How to install plug-ins

Step 1: Quit Sibelius

Before you install a plug-in, you need to quit Sibelius. (New plug-ins are only recognized by Sibelius when you restart the program.)

Step 2: Download and unzip

• Choose the plug-in you want to download, and click the link to download it.
• If prompted to choose where you want to save the plug-in, save it to your Desktop.
• Plug-ins are downloaded as .zip archives. If your web browser doesn't automatically unzip the archive after it has finished downloading it, double-click the downloaded file to uncompress it. (If you can't unzip the file, download 7-Zip for Windows or ZipIt! for Mac, or another utility that can handle .zip files.)
• You should now see one (or more, but usually one) file on your Desktop called, e.g. RespellFlatsAsSharps.plg. This is the plug-in itself.

Step 3: Install

The precise location for installing a plug-in varies depending on the version of Sibelius you are using.

• Windows:
  • Sibelius 7.x:
    • Open a My Computer or Windows Explorer window and choose Tools > Folder Options
    • Choose the View tab and make sure Show hidden files and folders is switched on, then click OK.
    • Navigate to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\
  • Sibelius 4.x, 5.x, 6.x:
    • Open a My Computer or Windows Explorer window and choose Tools > Folder Options
    • Choose the View tab and make sure Show hidden files and folders is switched on, then click OK.
    • The next step depends on the version of Windows you're using:
      • On Windows Vista: Navigate to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\
      • On Windows XP/2000: Navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data.
      • On Windows 98/Me: Navigate to C:\Windows\Application Data or C:\Windows\Profiles\Application Data, as appropriate.
  • Sibelius 2.x and 3.x:
    • Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to navigate to the folder in which Sibelius is installed, normally C:\Program Files\Sibelius Software\Sibelius 2 or Sibelius 3
    • Inside this folder you will see a folder called Plugins. Double-click this folder to view its contents.
    • You will see a number of folders called e.g. Accidentals, Composing Tools, Text, etc. These folders correspond to the sub-menus of the Plug-ins menu in Sibelius itself.
    • Double-click the most appropriate folder for the plug-in you wish to install, or make a new folder if you like.
    • Copy the plug-in you downloaded into your chosen folder.
  • Sibelius 1.x:
    • Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to navigate to the folder in which Sibelius is installed, normally C:\Program Files\Sibelius Software\Sibelius
    • Inside this folder you will see a folder called Plugins. Double-click this folder to view its contents.
    • Copy the plug-in you downloaded into this folder.
  • If there is a folder called Avid (Sibelius 7.x) or Sibelius Software (Sibelius 6 or earlier) in this location, double-click it to go inside it; if not, create one (choose File > New > New Folder), then go inside it.
  • You should see a folder called Sibelius 7, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 5 or Sibelius 4: if so, double-click it to go inside it; if not, create one, then go inside it.
  • If there is a folder called Plugins in this folder, double-click it to go inside it; if not, create one, then go inside it.
  • Now create a folder to install your new plug-in into. If you want the plug-in to appear in one of the existing sub-menus in the Plug-ins menu in Sibelius, be sure to create a folder with the exact same name as the sub-menu itself. Otherwise, create a folder called anything you like: this will appear as a new sub-menu in Sibelius when you next run it.
  • Copy the plug-in you downloaded into your chosen folder.

Step 4: Restart Sibelius

To use your new plug-in, simply restart Sibelius, and choose it from the Plug-ins gallery on the appropriate tab of the ribbon (Sibelius 7), or from the Plug-ins menu (Sibelius 6 or earlier).