Quick hack for checking if your Mac installed plugins are the latest versions

[Dood]

 

I've been a bit overwhelmed of late and, whilst trying to bring a little bit of regulation back to my life I thought I'd ask what you're all using to manage your installed plug-ins, of which I have over 1600 apparently! Brands use different installation methods and, whilst I am appreciative of those who have automated install managers, many (including open source) that I find very useful do not. 

 

Whilst pondering, I went on a bit of a web search and found this brilliant application  called PlugInfo by ThinkerSnacks, that not only lists my installed plugins and their versions but also, unlike Logic's own plugin manager allows for some basic exporting of the data.

Although it does a great job of listing plugins and their paths, it can't tell you if the installed items are the current versions. So, I wrote a basic A.I prompt to do the work for me (Nyerrrrrgh!! A.I!! It will take our jobs!!) to use in conjuction with PluginInfo to hopefully make my life a bit easier.

 

TLDR: To create a colour-coded spreadsheet that lists the plugin Name, Publisher, Version, Type, Architecture, Date, Size and Path marking which are up to date, out of date, discontinued or of an unknown status requiring a manual search.

 

Cooking instructions:

* Install PluginInfo

* Go to the PluginInfo window, CTRL-A to Select All and then either Right-Click and "Copy Full Details" or Edit > Copy Full Details

* Then Paste the output in to an excel spreadsheet document (you can use Numbers or your spreadsheet app of choice) and export as a .xlx

* Save the file with any name, maybe "Installed Plugins" and the current date for safe keeping.

* Go to ChatGPT and Paste the following prompt, upload the new text file at the same time and hit go..

 

I have a spreadsheet file containing a list of all audio plugins installed on my Mac, including their names, versions, formats (AU, VST, VST3, AAX), manufacturers, and installation paths.

Please create a colour-coded Excel spreadsheet with the following structure:

Columns for: Name, Publisher, Version, Type, Architectures, Dated, Size and Path to match the existing upload, add a Status column.

Formatting and rules:

Each plugin entry should be on a new row.

The "Status" column should indicate whether the plugin is:

✅ Up to Date (background color: green #00FF00)

🟧 Out of Date (background color: orange #FFA500)

🟥 Discontinued or No Longer Available (background color: red #FF0000)

🟪 Unknown Status (background color: dark purple #6C3483)

Use known latest plugin versions and availability to determine the status.

If a plugin isn’t in your known reference list, mark it as Unknown Status (🟪, dark purple #6C3483).

Each status should use the corresponding emoji and background color in the "Status" column.

Output the result as a downloadable .xlsx spreadsheet.

 

I've tried this out on ChatGPT and I got a fairly good colour-coded document back, though I've since updated the prompt and will need to double-check it. I asked Perplexity and I'm still waiting for an answer, Claude.ai doesn't like the file type for upload, so your results may vary - if I actually fancy putting more time in to it, I'll write a details prompt in a file rather than copying this one. Fun times! 

 

 

 

[Owen]

Crazy madness. I have 1715 plug-ins. And I am a totally amateur bodger. How did I manage to collect so many? Lots of them are UAD ones that are sitting there after being downloaded with my Apollo interface, but need to be paid for to use. I wish I could disappear them. I would also like to know which plugin occasionally makes Logic unstable. You would expect the message to read "********* is making Logic unstable" so that I could go and deal with it. But that would be too obvious.

[Owen]

It turns out that 1097 of my 1715 are UA plugins, of which I "own" perhaps 20.

[BigRedX]

I've solved the problem by only using two plug-ins that weren't part of the Logic Installation, and while both these third party plug-ins make life a bit easier when composing or recording neither are essential.

[Dood]

38 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I've solved the problem by only using two plug-ins that weren't part of the Logic Installation, and while both these third party plug-ins make life a bit easier when composing or recording neither are essential.

 

I have to admit that I started off as being a plug-in hoarder. I'm like a magpie for shiny shiny things ha ha! There's plenty that could be uninstalled now after 5-6 years with the same machine. The next application I need is one that will help me organise the handful of plugins that are really useful and the ohers can either be moved to a separate folder or removed swiftly! I just haven't gotten around to doing something about it. I guess that means I'm busy, which isn't a bad thing.

