Plugin folder locations
So how does your DAW know where to look for your plugins? Actually, it might not. Mac users have it easy, as there are OS-specified folders into which plugins are installed. These folders can be found by going to your Library folder (if you can’t find it, go to the Finder’s Go menu, hold Alt, and a Library option should appear). find the Audio directory, and then the Plug-Ins folder within. There you will find more folders still. One will be labelled Components – this is where your AU plugins reside. Other folders will be found alongside it for VST and VST3 plugins. If you’re a Pro Tools user, you’ll find your plugins in an Avid or Digidesign folder. If your installers don’t automatically install the plugins into the proper folder, you should manually copy them into the relevant folders listed above.
One caveat: there will likely be two sets of folders under two different Library locations. One is for all users, the other is for administrator use. If your DAW has trouble seeing a plugin, you might need to move it from one Library to the other, though the system folder is usually the one to use.
Uninstalling plugins from OS X usually requires little more than putting the Component or VST file in the Trash. Sometimes an uninstaller will be offered, though.
On Windows, you can choose the location of your VST plugins folders. Some DAWs will create one when you install them, but both DAW and plugin installers will often give you an option of pointing to the plugin directory you’d like to use. It usually looks something like C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VST Plugins.
Some plugins are delivered as only DLL files, and need to be copied to your chosen directory. Once you’ve installed your plugins, think twice about moving them. Some plugins rely on support files installed into the same directory. To duplicate plugins elsewhere on the drive, use shortcuts on Windows (rightclick to create one) or aliases on Macs (CmdAlt-dragging).