Questions & Answers

Can Studio One load VST3 from a different folder than the default?

+4 votes
7,376 views
asked Jun 6, 2019 in Instruments and Plug-Ins by michaelarguelles (250 points)
On a PC, Studio One 4.5 does not see VST3s that aren't installed to the default "C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3".  Can this be changed so it'll load them regardless of their location?

Some plugins allow their VST3s to be installed to a different location than the default.  As I have very little space left on my C drive, I've installed many VST3s to my much larger D drive.  These do not appear in the Studio One plugin browser though the folder they are in is referenced in the plugin location list.  I know other DAWs are able to load these D drive VST3s so I'd imagine it shouldn't be too hard to make it work in Studio One as well.

4 Answers

0 votes
answered Jun 6, 2019 by matthewritenburg (17,320 points)

Yes,  Check Options->Locations->VST Plug-Ins.  You can add as many VST folders as you like.

+2 votes
answered Jun 6, 2019 by michaelarguelles (250 points)
Thanks for your reply.  Unfortunately the locations list doesn't work for VST3, only VST2.  My D drive VST3 folder is in my list and... nothing.  I've actually heard directly from Presonus that this is the case and the tech support person said to add a feature request.  So here it is...
+2 votes
answered May 12, 2020 by danielmohamadi (180 points)
vst3 works and recognized in C only

.dll or .vst worked on a different drive

just found out
+1 vote
answered Jan 1, 2021 by rupertpfaff (660 points)
You can use MKLINK commands from the command line to 'fool' windows into thinking that files located in one folder/drive are actually located somewhere else: https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/
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