[BigRedX]

I think it very much depends on what you use your DAW for.

 

Mine is used for programming and then running the drum and sequencer backing tracks for my band to use when we gig and for recording my bass for the songs were are going to release to the public. I have Helix Native which allows me a bit more flexibility for my bass sounds without having to re-record the parts and a Simmons drum plug-in that replaces my somewhat incomplete set of samples I made when I used to own the real thing which I was accessing through Logic's EX24/Sampler plug-in. For everything else the virtual instruments and effects plug-ins that come with Logic are more than adequate, and I still haven't anywhere near exhausted the possibilities of those to even think about buying any more 3rd party plug-ins. Plus everything is far superior to the hardware I use to have in terms of sound and user-friendliness.

 

The way I look at it is that my setup will never become obsolete and I won't suddenly find myself with plug-ins that I can no longer use because I have upgraded my computer and either I can't afford to upgrade the plug-ins or that they are no longer being supported by the developer. Both of which have happened to me in the past.

 

Edited Thursday at 10:37 by BigRedX

[WinterMute]

On 24/05/2025 at 10:12, Owen said:

It turns out that 1097 of my 1715 are UA plugins, of which I "own" perhaps 20.

 

I remove all the UAD2 plug-ins not in my library and put them in an folder marked "unused plug-ins" saves you scrolling through a list of plug-ins you don't have access to.

 

Only needs doing every time they release an update... 🤣

[WinterMute]

23 hours ago, BigRedX said:

I think it very much depends on what you use your DAW for.

 

Mine is used for programming and then running the drum and sequencer backing tracks for my band to use when we gig and for recording my bass for the songs were are going to release to the public. I have Helix Native which allows me a bit more flexibility for my bass sounds without having to re-record the parts and a Simmons drum plug-in that replaces my somewhat incomplete set of samples I made when I used to own the real thing which I was accessing through Logic's EX24/Sampler plug-in. For everything else the virtual instruments and effects plug-ins that come with Logic are more than adequate, and I still haven't anywhere near exhausted the possibilities of those to even think about buying any more 3rd party plug-ins. Plus everything is far superior to the hardware I use to have in terms of sound and user-friendliness.

 

The way I look at it is that my setup will never become obsolete and I won't suddenly find myself with plug-ins that I can no longer use because I have upgraded my computer and either I can't afford to upgrade the plug-ins or that they are no longer being supported by the developer. Both of which have happened to me in the past.

 

 

Unfortunately Protools soft-synths aren't anywhere near as good as Logic/Abelton, but then its a different beast.

 

We've taken to using Logic as a writing platform so as to preserve continuity between the various set ups, then In throw it all into PT once the demo is done, re-record everything and add or subtract for the arrangement and then mix. I have a few 3rd party synths in PT to expand on the Logic parts, SSD5 for Drummer replacement parts etc. but often I simply bounce the audio from the Logic session files. Logic/Abelton are perfectly capable platforms without a ruck of 3rd party soft-synths.

 

I prefer PT as a tracking/mixing environment as I have an Avid S3 desk, but I think Logic is much better for writing/programming.

[Woodinblack]

3 minutes ago, WinterMute said:

I prefer PT as a tracking/mixing environment as I have an Avid S3 desk, but I think Logic is much better for writing/programming.

 

Can connect the S3 to logic if you want

[WinterMute]

1 minute ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Can connect the S3 to logic if you want

 

Yes you can, works with anything that has the EUCON protocol, it doesn't;t work as well as Protools however, some of the really useful mixing functions are absent.

[Owen]

51 minutes ago, WinterMute said:

 

I remove all the UAD2 plug-ins not in my library and put them in an folder marked "unused plug-ins" saves you scrolling through a list of plug-ins you don't have access to.

 

Only needs doing every time they release an update... 🤣

Thanks. I am about to upgrade to a new machine and will be methodical.