How to Uninstall Waves Products

Feb 17, 2025

Follow these instructions to uninstall Waves plugins and applications using Waves Central or uninstall unused individual plugins manually.

Please note: Uninstallation of Waves plugins via Waves Central uninstalls complete versions only, not individual plugins. For example, you can only uninstall all your Waves V14 plugins, all your Waves V11 plugins, etc. Individual plugins must be removed manually, as described below.

Waves Live applications (such as SuperRack or eMotion LV1) and Waves SoundGrid I/O drivers can be uninstalled together only.

Uninstall via Waves Central:

  Click here for an interactive tutorial in Waves Central

  1. Quit all audio apps.
  2. Launch the Waves Central application:
    • Windows: via the desktop shortcut or Start Menu > All Programs > Waves Central.
    • Mac: Applications > Waves Central.
  3. Log into Waves Central using your Waves account information.
  4. Go to the Settings tab.
  5. Under Maintenance, select the products/version you wish to uninstall in the dropdown menu, and click Uninstall.

Uninstall unused individual plugins manually:

  1. Quit all audio apps.
  2. Navigate to the relevant plugin version folder:
    • Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Waves\Plug-Ins V16, (or whichever version is installed on your device, V15-V9).
    • Mac: Macintosh HD > Applications > Waves > Plug-Ins V16, (or whichever version is installed on your device, V15-V9).
  3. The plugin file you wish to remove 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.
  4. Delete the plugin file/s you wish to remove (or move to a backup folder).
  5. If you’re using a host application that uses Audio Unit plugins (Logic Pro, MainStage, GarageBand, Digital Performer, Luna), follow these steps:
    1. Go to Macintosh HD > Applications > Waves > WaveShells V15 (or whichever version is installed on your device) and run the Waves AU Reg Utility.
    2. Click on Let’s Go.
    3. If asked to Locate the Waves Plugins Folder, direct to Macintosh HD > Applications > Waves > Plug-Ins V15, (or whichever version is installed on your device, V14-V9).
    4. If there’s more than one WaveShells folder, repeat these steps on any Waves AU Reg Utility.
  6. If the plugins you uninstalled still appear in your host application, rescan the host for plugins according to the instructions here.

Please note:

  • Manually removing a plugin will not be reflected in Waves Central’s ‘Install Status’ for that plugin.
  • Plugins uninstalled manually will not be available in StudioRack and may be missing in some StudioVerse chains.

If you need any further assistance, please contact Technical Support.