Are you tired of waiting for Avid Pro Tools to launch? If you’re a Pro Tools user with a vast collection of plugins, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of lengthy startup times. It can feel like an eternity as Pro Tools meticulously scans through each and every plugin every single time you open the software. This process, while intended to ensure compatibility and proper loading of your audio tools, can become a major bottleneck in your creative workflow, especially when you just want to quickly jump into a project.
Many users, like the original poster in our forum, face this issue. They use both Sibelius and Pro Tools and have accumulated a large number of plugins from reputable developers like Waves, Slate Digital, Soundtoys, and FabFilter. These plugins, often legally licensed and managed via iLok or USB drives, become a source of immense delay. Imagine needing to quickly open Sibelius on a laptop without your iLok or USB drive connected. The software can grind to a halt, taking upwards of an hour to scan every plugin, repeatedly prompting you to “retry” or “cancel” for each unlicensed plugin. Clicking “cancel” hundreds of times just to get started is enough to kill any creative momentum.
One user in our community, CH1612, shared a clever workaround that can significantly reduce this startup time. This solution, originally for Sibelius but applicable to Pro Tools due to shared plugin architecture concepts, involves temporarily preventing the software from accessing your plugin folders. Here’s how you can implement this trick:
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Navigate to Your Plugin Directory: Open Finder and go to
Library/Audio/Plug-Ins. This is the system-level directory where audio plugins are typically stored on macOS. -
Rename the “Plug-Ins” Folder: Right-click on the “Plug-Ins” folder and rename it to something like “Ignore Plug-Ins”. This simple change will prevent Pro Tools (and Sibelius) from automatically recognizing and scanning the contents of this folder during startup.
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Restart Your Computer: For the changes to take full effect, restart your macOS system.
After restarting, launch Pro Tools. You should notice a dramatically faster startup time. Pro Tools will no longer be bogged down by scanning hundreds of plugins it can’t immediately access or doesn’t need for your current session.
Important Considerations:
- User Library: If Pro Tools still scans plugins, you might have plugins installed in your user-specific library. Check
Your User Name/Library/Audio/Plug-Insand apply the same renaming trick if necessary. This user library is often hidden by default in macOS, so you may need to enable viewing hidden files and folders. - Reverting the Change: When you need Pro Tools to recognize and use your plugins again, simply rename the “Ignore Plug-Ins” folder back to “Plug-Ins” and restart your computer. Pro Tools will then resume its normal plugin scanning process.
- AAX Plugins: This method primarily affects AU and VST plugins. Pro Tools’ native AAX plugins, which are used by Pro Tools 11 and later versions, are managed differently and may not be entirely bypassed by this folder renaming technique. However, the bulk of the startup delay often comes from scanning AU and VST plugins.
- Feature Request: As another user, rus5, aptly pointed out, the ideal solution would be for Avid to implement a built-in “Ignore Plugin Load on Launch” option within Pro Tools itself. This would provide a more user-friendly and official way to manage plugin scanning without resorting to folder renaming workarounds.
In conclusion, while waiting for a potential official feature from Avid, renaming your plugin folder offers a practical and effective way to bypass the time-consuming plugin scan in Pro Tools when you need to quickly get to work, especially when licenses aren’t readily available. It’s a simple toggle that can significantly improve your workflow and reduce startup frustration.
