Missing VST2 Installation Directory Option in Native Access

0noou0

I can no longer find the option within the Preferences/File Management settings to define a custom installation directory for VST2 .dll files.

Since Native Access no longer allows me to specify this, the VST2 files are being installed to a non standard location (C:\Program Files\Native Instruments\VSTPlugins 64 bit). This forces me to manually move every single VST2 .dll file after every installation or update, which is highly inefficient.

While I understand the industry is moving towards VST3, many older projects and some third-party hosts still rely on VST2 paths.

My Questions:

1. Is the removal of the VST2 custom directory option intentional?
2. If so, are there any plans to reintroduce this feature, or is there a registry hack/workaround to set a global VST2 path for Native Access installs?

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/48455/missing-vst2-installation-directory-option-in-native-access

"Is the removal of the VST2 custom directory option intentional?"

Yes - VST2 was retired in 2022 by Steinberg and most DAW vendors barely support it now without specific tweaks or workarounds. For all intents and purpose - it is now fully deprecated.

Native Access (here in 2025) installs almost zero VST2's now. One exception I am aware of in my install is Absynth. And possibly some other legacy products that you may have in your NI account - but Native Access removed the VST2 directory placement about 6 months ago.

Anything remaining VST2 files that you see on your drive in those non-standard folders with relation to Native Access is most likely old outdated placements from months (or possibly years) ago. You will not see any VST2 being installed now with a clean install of Native Access.

The way forward now is VST3. You should be migrating away from VST2 as fast as possible.

"Are there any plans to reintroduce this feature, or is there a registry hack/workaround to set a global VST2 path for Native Access installs"

There is no way to set a VST2 path now within NA itself - short of installing some super old version from a year ago - that will simply get overwritten by the latest version as soon as you start it up.

And since VST2's are no longer present for %99.99% of the products installed in NA now - even if you could somehow set a directory - there would be nothing in it.

But as @mykejb notes - you should still be able to "point" your daw to a VST2 stash if you really need to.

VP