 and AU for macOS 12 or later (Apple Silicon and Intel) and VST3 for Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit). AAX for Pro Tools is not available yet.

1. Download the installer from your order email or from My licenses. Free plugins download directly from the Downloads & installation page.
2. On Mac, open the .pkg and keep AU and VST3 checked. On Windows, copy the TuneDrip <Plugin>.vst3 folder into C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3.
3. Restart your DAW and rescan if needed. The plugins appear under the manufacturer TuneDrip.
4. Paste your licence key in the plugin's activation window, or in the free TuneDrip Hub app, and click Activate. Each key activates 3 computers; free plugins need no key.

Guides by DAW: plugins for FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, Studio One, REAPER, Bitwig Studio and GarageBand. To try a few without paying, start with the free plugins.

Still not showing up?

• Check the format: AU for Logic Pro and GarageBand, AAX for Pro Tools.
• Check the folder: the file must be in the system plugin folder above, not in Downloads.
• Check the blocklist: a plugin that crashed during a scan can be blocklisted until you reset it.
• On Mac, restart the computer once after installing AU plugins if Logic Pro still does not list them.

For TuneDrip plugins, write to info@tunedrip.com with your DAW, its version and your operating system.