Remove or disable Audio Units plug-ins in Logic Pro for Mac or MainStage

If you're using third-party Audio Units plug-ins and Logic Pro or MainStage isn't working properly, try removing or disabling Audio Units plug-ins.

Try these recommendations depending on what you're experiencing:

• If you can open Logic Pro or MainStage but you're having issues with your project or concert, remove Audio Units plug-ins from your project.

• If you can't open Logic Pro or MainStage, disable Audio Units plug-ins.

• If you can't find a recently installed plug-in, learn what to do.

Remove Audio Units plug-ins from your project or concert

If you're having an issue in a particular Logic Pro project that uses Audio Units plug-ins, open Logic Pro without Audio Units plug-ins first. If that fixes your issue, you can then remove individual Audio Units plug-ins from your project to determine if a particular plug-in is causing the issue.

If you're having an issue with a MainStage concert, start troubleshooting by removing individual Audio Units plug-ins from the concert.

Open Logic Pro without Audio Units

1. Quit Logic Pro if it's open.

2. Open Logic Pro and immediately press and hold the Control key before a project opens.

3. In the alert, click Launch Without Audio Units.

4. Open the project you're troubleshooting.

If this resolves the issue, remove individual Audio Units plug-ins from your Logic Pro project.

If this doesn't resolve the issue, try other troubleshooting methods.

Remove individual Audio Units plug-ins from your Logic Pro project or MainStage concert

If opening Logic Pro without Audio Units fixes your issue in Logic Pro, remove each Audio Units from your Logic Pro project to isolate the plug-in that's causing your issue. You can also use this method to troubleshoot Audio Units plug-ins in MainStage.

1. If you opened Logic Pro without Audio Units, close Logic Pro.

2. Open Logic Pro or MainStage, then open the project or concert you're having issues with.

3. Save a copy of your project or concert.

4. Close the original project or concert.

5. Open the copy of the project or concert,

6. Choose No Plug-in from one occupied Effects slot to remove one Audio Units plug-in.

7. Try to recreate the issue.

If your issue persists after removing one plug-in, remove another plug-in, then test again. Test after each time you remove a plug-in.

If removing a particular plug-in resolves the issue, reinstall the plug-in or check with the manufacturer for updates or further support. You can also replace the plug-in with a similar plug-in from Apple or a different manufacturer.

Disable Audio Units plug-ins

If you can’t open Logic Pro or MainStage, move the installed files for third-party Audio Units plug-ins. You might also want to move a plug-in file if you found that a particular plug-in is causing an issue in a project.

1. From the Finder menu bar, choose Go > Go to Folder, type “/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components” into the Go to Folder field, then click Go.

   • If you can't find the files in that location, check the Library in your Home folder. From the Finder menu bar, choose Go > Go to Folder, type “~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components” into the Go to Folder field, then click Go.

2. If you suspect a particular plug-in might be causing the issue, locate the file for the plug-in in the folder, hold the Command key, then drag the file to the Desktop or another location, such as a folder dedicated for this procedure.

3. Restart your Mac.

4. Try to reopen Logic Pro.

If you still can't open Logic Pro or MainStage:

1. Create a new folder on the Desktop.

2. Move all the plug-in files that appear in their installation locations to the new folder. Make sure that when you move the files, you hold Command while dragging the files or delete the original files in their original locations after moving them to their new location.

3. Try to open Logic Pro or MainStage.

4. If you can open the app, replace each plug-in file to its original location one-at-a-time. Quit and reopen the app after you replace each plug-in file.

5. If you can't open the app after replacing a particular plug-in file, that plug-in might be corrupted or incompatible. Try reinstalling the plug-in or check with the manufacturer for an update.

Learn more

About dynamic plug-in loading in Logic Pro

Use the Plug-In Manager