To install the plugins…

For Mac plugins, just download the evaluation version from the website. Your downloaded file will be a .pkg installer package. Double-click it and macOS will walk you through the installation process. We use the standard macOS plugin locations.

For Windows plugins, just download the evaluation version from the website. You'll get an installation .exe file that will walk you through the process. Make sure that you choose the correct directory if you already have other plugins installed, especially if you've used a non-standard location. The installer tries to be smart and figure out where you already put the plugins, but it's easy to get that wrong.

In both cases (Mac and Windows both) you may need to authenticate to be able to write to protected directories. On the Mac this happens virtually every time. On Windows it will depend on your operating system version and on whether you have UAC enabled.

Regarding licensing…

There is no separate "registered version" of the plugins. The evaluation downloads from our website are the same plugin builds you use after purchase once a valid license file is installed. Stripe Checkout handles payment, and Stillwell Audio sends the license file in a separate email attachment.

Save the attached license file to your hard disk. Newer purchases usually arrive as a .license attachment, while older products may still use .key. Keep the original attachment safe.

For version 4 plugins, drag-and-drop is the recommended default. Open the plugin and drag your .license or legacy .key file onto the plugin UI to authorize instantly.

Please store a copy of the file in a safe place. If you lose your license file, the plugin will fall back to evaluation mode until you restore it. Better to keep a backup of the original attachment after purchase.

If you lose your license file due to a system crash or similar, contact licensing@stillwellaudio.com or open a ticket at support.stillwellaudio.com. Include the email address used for purchase and your Stripe receipt or order details if you have them.

If you run into problems not addressed here, feel free to head over to the forums or to open a support ticket. Replies for license delivery issues go through licensing@stillwellaudio.com.

Advanced authorization details…

Need compatibility with older workflows? The manual file-copy method below still works on both platforms.

For Windows plugins, you can still copy the license file to the same directory as your plugin .dll or .aaxplugin file, or use the centralized license directory at %APPDATA%\Stillwell Audio\Licenses\ (for example: C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Stillwell Audio\Licenses\).

For Macintosh plugins (and other non-Windows platforms), you can copy the .license or legacy .key file alongside the plugin bundle, or use the centralized license directory at ~/Library/Application Support/Stillwell Audio/Licenses/.

Some email clients and web browsers rename legacy .key files when saved to disk as .key.txt. If this happens, rename them back by removing the trailing .txt. Do not edit or change the file contents or you may break authorization. On some systems the file may show an icon associated with Registry entries or Apple Keynote, but it is just a Stillwell Audio license file.

Lookup order: central directory (modern .license files) {product}.license, then central directory (legacy RSA) {product}.key, then plugin directory (legacy RSA) {product}.key. On Windows VST3/AAX, the plugin-directory lookup path is derived by stripping components from the bundle path.