Cubase 14 is buggy as hell. Jesus, Steinberg. Why?
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Ok. Iāve found a solution to this, although Iām hoping its a temp one! I just downloaded the (Mac) upgrade to Cubase 14 Pro from 13 Pro. Opened a 13 Pro session, and it wouldnāt load the version of some Slate plugins that were fine in the 13 Pro session. The plugins were visible and would load if I opened them as a new insert. I guess the version Iād loaded in the 13 Pro session were VST2??
My solution was to go to the Applications folder, right-click on the Cubase 14 Pro icon and select the āOpen Using Rosettaā option. Worked fine after that! Hope that helps! 
Same issue for me.
Apparently, in Windows thereās a default location for VST3 plugins, set in the registry at this location HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VST:
I did NOT test this, but I assume changing it and moving the file contents might fix the issue. But this is such a hacky and risky potential workaround.
Just use the symbolic link solution, people have been doing this without issue for years.
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Very good idea, thank you! 
I didnāt know Windows 10/11 supported symbolic links, I thought only Mac & Linux had them.
I just need to gather the locations of my plugins - because for some reason I know I got a few of them. Then I can create symlinks of them in the default directory. At least Iām learning something in the process.
I was able to load mine by clicking on the small āVST 2ā button at the bottom of the VST Plug-in Manager
Even for VST3? Iāll take a look.
I donāt care about the VST2 plugins.
This is exactly the thread I need. BUT ā everyone got caught up here on the assumption the problem was between VST 3 and VST 2, which was never originally even mentioned as āthe problem.ā
My problem is that Cubase Pro 14 isnāt recognizing my UAD plugsins, which it had in the past without problems. It tells me to ālog inā on the UAD plugin but when I try to do that, nothing at all happens, only a brief flicker. So what do I do? Thatās why I thought this thread would have useful answers. And NO my problem has nothing to do with āVST 3 or VST 2.ā
Any help out here?`
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Hi Dorian,
have you downloaded the latest UAD software? There were quite a few updates recently. I run a couple of UAD cards on two systems myself plus a few native plugins from UAD. Absolutely no problems here, smooth sailing on all Cubase versions on Win10.
Which OS and UAD hardware/software do you use?
However, please download the latest software first if you havenĀ“t already done so and letĀ“s take it from there.
I had a similar issue where VST 2 plugins were showing up and working fine in CB13 but not 14 (with VST 2 plugin button enabled). I just tried something that appears to workā¦ I moved the āproblematicā VST plugins out their respective locations and re-opened CB14 so they were no longer on the blacklist and then closed the program. I also reopened CB13 and let it automatically remove the same plugins from itās database and then closed the program. I then moved the VST 2 plugs back into place and then re-opened CB13 FIRST and all the plugins re-scanned and launched without issue, and then closed the program. I THEN re-opened CB14 and THIS TIME it re-scanned all the VST 2 plugins and I received no errors (none added to blacklist and/or listed as āunknownā). The āproblematicā VST 2 plugins now load and work in CB14 without issue. Weird.
Your tab is looking at VST Effects. If you change to VST Instruments tab, you will likely see your list. Also make sure they are not in the Blocklist
You can force a rescan by deleting the VST2 plugin cache.
Windows and VST2 format:
- Close Cubase.
- Press the Windows key plus R.
- Enter āC:\Users%username%\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Cubase 14_64\ā (without the quotes), and click on OK. (Please note the ā14ā that refers to your version, there are many different folders for all the previous versions you might have installed in the past, you just need to go to your current one)
- Manually delete the Vst2xPlugin Blacklist Cubase.xml file (to delete the blacklist)
- Manually delete the Vst2xPlugin Infos Cubase.xml file (to force a complete plug-in to rescan)
- Re-open Cubase.
- Open the Plugin Management tool from the Studio menu
- Activate the āVST2ā button
- Wait some time, take a break, have a cofee, call your friends or familyā¦ apparently it is not doing anything, but it is actually scanning the VST2 folders! Youāll get some pop-up asking authorization if you have iLok plugins.
Please note that the filnames are valid for Cubase 14, older version might slightly vary, but you can easily guess them.
You should get back all your VST2 plugins.
Mac and VST2 format:
- Close Cubase.
- Using macOS Finder go to ā~/Library/Preferences/Cubase 14/ā (without the quotes).
- Manually delete the Vst2xPlugin Blacklist Cubase.xml file (to delete the blacklist).
- Manually delete the Vst2xPlugin Infos Cubase .xml file (to force a complete new plug-ins scan)
- Re-open Cubase.
- Open the Plugin Management tool from the Studio menu
- Activate the āVST2ā button
- Wait some time, take a break, have a cofee, just as described aboveā¦
Please note that I do not have a Mac to test, here. But it should work. Correct me if necessary.
Hi,
My problem is half similar, half not.
Iām a Nuendo user but I intend to go back to Cubase since actually it fits my needs better.
I have tried Cubase 14 and I like it, except some plugins disappeared. I understand they are VST2 plugins.
I went to the Plugin manager and, as proposed by many on the forum, tried to enable the VST2 button. It systematically freezes Cubase. Actually not even a real freeze, since if I go to āForce applications to quitā (Iām on Mac), Cubase seems to work perfectly. But from the moment I try to enable the VST2 button, I can not do anything in Cubase, neither closing the Plugin manager, open a project, even quitā¦ I have to force the shutdown of the software.
The other strange thing is nothing appears in the blacklist pannel.
Any help appreciated, thank you!
B.
Problem solved, there was a VST scan window which I could not see and stopped Cubase until I said Okā¦ Sorryā¦
I think a āreal worldā suggestion would be for you to prepare yourself for the full and complete discontinuation of support for any and all VST2s in Cubase beyond C14.
This is the source of much debate on the forum, but SB indicated they would stop supporting VST2 by January 2024. I think C14ās VST2 legacy support is the last you will see of it.
Any continued dependency on VST2s you impose upon yourself and your workflow will undoubtedly leave you in a rather reactionary position. My personal opinion is that you will be much better served finding replacements for whatever VST2s youāre using.
Short of that, youāll probably need to manually move your VST2 files out-and-back-in to your VST2 folder to find the culprits. Steve or Martin posted a link to a ābinary searchā solution that I didnāt understand, but that may help you.
Had the same issue. Activation of VST 2 at the bottom of the VST-Plugin Manager Window helped! Suddenly the lost effects and instruments showed up.
This is getting ridiculous. VST3 plugins are not loading. When you do the rescan and you click ok, the setting icon goes away. Had to do it a bunch of times to be able to get it to find all my VSTi and plug ins.
THIS IS EMBARRASING.