OK, so you have a Mac. Locating plug-ins on the Mac is pretty simple, and you will only have to locate each plug-in once; Unify will remember where it is after that.

Unlike most DAWs, Unify does not automatically scan your system for new plug-ins every time you run it. Unify puts you in control, but that means you have a few more steps to do after installing the plug-in on your Mac.

Unify can scan your Mac for plug-ins (see Scanning and using your own plug-ins, but there's a quicker way. At this point, Unify is probably only looking for one plug-in; you need only tell it where to find that one.

There are three reasons why Unify can't find a plug-in:

1. You haven't installed it yet.
2. You installed it, but you didn't install the particular version Unify needs.
3. You installed everything correctly, but you didn't tell Unify where to find it.

You might end up here because you're trying to use a “unified” library for some plug-in, and you didn't realize that Unify doesn't install the plug-in for you. You need to:

1. Install the plug-in according to the vendor's instructions.
2. Make sure to install the VST version if there is one, or the VST3 version if not.

Skip ahead to Tell Unify where to find the plug-in.

As you may know, plug-ins come in various, mutually-incompatible versions called formats, including:

• VST (“virtual studio technology”) was developed by Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
• VST3 (VST version 3) is a newer format, also developed by Steinberg.
• Audio Units (AU) is a Mac-only format developed by Apple Corporation.
• AAX (“Avid Audio eXtension”) is a proprietary format developed by Avid Technology, Inc. for use with their Pro Tools DAW.

On the Mac, Unify can load plug-ins in VST, VST3 and Audio-Unit formats (64-bit only). We use the VST format (also referred to as VST2, VST2.4, or VST2.x) whenever possible, and Unify patches made for the VST version of a plug-in cannot be opened using the VST3 version, so if you chose not to install the VST version of the plug-in Unify needs today, you will have to run the vendor's install process again now.

• Make sure to install the VST version if there is one, or the VST3 version if not.

Skip ahead to Tell Unify where to find the plug-in (below).

Once you're sure you have installed the plug-in Unify is looking for, in the format it's looking for, you need to tell Unify where to find it. Begin by clicking the “plug” icon at the bottom-right corner of the Unify GUI, to open Unify's Known Plug-In List.

1. This will take you to Unify's Known Plug-Ins List view.
2. Click the “Operations…” button at the bottom-left corner; this will pop up a menu (details below).
3. Choose “Select plug-in file(s) to scan…” at the bottom of the menu
   • This will pop up a file-open dialog, already positioned to the system folder /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins
   • You will see sub-folders called VST, VST3, and Audio Units. Double-click the appropriate one for the format you're looking for.
   • Locate the plug-in file, select it, and click Open to add it to the list.
   • VST plug-ins are files with the extension .vst; VST3 plug-ins are use .vst3.
   • The plug-in file might be one level down, in a sub-folder named after the vendor.
   • Once you find the plug-in file, double-click it, or click once and then click “Open” to select it.

After you locate the right plug-in file and click “Open” to select it, you may want to scroll through Unify's Known Plug-Ins List to make sure it's there. The list is sorted in alphabetical order of the plug-in names. Make sure the “Format” item (2nd column) is correct. For example, here's what Unify's Known Plug-Ins List looks like after registering the VST version of Kilohearts' Phase Plant:

When you're ready, click the plug icon at the bottom-right corner (it will have turned green) one more time, to return to Unify's layer-stack view.

Re-load the patch by clicking on its name again. You don't have to click INIT first, but you may if you wish. The patch should now load correctly.

If you're still having trouble, contact PlugInGuru customer support at UnifySupport@PlugInGuru.com.