VST Plug-ins

Current Audacity
In current Audacity (and legacy 1.3.8 and later), VST effects are displayed with full GUI interface (where provided by the plug-in), and without need of the VST Enabler. This has been made possible by use of an open source VST header.

When Audacity is first launched, an "Install VST Effects" dialogue will appear which lists VST plug-ins detected in the Plug-Ins folder inside the Audacity installation folder and in other system locations. Press OK to load the chosen plug-ins. Prior to Audacity 2.0.4, the scan happened automatically with no choice of which effects to load. Your VST effects will appear in the Effect menu, underneath the divider.

When you restart Audacity again it will reload the plug-ins it detected last session, as stored in the plugins.cfg file in the Audacity folder for application data. This avoids slowing down each Audacity launch by scanning for new plug-ins. So if you add more VST plug-ins later, you must go to the, check "Rescan VST effects next time Audacity is started ", then restart Audacity. If you subsequently remove any VST plug-ins, they will automatically be removed from the Effect menu after restart, without need for a rescan (as long as you are using 1.3.10 or later).

The overwhelming majority of VST effect plug-ins should now display and process correctly. If an incompatible VST plug-in does cause a problem, try unchecking "Display VST effects in graphical mode" in the Effects Preferences, or rename or remove the plug-in. To report a plug-in that is problematic in current Audacity, please add it below, or write to our feedback address.

Legacy Audacity prior to 1.3.8
There is limited support for VST effects by downloading the optional VST Enabler.

To display a VST plug-in in Audacity, place it in the Audacity Plug-Ins folder inside your Audacity installation folder (or in other VST system folders) then restart Audacity. See plug-in locations below.

Plug-ins will only have a generic tabular interface with sliders which may not expose all the plug-in controls correctly. Not all plug-ins will work correctly, even if all of the intended interface elements are available. These restrictions are imposed on us because the Steinberg company who created the technology forbid us disclosing their code in our software. We are obliged to do this because Audacity is open source.

Where Audacity looks for VST plug-ins
Audacity searches for VST plug-ins in this order:  Additionally on OS X, the following locations are also searched:   The specified directories are searched recursively, which means that plug-ins that are inside their own folder in that directory should still be found by Audacity.
 * 1) On both Windows and OS X:
 * 2) * Directories called "Plug-Ins", "Plugins" or "VST" in the Audacity installation directory. On Windows, the Audacity installation directory is normally at ( or  in legacy 1.3 versions ). On 64-bit Windows this directory will be "Program Files (x86)" then as appropriate. On OS X, the Audacity installation directory is normally under.
 * 3) * The path specified by the VST_PATH environment variable
 * 4) Additionally on Windows, the following locations are also searched:
 * 5) * The Windows Registry key HKCU\Software\VST\VSTPluginsPath
 * 6) * The Windows Registry key HKLM\Software\VST\VSTPluginsPath
 * 7) * (or  on 64-bit versions of Windows)

