Renaming your plugins folder to fix Sibelius, the safer way
Last updated 24 June 2026
What Avid tells you to do
It takes every plugin out, not just the bad one. When Sibelius hangs or crashes during the audio plugin scan it runs at launch, Avid's support answer is to rename your whole system audio plugin folder so Sibelius cannot read it. It does get Sibelius open, because a scan with nothing to check cannot fail. The catch is that every other audio app on your Mac reads the same folders, so they all go dark at once.
"AVID's solution is to rename my system plugin folder. This works but then Logic can't find the plugins."Apple Support Communities, March 2025
The three ways to fix it, compared
| Approach | Sibelius opens | DAW keeps its plugins | Reversible | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rename the whole plugins folder (Avid) | Yes | No, all hosts lose them | By hand, rename it back | Low, but blunt |
| Move plugins out by hand | Yes | Partly, if you move only some | By hand, move them back | High on a big library |
| Ainola Sibelius mode | Yes | Yes, one click to restore | One click | Low |
Why renaming the whole folder is the wrong tool
Renaming the folder is not dangerous, it removes nothing, and you can undo it. The problem is that it is all or nothing. The system audio plugin folders are shared by every host, so the moment you rename them, Logic, GarageBand and Pro Tools lose their plugins too, not just the one that breaks Sibelius. You also have to remember to rename the folder back before your next DAW session, and back again before you next open Sibelius. That trade gets old fast.
Disable only what Sibelius scans
The better fix is to take out only the formats Sibelius scans, keep your playback engine, and leave everything else in place. You can do this by hand by moving plugins out of the folders Sibelius reads, then back when you need them.
- Quit Sibelius.
- Open the plugin folders in Finder:
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components(AU),/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VSTand/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3. - Move the effect and instrument plugins you do not need for playback to a temporary folder, and leave your playback engine in place.
- Open Sibelius. It scans far less, so it launches.
- Move the plugins back when you switch to your DAW.
The one-click way
Ainola does the same thing without moving files around by hand, and without hiding plugins from the rest of your studio. Its Sibelius mode disables every AU, VST and VST3 except your playback engine, so Sibelius launches reliably, and re-enables your whole library the moment you switch back to your DAW. Nothing is ever deleted, every change is one click from undo.
- Download Ainola and open it.
- Click Sibelius mode.
- Review the staged changes and apply them with one password prompt.
- Open Sibelius. It starts fast, and your DAW still sees every plugin.
Related questions
Is it safe to rename my plugins folder? +
Renaming is reversible, because it only changes a folder name and removes nothing. The catch is that it hides every plugin from Logic, GarageBand and Pro Tools until you rename it back. Disabling only the formats Sibelius scans is safer day to day.
Will renaming the folder delete my plugins? +
No. It only changes a name, so hosts stop finding the plugins. Nothing is removed, and renaming it back restores everything.
Which folders does Sibelius scan? +
The system audio plugin folders: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components for AU, and /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST and /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 for VST and VST3.
Which macOS versions are supported? +
macOS 12 Monterey or later, on Apple Silicon and Intel.
Sources
- Apple Support, where third-party Audio Units plug-ins are installed on Mac.
- Steinberg, VST plug-in locations on macOS.
- Ableton, using AU and VST plug-ins on macOS.
More fixes: crashing on startup, Sibelius will not open, stuck scanning plugins, error initializing playback system, Sibelius 2026.5 slow to open.