How to reinstall Plugin Alliance plugins on a new computer.
Plugin Alliance libraries can contain dozens or hundreds of products from Brainworx, SPL, Lindell, Shadow Hills, and other brands. The fastest rebuild is a documented inventory followed by a focused Installation Manager install and clean reactivation.
Fix the whole setup—not just one plugin file.
A dependable result accounts for software, formats, versions, licenses, presets, supporting files, and the sessions that depend on them.
Use Installation Manager
Install a complete subscription or a selected group of products without hunting for every individual installer.
Manage device activations
Deactivate unused computers from your account when you need to free an activation for the new machine.
Avoid installing everything
Use the old inventory to reinstall the plugins your sessions actually depend on.
Before reinstalling Plugin Alliance plugins
Plugin Alliance accounts often include free products, perpetual purchases, expired subscriptions, and products obtained through bundles. Your account library may therefore be much larger than the set installed on the old studio computer.
- Scan the old machine with FX Recall and export or sync the inventory.
- Open important projects and record any legacy Brainworx or PA plugin names.
- Log in to Plugin Alliance and review the Products and Devices pages.
- Back up user presets and DAW-specific preset wrappers.
Install products with Plugin Alliance Installation Manager
Download Installation Manager
Install the current Plugin Alliance Installation Manager and sign in with the account that owns the products.
Select products or bundles
Choose individual plugins, a subscription bundle, or another defined collection based on the inventory from your old computer.
Choose plugin formats
Install only the formats required by your DAWs and sessions. Keeping VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX selections intentional helps prevent duplicates.
Install and rescan
Close your DAWs while the install runs. Reopen the host afterward and perform a plugin rescan when needed.
Individual installers are also available from the Products area for users who prefer a product-by-product rebuild.
Activate Plugin Alliance plugins on the new computer
After installation, open a Plugin Alliance plugin in your DAW and follow the activation prompt. Online activation is the simplest option when the computer has internet access.
- Sign in with the same Plugin Alliance account used for the purchases or subscription.
- Choose the option to activate your eligible plugins on the current device.
- If you have no activation available, open the account’s Devices page and deactivate a machine you no longer use.
- For offline or portable workflows, consult Plugin Alliance’s current USB and offline activation instructions.
Presets, versions, and discontinued products
Installation Manager restores factory content, but custom presets and older products can require manual attention. Preserve any DAW presets, exported settings, and project templates that rely on specific plugin versions.
- Keep notes about old product names that have since been replaced or renamed.
- Install exact legacy versions when an old session cannot resolve a current edition.
- Verify presets inside representative sessions rather than assuming the presence of the plugin is enough.
For a complete migration sequence, follow the ultimate guide to moving audio plugins.
Plugin Alliance plugins missing after reinstall
The plugin does not appear in the DAW
Confirm the correct format was installed, verify the DAW’s scan paths, and run a full rescan. Standard locations are listed in the plugin install locations guide.
The plugin opens but is not authorized
Run the activation flow from inside the plugin. If the account reports no available device slot, deactivate an obsolete computer from the Devices page.
Only some products appear in Installation Manager
Confirm that you are signed into the correct account and review whether the missing product belongs to a different account, expired subscription, or legacy installer.
The computer is counted twice
Review the Devices page and remove stale registrations, then reactivate from the new installation.
Official resources
Related FX Recall guides
Frequently asked questions
How do I move Plugin Alliance plugins to a new computer?
Install them with Installation Manager or individual installers, then activate the eligible licenses on the new device.
Do I have to deactivate my old computer?
Only when you need to free an activation slot or no longer use that registration. The Devices page lets you manage old machines.
Can I install only selected Plugin Alliance plugins?
Yes. Installation Manager supports selected products, which is usually better than installing an entire account library.
Does FX Recall activate Plugin Alliance plugins?
No. It documents and tracks the plugin inventory. Plugin Alliance handles installation and activation.
Do not rebuild your plugin library from memory.
Scan your old computer with FX Recall, save a cloud-synced inventory, and track what still needs to be installed on the new machine.