Plug-ins on Mac in Live 11.1 and later
Learn how to manage VST2, VST3 and AU plug-ins in Ableton Live 11.1+ on Mac, including Apple silicon compatibility and instructions for running Live via Rosetta for Intel-only plug-ins.
Plug-in scan
Missing plug-ins (Universal/Silicon-native build)
How to open Live using Rosetta
Plug-in scan
In Live 11.1 and above, VST2 and VST3 plug-in scanning will operate in the background; no plug-in scanning will appear in Live's startup window. While plug-in scanning is in progress, plug-ins may temporarily appear missing.
Note: Allow Live to index new devices by waiting a few minutes after launching Live 11.1 and later for the first time.
Missing plug-ins (Universal/Silicon-native build)
On Macs with Apple silicon, the Universal build of Live 11.1 and later only recognizes VST2 and VST3 plug-ins that are built to run natively on Apple silicon.
Please check all third-party plug-ins for Apple silicon compatibility, and install updated versions using the developer's product portal or installer app when available.
Audio Unit (AU)
Many Intel-based Audio Unit plug-ins will display and load even if not updated for Apple silicon, due the macOS feature AUHostingCompatibilityService. However, certain AU devices may still require Live to be run via Rosetta 2 as explained below.
VST2 and VST3
If Live is missing VST2 and VST3 versions of a plug-in that's available in AU format, it's likely that Live is hosting an Intel AU via the AUHostingCompatibilityService translation tool.
How to open Live using Rosetta
To use VST2/VST3 plug-ins not yet updated to run natively on Apple silicon, you can force Live to run as an Intel application via Rosetta 2. For instructions, visit How to open Live using Rosetta on macOS.