System Requirements
- OS: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.
- CPU: Apple Silicon or Intel — every plugin is a Universal binary.
- Formats: VST3, Audio Unit (AU), and Standalone. Use whichever your DAW supports.
- DAW: any host that loads AU or VST3 (Logic, GarageBand, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase, FL Studio, Pro Tools via AAX is not currently supported).
- Internet: needed once to activate. After that, plugins run fully offline.
1 · Download & Install
- Download the ShamROCK Audio Installer & License Manager from shamrockaudio.com.
- Open the installer app. It detects which ShamROCK plugins you own and installs the AU + VST3 (and Standalone) components into the standard macOS plugin folders.
- Rescan plugins in your DAW if it doesn't pick them up automatically.
Installed locations: AU → ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/, VST3 → ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/.
2 · Authorize
Your license key arrives by email after purchase. To activate:
- Open the License Manager and paste your license key.
- Click Authorize. This activates a seat for this Mac and checks out a signed license file.
- The plugins you're entitled to show as Authorized. Load them in your DAW — done.
A single bundle / suite key authorizes every plugin it entitles in one step; per-plugin keys authorize just that plugin.
Manage Seats & Move Machines
Each license includes three seats (three machines active at once). To move your license to another Mac:
- On the machine you're leaving, open the License Manager and click Deauthorize. This frees the seat.
- On the new machine, install and Authorize with the same key.
“Seat limit reached”? You already have three active machines. Deauthorize one you no longer use, then authorize the new one.
Offline Use
After the one-time online activation, the License Manager stores a cryptographically signed license file locally. Every launch verifies it offline — no internet needed to make music. The offline file refreshes automatically the next time you're online; if your machine stays offline past the refresh window, just reconnect once and reopen the License Manager.
Demo Mode
Without a license, plugins run in demo mode: fully functional, but the audio mutes briefly on a periodic basis so you can evaluate the real plugin in your own sessions. Authorize a license to remove the limitation instantly — no reinstall required.
Updates
Updates are free for life. The License Manager checks for new builds and shows an Update available badge for the plugins your license entitles. Click to install — each download is integrity-checked before anything is written, and nothing installs without your click.
Uninstall
- Remove a plugin: use the License Manager's uninstall action, or delete the
.component/.vst3from the plugin folders above. - Free the seat first if you're moving the license — click Deauthorize before removing.
Troubleshooting
The plugin doesn't appear in my DAW
Rescan/validate plugins in your DAW's plugin manager. In Logic, the AU goes through validation on first launch — quit and reopen if it's still scanning.
macOS blocks the installer or plugin (“unidentified developer”)
Make sure you downloaded from shamrockaudio.com. Released builds are signed and notarized; if Gatekeeper still warns, right-click the app and choose Open, or allow it under System Settings → Privacy & Security.
I authorized but the plugin still demo-mutes
Confirm the License Manager shows the plugin as Authorized on this Mac, then fully quit and reopen your DAW so the plugin reloads its license. If it persists, contact support with your license key.
“Seat limit reached”
Deauthorize a machine you no longer use (see Manage Seats).
Get Support
Still stuck? Email support@shamrockaudio.com with your license key and DAW/OS version and we'll sort it out.
← Back to shamrockaudio.com