Fl Studio Could Not Save To The File

FL Studio can't find the sample data associated with the Instrument Channel/s. Channels with missing sample data are colored red to warn you of the above. This can happen because the project file has attempted to load samples that - Are from previous FL Studio edition (no longer included with the program). FL 20 Mac saving error. Next arnavsurve. 818 Views.August 7 2018. Download Report. Could not save to the file. (tilde) at the end.

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General TipsThese are tips that apply at a program-wide level, or are applicable to all of the different sections in FL Studio. Tip 1: DetachedSick of the different windows being hidden by other ones? Go up to the left corner and click on the menu Detached.

Now your window will always stay on top. (Note: You can detach all plugins by default by going to the General settings, navigating to the Misc. Section and selecting Detach all plugins.

Tip 2: Save New VersionPress Shift + Cmd (Ctrl) + S to save a new version. This is helpful to try different things without losing the original version, so experiment away and try things you might not typically do.

Tip 3: Fine AdjustmentsUse Cmd (Ctrl on Windows) to finetune any parameter when adjusting. Now you can get super precise with your controls and get the perfect mix. Tip 4: Hint PanelThe Hint Panel in the top left is a great way to see what you’re doing. Simply hover over a control or feature and it will describe it for you. If you don’t understand anything, always give that a read first.

It also tells you any shortcuts for the control you’re hovering over. Tip 5: Hint BarYou can take the previous tip one step further and activate the Hint Bar by right-clicking on the panel and selecting Hint bar. Now you have a movable transparent window which is a lot easier to see.

Tip 6: Tap TempoRight-click on the tempo to use the ‘Tap’ function. This way, you can tap the tempo in at the desired rate. Tip 7: SpectrogramChange the Oscilloscope up the top into a Spectrogram by right-clicking and selecting it. It’s a great way to see the entire range of frequencies your track is taking up, at a glance.

Tip 8: Time CounterChange the Bar counter at the top into a Minute counter by right-clicking and selecting Minute: Second: Centisecond. Great way to check the duration of your track so far. Tip 9: Time Elapsed in ProjectObserve the time spent in a particular project by pressing F11 or by navigating to the Options Menu and selecting Project Info. It can be eye-opening to see how long you’ve worked on a project sometimes. Tip 10: Master PitchChange the entire pitch of your track by changing the master pitch knob next to the master volume knob near the hint panel. Save yourself from going into every MIDI clip and adjusting the notes up or down any number of semitones.

Tip 11: Split by ChannelYou can split all the different instruments and sounds in the Channel Rack into their own patterns by clicking the pattern options and selecting Split by Channel. Tip 12: Color/IconAdd an icon and/or colour to any channel or track by right-clicking and selecting Change color or Change icon. Tip 13: BackgroundChange the background image or colour by clicking on View Background. This helps to give your workspace a fresh look when things are seeming stagnant. Tip 14: ZoomRight-click and drag up/down on the scrollbar to zoom in/out any of the windows.

Simple but helpful. Tip 15: Metronome SoundRight-click on the Metronome to customise the metronome sound. You can choose between a hi-hat, a tick (default), a beep and a cowbell. Tip 16: Plugin PickerPress F8 to bring up the plugin picker.

This is a great way to visualise what plugins you have and makes it easy to select what you want to use. Tip 17: Function ButtonsSpeaking of the F buttons, F5 brings up the Playlist, F6 brings up the Channel Rack/Step Sequencer, F7 brings up the Piano Roll, F8 brings up the Browser and F9 brings up the Mixer. These shortcuts will help you access the most-used sections of FL Studio quickly. Tip 18: Automation ClipsWant to automate something? Right-click on a control anywhere in FL Studio and select Create automation clip. This will create a new automation clip in Playlist that you can adjust. Tip 19: Third-Party Automation ClipsIf you are trying to tweak a third-party plugin’s parameter, you’ll notice it doesn’t show up with the option to create a new clip when right-clicking.

In this case, adjust the parameter and navigate to the main menu and select Tools Last Tweaked Create automation clip. This gets around the lack of functionality. Tip 20: Computer Keyboard MIDIWish you had a MIDI keyboard?

