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How to Find Your Plugins in GarageBand

Feb 07, 2024

If you are trying to load your Waves plugins in GarageBand 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 V14, (or whichever version is installed on your device, V13-V9)
Mac: Macintosh HD > Applications > Waves > Plug-Ins V14, (or whichever version is installed on your device, V13-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.

  • Step #2 – Verify the license is activated (If you have V13-V9 Licenses)

    For V13-V9 plugins to show up in your DAW, their license must be activated. If you installed V14 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 via 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 – Verify Audio Units are enabled

Access GarageBand Preferences > Audio/MIDI Tab > Effects > check "Enable Audio Units".

Step #4 – Rescan for Plugins

  1. Quit GarageBand.
  2. In Finder, click on the Go menu, hold down the [Alt/Option] key and click on Library.
  3. Go to Caches and drag the following folders to your desktop:
    • AudioUnitCache
    • Waves
  4. Go to Preferences and drag the following folders/files (if available) to your desktop:
    • Waves Preferences
    • Com.apple.audio.InfoHelper.plist
    • com.apple.audio.SandboxHelper.plist
  5. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Caches and drag the following (if available) to your desktop:
    com.apple.components2.AudioComponents.
  6. Go to Macintosh HD > Applications > Waves > WaveShells V14 and run the Waves AU Reg Utility.
  7. Click on Let’s Go.
  8. If asked to Locate the Waves Plugins Folder, direct to Macintosh HD > Applications > Waves > Plug-Ins V14. (Or whichever version is installed, V13 - V9).
    * If there’s more than one Waves AU Reg Utility in the folder, repeat Steps #6-#8 above for each of them.
  9. If 0 components are found, fix permissions:
    • Launch Waves Central via Applications > Waves Central and log in.
    • Select the Settings page.
    • Under Maintenance > Fix permissions and ownership, click Run and let the process complete.
    • Repeat Steps #6-8 above.
  10. Restart the computer and launch GarageBand.

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

If your Waves plugins are now available in GarageBand, you can safely delete the files dragged to your desktop.

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

None of the above worked? Contact Technical Support.