How to Scan and Enable VST3 Plugins in Audacity

Audacity supports 64-bit VST3 audio plugins natively, allowing you to expand your audio editing toolkit with modern third-party equalizers, compressors, reverbs, and creative effects. This guide provides a straightforward walkthrough on how to ensure your VST3 plugins are correctly placed on your computer, scanned by Audacity, and enabled for use in your recording and mixing projects.

Step 1: Ensure Compatibility and Placement

Before scanning, make sure your software meets the requirements:

• You must use Audacity version 3.2 or later, as native VST3 support was introduced in this version.
• Your plugin architecture must match your Audacity architecture (typically 64-bit).

Standard third-party installers place VST3 files automatically into dedicated system directories. If you installed a plugin manually, ensure the .vst3 file or folder is located in the standard directory:

• Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
• macOS: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 (System) or ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 (User)
• Linux: ~/.vst3 or /usr/lib/vst3

Step 2: Open the Plugin Manager

1. Launch Audacity.
2. Click on the Effect menu in the top menu bar.
3. Select Plugin Manager from the dropdown list.

Step 3: Scan for Newly Installed Plugins

1. In the Plugin Manager window, click the Rescan button located at the top or bottom of the window.
2. Audacity will search the system VST3 directories for any newly installed or modified plugins.
3. Once the scan is complete, locate your new plugin in the list. You can filter the list by changing the "Show" dropdown menu to New to view only recently detected plugins.

Step 4: Enable the VST3 Plugin

1. Click on the plugin name to highlight it.
2. Click the Enable button on the right side of the window. The state column for that plugin will change from Disabled or New to Enabled.
3. Click OK to close the Plugin Manager and save your changes.

Step 5: Apply the Plugin

Once enabled, your VST3 plugin is ready to use:

• Destructive Processing: Highlight your audio track, open the Effect menu, locate your plugin (often sorted by category or publisher), and apply it.
• Realtime Processing (Audacity 3.2+): Click the Effects button on the left track control panel of any audio track, select Add Effect, and choose your VST3 plugin from the list to apply non-destructive, real-time effects.