How to Find Your Plugins in Bitwig Studio

Aug 07, 2024

If you are trying to load your Waves plugins in Bitwig Studio but you cannot find them, follow these instructions in order to make the plugins available.

Step #1 – Verify plugin software is installed

Check whether the relevant plugin file/s are correctly installed on your computer.

Go to:

Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Waves\Plug-Ins V15, (or whichever version is installed on your device, V14-V9)
Mac: Macintosh HD > Applications > Waves > Plug-Ins V15, (or whichever version is installed on your device, V14-V9)

The relevant plugin file will be named after the plugin, in this format: [PluginName].bundle. For example, the plugin file for Reel ADT will be named Reel ADT.bundle.

If the plugins you are looking for are not there, install the plugins by following the instructions in this link.

  • For V13-V9 plugins to show up in your DAW, their license must be activated. If you installed V14 (or above) plugins or Waves Creative Access, you can skip this step.

    Check whether the relevant plugin or bundle license/s are activated on your computer or USB Flash Drive:

    1. Launch Waves Central.
      Windows: via the desktop shortcut or Start Menu > All Programs > Waves.
      Mac: Applications > Waves Central.
    2. Log into Waves Central using your Waves account information.
    3. Select the Licenses page.
    4. Select the Connected Devices tab. Use the arrow on the right to expand the list.
    5. Check if the missing plugin/s license are activated on this connected device.

    If the plugins are not activated, check if they appear in the Not Activated tab. If that’s the case, select the license/s and click ‘Activate’.

    If the plugin licenses are not found in the Not Activated tab, check if they appear in a device in the Disconnected Devices tab. If that's the case, refer to this article.

Step #3 – Rescan for Plugins

If the relevant plugin files are in the above folders, perform a rescan:

  1. Launch Bitwig Studio.
  2. Go to File > Settings > Locations and make sure the following paths are listed under Plug-in Locations (if they are not, add them):
    • Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
    • Mac: Macintosh HD > Library > Audio > Plug-Ins > VST3
  3. Exit Settings.
  4. In the Browser Panel, go to the File Browser tab.
  5. Expand Library Locations.
  6. Righ-click on VST3 Plug-Ins and click Reindex Location.
  7. Bitwig will now rescan all VST3 plugins. This could take a little while.

Once the rescan is done, create a new session with a supported sample rate, add a track and load your Waves plugins.

If your plugins load in Demo mode (with periodic mutes), refer to this article.

None of the above worked? Contact Technical Support.