Learn how to install software to devices that are not connected to the internet.
Follow the steps below to install Waves software products and activate their licenses to your computer using Waves Central.
Learn how to update your Waves plugin licenses and software to latest version available, whether for perpetual licenses or Waves Creative Access subscriptions.
Learn how to activate Waves licenses directly to your computer or to a USB flash drive, using the Waves Central application.
In order to run Waves plugins on Windows 7 or Window 8.1, please follow the steps below.
Follow these important steps to install SoundGrid applications such as eMotion LV1, SuperRack, SoundGrid Studio, SoundGrid QRec and the SoundGrid Driver on M1 (ARM based) Mac computers.
Many of us work on more than one computer and need flexibility. Learn how to move licenses between different computers, or how to register 2nd licenses for your products covered by the Waves Update Plan.
Learn how to move your Waves licenses between different devices.
Follow these instructions to recover Waves licenses for lost, stolen, or damaged USB flash drives or computers.
Learn how to get StudioRack, the free Waves plugin chainer. With STudioRack, you can save and load complete chains using Waves plugins as well as VST3 plugins by other manufacturers.
Follow these instructions to uninstall Waves plugins and applications using Waves Central, or to uninstall unused individual plugins manually.
This extended library is for use with the IR-series Parametric Convolution Reverb plugins (IR-L, IR-1, IR-Live, IR-360). To install the library, follow these instructions.
Learn how to deactivate your Waves license/s via Waves Central. This sends the license/s to the license cloud and changes the status to ‘Not Activated’ in your account.
To run Waves plugins on macOS El Capitan (10.11), please follow the steps below.
To run Waves plugins on macOS Yosemite (10.10), please follow the steps below.
Follow the steps below to install Waves SoundGrid applications and activate their licenses to your computer in one go, using Waves Central’s “Install Products” page.
Learn how to download, install and activate MultiRack using an offline installer via Waves Central. MultiRack is no longer available for online installation via Waves Central. The same steps apply for SoundGrid Studio and StudioRack V9.
Learn how to use Waves plugins if you use a custom VST or VST3 plugin folder.
Waves V9 and up require activation on a computer or USB flash drive. For both OS X and Windows compatibility, your USB flash drive must be FAT32-formatted.
To view which licenses are activated on your computer or USB Flash Drives: Make sure you are logged in to your computer with an Administrator User account.
If you have several computers and/or USB flash drives on which you have activated licenses (or plan to), learn how to rename each device, making them easier to identify when managing licenses in Waves Central or in your online Waves account.
For most of Waves’ sample-based instruments (all except Grand Rhapsody Piano), the SD samples library is placed in a default location when installing the instrument. Here is how to move them to a location of your choice.
Learn how to install, activate, or update Waves SoundGrid Rack for VENUE on Avid VENUE S6L consoles. Choose the relevant VENUE / Waves software version below to download and find detailed instructions.
Learn how to install Waves V13 plugins.
Learn how to install Waves V12 plugins.
If you inadvertently installed a plugin version that cannot run on your operating system or host application and wish to roll back to V13 plugins, follow these instructions.
If you inadvertently installed a plugin version that cannot run on your operating system or host application and need to roll back to V12 plugins, follow these instructions.
Learn how to install Waves V11 plugins.
If you inadvertently installed a plugin version that cannot run on your operating system or host application and need to roll back to V11 plugins, follow these instructions.
Learn how to install and activate Waves V10 plugins.
If you inadvertently installed a plugin version that cannot run on your operating system or host application and need to roll back to V10 plugins, follow these instructions.
To install and activate Waves V9.92 plugins, use the following offline installation procedure.
SoundGrid audio interfaces require a V9 driver installation in order to function in MultiRack and SoundGrid Studio V9 apps. Follow these steps to install the SoundGrid driver via Waves Central.
If you inadvertently installed a newer plugin version that cannot run on your operating system or host application and wish to roll back to V9.92 plugins, follow these instructions.
If you inadvertently installed a newer plugin version that cannot run on your operating system or host application and wish to roll back to V9.6 plugins, follow these instructions.
If you inadvertently installed a plugin version that cannot run on your operating system or host application and wish to roll back to V9.3 plugins, follow these instructions.
Waves License Center (WLC) has been discontinued on October 25, 2015 and no longer works. If you try to launch it, a connection error message will appear.
iLok authorization is no longer available. If your iLok key is lost or defective you can update to Waves latest version under the Waves Update Plan.
To install Waves plugins on macOS Sierra (10.12), please follow the steps below.
Learn how to turn off ‘Random Hardware Address’ on Windows computers to enable Waves license activation.
As of March 27, 2023, Waves plugins are offered in Waves Creative Access subscriptions only. eMotion LV1 and SuperRack continue to be sold as perpetual (non-subscription) licenses. This transition presents new license management practices.
To learn how to install and activate a legacy version of your Waves plugins or bundles, or of single plugin licenses, choose the relevant article below.
If you are running an operating system that is not supported with the latest version of Waves plugins, please refer to the relevant article below to learn how to run Waves plugins on your system.
In order to run Waves plugins on macOS High Sierra (10.13), please follow the steps below to activate and install them:
With the release of Waves Creative Access, we now offer a new way to try all Waves plugins for free via a demo. Now, installed Waves plugins will appear in your DAW even without a license, but will load in Demo mode.
Learn how to install Waves V9.3 plugins, using an offline installer.
To install Waves V9.6 plugins, use the following offline installation procedure.
To run Waves plugins on macOS Mountain Lion 10.8 or macOS Mavericks 10.9, please follow the steps below.
To install and activate Waves plugins on macOS Mojave (10.14), please follow the steps below.
Learn how to install Waves V14 plugins, via an offline installer.
If new plugins have been added for free to your Waves Essential or Waves Ultimate subscription, follow these steps to update your software.
Learn how to use Waves plugins in OBS Studio, via the Waves ‘StudioRack for OBS’ plugin chainer.