# Does plugin directory affect speed of VSTs?



## PWRZ (Nov 18, 2021)

Hello everyone - quick question: When installing a plugin on a different drive than your DAW and/or VST folder (assuming both are SSD drives) can that in any way affect the speed/performance of the plugin when using it in the daw?


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## Sid Francis (Nov 18, 2021)

short answer: no. I have all my plugins on my recording drive where only the projects are filed and it has no effects at all, at least for me.


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## Crowe (Nov 18, 2021)

Slightly longer: No, but make sure folders are excluded from any antivirus software otherwise it may start taking longer for your DAW to scan said folders.


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## d.healey (Nov 19, 2021)

If we're taking about virtual instruments then the drive you install the samples on can make a difference.


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## Crowe (Nov 19, 2021)

Right. I was thinking plugins.

If whatever it is you're loading is over ~100 mb, you may start noticing shorter load-times from SSDs, with SSD's being obviously more useful for very large 'plugins'. I suppose you'll mostly run into this with large Sample Libraries or plugins that otherwise depend on samples. But then, it's mostly the *sample folder* that should be on an SSD.


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## Pier (Nov 19, 2021)

Other than samples or maybe launch time, it shouldn't make any difference. Plugins are loaded to the ram and execute from there.


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## PWRZ (Nov 20, 2021)

Thanks for the insight everyone!


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