List of functional Plug-ins
2WarpDelay_v1.dll 4poleLPF.dll A0 Neosweep.dll Acidfanatic overdrive.dll Acidfanatic stereo2mono.dll Acidfanatic ultradrive.dll Ambience - reverb plugin for Windows, OS 9/X  ADopplerEn.dll AnalogDelay.dll AnechoicRoomSimulator.dll Antares AutoTune Evo - Mostly works with current Audacity. Automatic pitch correction works, but to be able to draw pitch curves clock must be set to "internal" and not "host". (commercial) ANWIDA Soft DX Reverb Light.dll for Windows and Mac (PowerPC only) ariesverb_0_2.dll B_Decoder.dll bandspin.dll BassChorusV23.dll BassPhaserV10.dll Big Tick Dual Delay.dll Big Tick Hexaline.dll BJ Flanger.dll BJ LoFi.dll BJ Overdrive.dll BJ Ringmodulator.dll BJ Tremolo.dll BJ Wavechanger2.dll BLOCKFISH.dll - compressor for Windows and OS X (not Intel) BlueCatMonoChorusVST.dll for Windows and OS X BlueCatFlangerVST(Mono).dll for Windows and OS X BlueCatFlangerVST(Stereo).dll for Windows and OS X BlueCatPhaserVST(Mono).dll for Windows and OS X BlueCatPhaserVST(Stereo).dll for Windows and OS X BlueCatStereoChorusVST.dll for Windows and OS X Bouncy.dll BPan_e.dll BPan_e_gui.dll BPan_m.dll BPan_m_gui.dll bs2b.dll stereo to binaural BuzMaxi.dll Buzzroom CL 201 (Vintage Maximiser) - now shareware and known as Extreme Amplifier c3multibandcomp_1_2.dll c3multibandcomp_1_2sse.dll CamelPhatFree.dll CatDelay.dll CatDelay_1_3.dll CCTDelayLE.dll Chimecho.dll Classic Auto-Filter.dll Classic Chorus.dll Classic Compressor.dll Classic Delay.dll Classic EQ.dll Classic Flanger.dll Classic Master Limiter.dll Classic Phaser.dll Classic Reverb.dll CompactDistortion.dll Compressor2.dll Compressor.dll CoyoteWah.dll CrazyIvan.dll D_Limiter.dll dB Compressor.dll dbFree.dll DCOffsetKiller.dll Delayer.dll Delta Filter.dll Delta Force.dll Delta Phase.dll Delta Ping.dll Delta Space.dll dfx Buffer Override mono.dll dfx Buffer Override stereo.dll dfx Monomaker.dll dfx Scrubby.dll dfx Skidder.dll DFX Transverb.dll Distortionator Mk2.dll dominion v1.2.dll Dr_ExpanderDemo.dll echographz.dll effex.dll E-Phonic LOFI.dll E-Phonic XPressor.dll EZmix (commercial, time limited demo available. Also supports OS X but only Windows version tested) F_M_Comp.dll F_M_EQShelf.dll F_M_Tube.dll F_S_Comp.dll F_S_EQFilter.dll F_S_EQShelf.dll F_S_LineT.dll F_S_Phase.dll F_S_Tube.dll FEILEI Surround Echo.dll FEILEI Surround Encode.dll FEILEI Surround Pan.dll Filterizer.dll FilterONE.dll firegain.dll Flaser.dll Flipper.dll FloFi.dll FLOORFISH.dll - expander/noise gate for Windows and OS X (not Intel) florus.dll FlybabyBETA.dll Freeverb for OS X Freeverb2.dll for Windows FreeverbToo.dll for Windows Fruity 7band EQ.dll Fruity balance.dll Fruity bass boost.dll Fruity blood overdrive.dll Fruity filter.dll Fruity delay.dll Frohmage_vst2win.dll Fuzz-Stone.dll Gain.dll GClip.dll GComp.dll GeneComp3.dll GeneComp3_mono.dll GeneComp.dll GeneComp_mono.dll GGate.dll GHi.dll Glacier.dll dBlue Glitch - requires Audacity 1.3.9 or later; random probability feature does not work in Audacity 2.0.2 GLow.dll GranComp3.dll GranComp3_mono.dll GranComp.dll GranComp_mono.dll GRevDly.dll GRM Tools - on OS X, does not work on Windows GVerb.dll Hard Limiter.dll IndyGoDelay.dll IndyGoGater.dll IndyGoTremolo.dll Invada EQ-Tube-Mono.dll Invada EQ-Tube-Stereo.dll Invada Tube-Mono.dll Invada Tube-Stereo.dll iZotope vinyl for Windows and OS X JS plug-in pack - contains plug-ins listed below. JS 6 equalizer V1.0.dll JS Band Cut V1.0.dll JS Compresseur V1.1.dll JS Disto V1.0.dll JS equalizer V1.0.dll JS Humanizer v1.0.dll JS Limiteur V1.0.dll JS Magneto V1.1.dll JS Mini-sample V1.0.dll JS Noise Attenu V1.0 .dll JS Noise Filtre V1.0.dll JS Oscil resonne V2.0 .dll JS Oscil resonne V3.0.dll JS PanDelay .dll JS Resonnateur V1.0.dll JS Vibrato V1.0.dll jVSTwRapper-based plug-ins (on Windows, Mac OSX PPC/Intel and Linux).
 * jVSTwRapper is a way of writing Java plug-ins using VST-based technology, enclosed in a wrapper that makes them compatible for use in VST, Audio Units and LADSPA hosts. Thus jVSTwRapper plug-ins can be run on all three platforms.