Press Cmd + T and you can use the computer keyboard to jam notes over two octaves.Z is C4, Q is C5. Tip 21: Quick RenameShift-click to rename anything, whether it’s a mixer track, playlist track or channel.

No more right-clicking. Tip 22: Lock ActiveWhen you solo something, everything gets muted. But what if there is something you want to remain on all the time, even when soloing something else? Shift-click on the green LED of any track to lock it.

Now it will remain on until you manually disable it. Tip 23: Stop SoundNothing’s worse than stopping your track playing and having a giant reverb tail follow it. To stop such occurrences, press Cmd (Ctrl) + H, and all the audio will stop. Tip 24: Realign Windows The default window position in FL Studio (apparently)A quick Shift + Cmd (Ctrl) + H will arrange your windows back to the default position. This is great to clean up any mess you may have. Tip 25: Song PositionIf you want to quickly jump around you arrangement or pattern (depending on the playback mode), then use the song position slider in the top toolbar.

Great for scanning through what you’re listening to. Tip 26: Auto ScrollingIf you want the playhead to follow along with the song or pattern, click that arrow in the toolbar at the top to enable Auto Scrolling. Now the display with follow wherever the playhead goes. Tip 27: Zipped Loop PackageEver worked on a collab with your producer friends, but have experienced the insufferable headache of lost files?What if I told you that you can send everything that you need in one folder? Head up to the main menu and press File Export Zipped Loop Package. Any files that aren’t included with FL, will now be included in a nice.zip file to send.Note that this won’t save plugin instances – they will need to download or buy them separately.Recommended: Browser Tips. FL Studio’s Browser is extremely powerful.

Here are a few pointers to speed up your workflow and encourage new ideas. Tip 28: Expand/Collapse AllRight-click on the browser to expand all the folders or collapse all if there are some open. This can help to explore or clean up the browser. Tip 29: Arrow KeysUse the up and down arrow keys to navigate through sounds.

Use the right arrow key to play the currently-selected sound back. Tip 30: Import MethodsRight click on an audio file to open it straight into a Slicex, Fruity Granulizer, Sampler or Fruity Slicer. Clicking and dragging will create a sampler. Tip 31: Browser SnapshotsPress a number from 1-9 to select a snapshot of the browser. Press the currently selected number again to save the current state of the browser to that snapshot. This allows for faster navigation of commonly-used areas in the browser.

Tip 32: SearchPress Cmd (Ctrl) + F to find a file in the browser. No more navigating for VEC Kick 005. Tip 33: Hide BrowserHide the browser by dragging the right side of the window all the way to the left.

Pull it back out to the right to show it again. Tip 34: Browser DockingThe browser can be moved around easily by clicking and dragging. In doing so, it will snap to the side of the screen you prefer it on.

Tip 35: Pattern/SongUse L to quickly switch between Pattern and Song playback modes. Another one you’ll be using a lot in the future.

Tip 36: Undo HistoryNavigate to Current Project History to see all of the actions performed in the project. Click on a previous one to automatically undo all actions between them. Tip 37: Autosaved BackupsLast tip didn’t do the trick? Want to move back to a much older version of your track but forgot to save? Simply press Backup and select the relevant autosave of your project. All the mixing mistakes your made are suddenly gone. Tip 38: Add New FoldersIf you want to add some new sounds and samples in, you’ll want to navigate to the Options File Settings menu.

Here you can add new folders in the folder list, and they will subsequently show in the browser. Tip 39: Add To Channel While BrowsingSimply hold shift to add the sample to the selected track in the Channel Rack while browsing. This functions like a ‘hot swap’ function and allows you to audition different samples in place of another.

Tip 40: ScoresYou can add pre-set MIDI clips from the browser to any instrument on the Channel rack. They are under the ‘Scores’ folder, but you can also use third-party MIDI clips from online, or ones you have exported. Tip 41: Plugin, Channel and Mixer PresetsAnother greatly-utilitarian resource in FL’s browser is the aforementioned presets. There are 3 respective folders towards the top, each with some great default options to play around with. Channel Rack TipsFor a lot of producers, most creative work happens in the Channel Rack.

It’s the cornerstone of FL Studio. So here are some useful tricks you can use in your next production session. Tip 42: Purge Unused Audio ClipsGot some unused audio clips you removed from the arrangement?

