Setup
Installing VST3 and Audio Unit plug-ins properly
Where each format lives on Windows and Mac, why a DAW sometimes cannot see a fresh install, and the five-minute routine that fixes most missing-plug-in problems.
Hear and inspect the tools in this guide
Loop the same phrase, change one control at a time and compare at similar playback loudness. The linked walkthroughs are product demonstrations, not measurement results for this guide.
Pictured: Berry Console (Channel Strip) — Gate, EQ and compress a channel in one plug-in.
Formats have addresses
Windows VST3 belongs in the shared VST3 folder your DAW watches — by convention C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3. On Mac, VST3 lives in /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 and Audio Units in /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components, and AU components only appear after the system validates them, which sometimes needs a restart or a fresh login.
Fat Berry releases are Windows VST3, with Mac VST3 and Audio Unit installers available where listed on each product page. Download the installer from your account so the format and version match the machine in front of you, and check the per-DAW pages linked below for your host’s exact behaviour.
- Confirm which formats your DAW build loads before blaming the installer.
- Install from your account downloads so you get the current version.
- On Mac, finish installer steps fully; half-installed AU components validate as ghosts.
The rescan ritual
DAWs cache plug-in lists. A new install plus an old cache equals a missing plug-in and a support ticket. Force a full rescan from your DAW’s preferences, and on Mac give the AU cache a chance to rebuild.
If the plug-in appears in a fresh empty project, your original session is the problem, not the install. That one distinction saves hours, so make the test before changing anything else. When migrating between machines, always verify that your host application is running in 64-bit mode, as modern VST3 and AU formats do not support legacy 32-bit bridges. If a newly installed plugin passes standalone testing but crashes a specific project, check whether that session contains corrupted parameter automation lanes or legacy 32-bit wrappers.
- Restart the DAW and trigger a full plug-in rescan.
- Test in a new empty project before opening the big session.
- Still missing? Reinstall over the top, then rescan once more.
Activation is separate from installation
An installed plug-in may still ask for activation. Keep the two ideas separate: files on disk get you the window; a licence gets you past it. Your account holds both installers and licences.
A single-user Fat Berry licence activates on up to three machines at once, moved by you, from your account, whenever the work moves. Browser activation is the default, with serial and signed offline activation as alternatives, and an activated laptop keeps working offline.
- Download installers only from your account, not from old email links.
- Activate on the machines you actually use; deactivate ones you retire.
- Stuck? Note the exact message and your DAW version before contacting support. Precision gets answers.
When the count runs out
Three full slots and a fourth machine means a decision, not a dead end: deactivate the machine that makes the least music. The account page shows what is activated where, in plain language.
Do the deactivation before you wipe or sell a machine, not after. Retiring hardware without freeing its slot is how the fourth-machine problem is manufactured. On macOS systems, Gatekeeper security may occasionally quarantine newly installed third-party plugins. Running the terminal command xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine on the VST3 or Components folder immediately clears the quarantine attribute. Similarly, executing killall -9 AudioComponentRegistrar in Terminal forces macOS CoreAudio to instantly rebuild the system Audio Unit component database without requiring a full computer reboot.
- List your machines in order of how often they make music. Activate in that order.
- Keep one slot free if a new machine is imminent.
- Check activations in your account before buying anything twice.
Side-by-side comparison of related plug-ins
Compare the Fat Berry DSP plug-ins referenced in this guide by price, category, formats, and primary studio role. Every licence is a perpetual single-user licence (3 machine activations, 14-day full refund policy).
| Plug-in | Category | Regular Price | Formats | Primary Studio Job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berry Console | Channel Strip | $59.99 USD | VST3, AU | Gate, EQ and compress a channel in one plug-in. |
References and comparison method
This explanation uses the linked product and host references. Suggested listening steps are for your own session; they are not a report of controlled listening or compatibility testing.
Use the actual product controls, compare at similar playback loudness and check the result in the arrangement. Settings and behaviour vary by recording and software release.
Sources and further reading
Questions, answered
Why can my DAW not see a plug-in I just installed?
Usually the cache, not the install. Restart the DAW, force a full plug-in rescan, and test in an empty project. On Mac, Audio Units also need system validation, which can take a restart or fresh login.
Where do VST3 plug-ins live on Windows and Mac?
Windows uses the shared VST3 folder, by convention C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3. Mac VST3 lives in /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3, with Audio Units in /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components. Your DAW’s per-DAW page on this site covers its own scan behaviour.
How many machines can I activate one licence on?
Three at the same time, for a single-user Fat Berry licence. Deactivate a machine from your account and the slot frees immediately for another. There is no dongle, and an activated machine keeps working offline.
Is activation the same as installation?
No. Installation puts the files where your DAW can load them; activation entitles your account on that machine. A plug-in can be correctly installed and still ask for activation — solve the two in that order.