karlette.dll KarmaFX Deelay.dll KarmaFX Filter.dll KewlCompressor.dll Killeringer.dll KONTRAST.DLL KristalEQ.dll Kristalizer.dll KristalReverb.dll KTAudioHealer.dll KwikKomp2b1.dll KwikKomp3VST.dll Levels.dll Lisp level-independent sibilance processor LoFiPlus.dll LPGEQ2.dll LPGEQ2_1.dll LPGEQ.dll LPGEQ_mono.dll Mab.dll MadShifta.dll mda Bandisto.dll mda BeatBox.dll mda Combo.dll mda De-ess.dll mda Degrade.dll mda Delay.dll mda Detune.dll mda Dither.dll mda DubDelay.dll mda Dynamics.dll mda Envelope.dll mda Image.dll mda Leslie.dll mda Limiter.dll mda Loudness.dll mda MultiBand.dll mda Overdrive.dll mda RePsycho!.dll mda RezFilter.dll mda RingMod.dll mda RoundPan.dll mda Shepard.dll mda Splitter.dll mda Stereo.dll mda SubSynth.dll mda Talkbox.dll mda ThruZero.dll mda Tracker.dll mda VocInput.dll mda Vocoder.dll mdspFlanger.dll Megatrancer.dll MjCompressor.dll for Windows and OS X Windows version only has a tabular interface even in Audacity 1.3.8+ MjRotoDelay.dll MnComp_v1r.dll Modern Plugins MonstaChorus.dll Morphing Delay 2.1 Demo.dll msBalance.dll msComp.dll msDecode.dll msDelay.dll msEncode.dll msSwap.dll msvcr71.dll ndcPanner.dll ndcTrem.dll ndcTrem_plus.dll noisegate.dll normalizer.dll NorthPole.dll Null-BandSpin.dll oversampler.dll P1-Tapedelay.dll PalancarWare Brick.dll PalancarWare DeDC.dll PalancarWare Empire.dll PalancarWare Ozone.dll PalancarWare Refero.dll PalancarWare Scalar.dll ppdisto.dll preamp.dll pvaccu.dll pvexag.dll pvtransp.dll pwmdrive.dll pzx.dll q_delOizer30.dll Qamp.dll REFLEX free - a regenerating delay plug-in, a mixture of stereo delays followed by a dense cloud of reflections (Download) respass.dll RetroDelay.dll Reverb.dll Reversinator.dll RMD.dll Robotizer for Windows and Mac OS X RoomMachine844.dll RoomReverb.dll RubyTube.dll SampleSlider.dll Saturator.dll - analogue tape saturation emulator for added "warmth" sc4.dll sc 04 sec Stereo Delay.dll sc Multi Delay.dll sc Multi Tap Delay.dll sc Stereo Panner.dll sc Tremelo.dll SDynamics.dll SFilter.dll SH-1 Chorus.dll SH-1 Filter.dll SH-1 Graphic EQ.dll SH-1 LFO Multi.dll SH-1 PhaseSifter.dll SH-1 Reverb.dll ShivaShifta.dll SideChCompMn.dll SideChCompSt.dll SideKick2.dll Silverspike Reverb-it Demo.dll SimpleQ.dll SimpleTremolo.dll SLFO.dll Solidverb.dll SonicChorus.dll SpectriX.dll SPICE1_01.dll SPITFISH.dll - de-esser for Windows and OS X (not Intel) Square-o-matic.dll Stardust.dll Starplugs-RuntimePanner.dll StComp_v1r.dll stepper.dll Stereoizer.dll StereoFaker.dll StereoStretcher.dll StereoTools.dll StudioVerb.dll SupaPhaser.dll surrounder.dll TAL-Reverb-2 - popular GPL licensed plate reverb tape Saturator.dll TapeDelay.dll TapeIt.dll TB Compressor (working demo) in Tone Boosters plug-in bundle - supports "New York" or "parallel" compression Telephone.dll - simple, very realistic telephone audio simulator. THD.dll TK-3BandDisto.dll TK-4Filters.dll TK-BPMDelay.dll TK-BPMDelayS.dll TK-FeedFlanger.dll TK-FilterDisto.dll TK-FlangDestructor.dll TK-LPFilterMod.dll TK-StereoFlanger.dll TranceFormer.dll tridirt.dll T-SLEDGE.dll TubeBaby.dll unmatched.dll UpStereo.dll - stereo widener UpStereo for OS X (not tested) VariDelay.dll VdPhazor.dll VFlange.dll VFlanger.dll VIBRATOR1_00.dll Vibro.dll Volcano.dll VOX_DoctorDemo.dll - De-Esser VoxengoEssEQ.dll VoxengoLampthruster (a VST amp simulator) VoxengoOldSkoolVerb.dll VoxengoPowershaper.dll VoxengoSampleDelay.dll VoxengoStereoTouch.dll VoxengoTempoDelay.dll VoxengoTubeAmp1.dll VoxengoTubeAmp.dll VPingPong.dll VRingMod.dll VSpectShift.dll VST Enabler.dll WARP.DLL Whix.dll xChorus.dll xfaser_lite.dll Z-BandSpin.dll Z-FilterDub.dll Z-Florus.dll Z-Ringer.dll Z-SpShift.dll Z-SpVoc.dll

List of Plug-ins with known problems

 * (1) Audio Unit versions of Waves may cause Audacity 2.0.4 or earlier to freeze or crash on launch. In 2.0.5 or later, Waves Audio Units may cause a freeze or crash when the effect is chosen from the Effect Menu.
 * (2) This is a limitation in Audacity and other hosts that don't have buffer delay compensation.