Click Tools Macros Purge unused audio clips. This will automatically delete all clips from the channel rack that weren’t being used and will clear up space.

Tip 43: Fill StepsRight click on a channel and select Fill each 2, 4 or 8 steps to automatically fill those rhythmic intervals without clicking and moving the mouse. Tip 44: Zip/Unzip a ChannelPress Alt + Z to zip a channel. This hides it so the name isn’t shown.

To unzip channels, press Alt + U. Tip 45: Cut ItselfIf you want notes to stop playing when another note is playing in the step sequencer, right click on the channel and select ‘Cut itself’. This can help to clean up sounds that might be overlapping and creating mud in your tracks. Tip 46: Save Channel StateSave a channel’s state, whether a native or third-party plugin, by navigating to the menu in the top left of the window and selecting ‘Save channel state as’. This saves presets for your instruments and effects right within FL Studio, and puts them in the browser. Tip 47: ReverseIn the sampler, you can reverse sounds by navigating to the Precomputed effects section and by enabling Reverse. This can achieve some interesting sounds depending on the source material.

Tip 48: Time StretchingAlso in the sampler, you can experiment with time stretching by adjusting the mode, pitch shift and time stretch controls. This is a creative way to mangle audio right within the sampler instead of loading up an Edison instance.

Tip 49: Graph EditorUse the Graph Editor by clicking on the graph icon in the top right of the Channel Rack. Here you can adjust velocity, pitch, pan, note values and much more right from the step sequencer – without having to open the Piano Roll. Tip 50: Main SwingYou can easily add an amount of swing to your patterns by dialing in the swing knob. This adds more of a groovy feel to the rhythm and works great in genres like house, garage and hip-hop. Tip 51: Reorder ChannelsUse Alt + Up/Down to move the selected channel up or down in the order. A good use of this is to move less important elements to the bottom if they are taking up space.

Tip 52: Lock to KeyboardSometimes you just want a particular sound to be always playable on your keyboard, regardless of what is selected. Maybe a piano to check the key of things, or simply to jam over the top of something.Regardless, you can lock a certain channel to the keyboard by right clicking and selecting Recieve notes from Typing keyboard.

The computer keyboard will always play that track, until you go back to the menu and select unlock. Tip 53: Sampler EnvelopesI’ll be honest, I learned this tip way too late.When you load up a sample into a sampler channel, up the top there is an envelope icon. Here, you can activate the envelope for a variety of parameters: Volume, Panning, Pitch and Filter/Mod. Tip 54: Next/Previous PatternWant to move between patterns using just the keyboard.

Simply press Shift + Cmd (Ctrl) + Up/Down to navigate between them. If there is no next pattern, it will create a new one automatically. Tip 55: Quick RenderIf you’ve got a pattern, and you just want to whole thing to be bounced to an audio file, head up to the main menu and click Patterns Quick render as audio file. This will bounce it into the Audio section of the Channel rack, and you can paste it straight into the Playlist.

Reel people second guess rare. Tip 56: Fruity DanceIf you need a bit of entertainment in the studio, load up a Fruity Dance and you’ll see a little avatar dance to your music as you create it. Yeah, it doesn’t directly help you make music, but who cares, right? Tip 57: Using LayerIf you want to trigger multiple sounds from the same pattern, load up a Layer instrument.Once you’ve done that, select the two channels you want to layer and hit Set children.

Now any notes you add to that track will trigger both instruments. Tip 58: Fruity GranulizerI’m gonna mention Granulizer because it’s just awesome. You can get some really unique sounds from this thing, no matter what genre you make.

Just load up an audio sample, tweak away and listen to the results. You’ll see what I mean.Piano Roll TipsAs part of the Channel Rack, the Piano Roll is a very important tool.

It’s where chords are crafted, and where melodies are invented. It could be where you write the hook for your next big track – who knows?So it’s important you know what you’re doing here, so you don’t get caught up and lose any good ideas. Here are some tips to help you understand it more. Tip 59: Riff MachineStuck for creative ideas? Press Alt + E to generate cool rhythmic patterns and new chord progressions using the Riff Machine. This is pretty unique features that most other DAWs don’t have, and it gives you another option for working with chords and melodies in a generative way.

