Im wondering if i should choose not to install the vst plugins when they have a vst3 version, it seems to just create cluster, is there any point in this? And if not shold i simple remove the VST versions of anything that i have in VST3 from the respective folder? Thanks
No need to install them at all. Unless you have some ancient software that you still use which can’t use VST3 - delete away.
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Thank you! I dont suppose you have any smart ideas for quickly deleting all the vst2 ones that exist sas vst 3 lol… if you do let me know otherwise ill go one by one 
I started trying to do this, thinking the same (avoid clutter), but for example the NI installers (and many others) just reinstall all versions every time there’s an update, so I gave up. Cubase won’t load the VST2 if there’s a VST3 version available anyway, and if some do slip through, then you can tell Cubase to ignore it.
One reason to not delete the VST2 versions is if you want to use some of them in other hosts that have not yet adopted VST3 (Vegas for example).
oh damn are you serious im literally here going through them one by one lol. sheesh. Vst2 and 3 both load on my end
Hi,
If Cubase finds VST2 and VST3 version of the same plug-in, Cubase blocklist the VST2 plug-in anyway.
There some like Rob Papen synth where all the data is stored with the VST2 and the VST3 seems to be a wrapper. You will notice if there is a massive difference in size between the VST3 and VST2 then you might need both. What I did was move the VST2 to a new folder and then try opening Cubase and checking the VST3 still worked.
I guess you could move the VST2s to a new folder and if everything is fine with the VST3s over 3 or 4 months then delete the VST2s. That gives you enough time to be sure you have tested your VST3s. Or maybe keep them on a USB drive just in case.
On windows file explorer, at the upper right corner where it says “search this pc”, search for *.vst, then select all the vst files (not the folders except if you want to) and delete them.
I use “MasterSeeker” instead of windows search, is ultra fast.
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This is not always true Martin, I have many plugins installed as both VST2 and VST3 and can use them both.
Some plugins that haven’t been updated yet are still VST2, and they run fine. Cubase only blocks 32 bit plugins. I don’t think Steinberg will cut out the VST2 compatibility from one day to another… It is only the VST2 support and development that have been dropped, so when plugin manufacturers release new products or update them, they will be forced to use VST3.
Any existing VST2 plugins will continue to run like they used to.
@Louis_R @Martin.Jirsak That mechanism of Cubase/Nuendo beeing able to identy a VST2 and a VST3 plugin to be “the same plugin” only works, if the plugin IDs have been assigned in a certain way by the developer. In that case Cubase/Nuendo will basically hide the VST2 version.
If that ID assignment has not been done the way it is intended, the corresponding VST2 and VST3 plugins will be seen as different plugins and the user might want to disable them himself in the Plugin Manager.
Cheers.
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Well let’s be clearer on that topic.
If you are on C12 they have already stopped VST2 from being used if your running on an M1 Mac in native mode. All Intel, VST2 and 32 bit plugins are blocks on those models. Not just if there is a VST3 alternative but ALL VST2s are blocked. When I first opened C12 in native mode most of my plugins were unavailable but since then most are now VST3 thanks to developers creating new VST3s,
So the process to stop Cubase has already started. I cannot use them on my M1 Mac without something like BlueCat Patchwork and that does not always work but some native M1 VST2s can still be used via that translation layer but it’s very hit and miss. .
As Steinberg have already stated, VST2 plugins will not be accessible in all future versions of Cubase that are released but they have not said exactly if C13 will be the last version that can use VST2 or if C13 will be the first version that blocks them on Intel machines like they already are on M1 native.
The process has started and Cubase will stop using VST2 for all users in the next 18 months.
I guess what we can say is by C14 there will be no VST2 for everyone but it might be at C13.
I am trying to remove and not install further VST2 plugins if I have a VST3 option. Unfortunately there are times I have noticed the VST3 is a wrapper for the VST2 so you have to keep both which us a shame.
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If you have a Mac then here is a cool app that shows you what plugins you have and what type they are and if they are intel or native:
Hi,
Then the VST2 and VST3 plug-ins have different ID, so it’s another plug-in from Cubase point of view.
@MixMike @Martin.Jirsak Ok I see, iZotope installs all formats but I can only use VST3.
@RTT1 Thanks for clarifying ! I’m a Windows user so this does not impact me for now, I feel bad for Mac M1 users 
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No worries chap
It was quite a shock when C12 came out and I ran it in M1 mode and I had hardly any plugins lol.
Now it is looking much healthier, still waiting on a few like Soundtoys but it’s much better.
By the time Cubase switches over for everyone they will have lots of plugins converted to VST3. I think the M1 users felt the pain but everyone else should be good.
im not notiing a lot of the mono versions of plugins are in VST2