Tip 60: RandomizeIn the same menu is the Randomize feature which generates melodies – quick and dirty. Tip 61: Grid Color Not sure about that green, but maybe you are?Don’t like that bland, grey grid color? You can select any colour by going to the Piano Roll menu, selecting View Grid Colour or by pressing Cmd (Ctrl) + Alt + G. Now your grid can be blue, purple or any color.

Tip 62: Playback ToolIf you want to hear what notes are going on at any given time, use the Playback tool by selecting the Speaker/Pause icon or by pressing ‘Y’. You’ll be able to scrub through your MIDI and hear what notes are happening when. Tip 63: Note ScalingIf you select all the notes using Cmd (Ctrl) + A, a scroll icon will appear to the right of the selected notes. Move this around to stretch the timing of notes. By offsetting the timing in a poorly-warped sort of way, you can add a unique human feel to your sounds. Tip 64: StampsThe Stamp list in the menu is a great way to quickly drag in full chords without having to tediously draw in every note each time.

They’re all listed there – major, minor, add6, sus2 and 4 etc. Massive time saver. Tip 65: Quick DeleteIf you have the Draw tool selected, you can delete notes by right-clicking on them – without having to select the Delete tool. Tip 66: Auto SmoothingAdded some modulation to your pattern in the Piano Roll, but the automation lines are all jagged? Enable Auto Smoothing in the Piano Roll menu and your automation will become smooth and curvy, rather than blocky. Tip 67: Note Fine AdjustmentSimply hold Shift + Scroll to move the note in line with the mouse cursor, left or right. Doing so can achieve a custom swing or human feel to the notes.

Tip 68: Scale HighlightingNot the best with music theory and songwriting? Use the scale highlighting in the menu.

Click Helpers Scale Highlighting and choose the root note and the scale type. The background will light up the notes in that scale. Usually Major or Minor Natural (Aeolian) are best for most music. Tip 69: Octave JumpSometimes the notes you’ve played or drawn in just don’t sound good in that range and you need to change them. With notes selected, press Cmd (Ctrl) + Up/Down to move the notes a whole octave up or down.

Tip 70: Rotate NotesIf you’ve got some notes looped in the Channel Rack, and want to offset them all but want them to wrap around the loop, select the notes and press Shift + Cmd (Ctrl) + Left/Right. This will move the notes, but they will appear at the start of the pattern once they pass the end.You can also do this direct in the Channel rack by selecting that channel. Tip 71: Import/Export MIDIIf you want to save some MIDI you’ve written, you can hit the menu and go File Export as MIDI file, or Import MIDI file if you want to load one up. As mentioned earlier, you can also drag it in from the Browser. Tip 72: Discard LengthsWith any note(s) selected, press Shift + D to truncate their lengths to the grid size.

Tip 73: Note PropertiesOne thing I love about FL Studio is how technical you can really get. If you want to see the specific properties of each note, double click on it and it will bring up a window with all the controls on it, including length, colour, velocity and much more. Tip 74: Dump Score LogJammed some sick riffs but forgot what you played? Then simply head up to the main menu and press Tools Dump score log and choose from either the last 2, 5, 10, 20 or 30 minutes. It will place it right into the selected channel.

Playlist TipsBringing your sounds and patterns into the context of a full track. That’s where things go from an idea to a proper tune.So here are some useful tips you can start making full songs, faster and more effectively. Tip 75: MarkersPress Alt + T in order to add a marker to the arrangement. You can set a name for it and drag it to the desired location.

This can help denote certain sections of your track and help structure things. Tip 76: Marker ActionsYou can take the previous tip further by right-clicking on the marker and applying an action to it, such as a time signature change, a song start point or a loop/record point. Tip 77: Slip ToolIf you want to add some timing differences to your patterns, turn on the Slip tool by pressing S or by holding Shift. Then, drag across a pattern to move its contents left or right. Tip 78: LoopingDouble click and drag in the timeline ruler up the top to select a segment of time to loop. When pressing Play next, it will loop just the selected section. Double click elsewhere to cancel the loop.

Tip 79: Select All Similar ClipsYou can select all instances of a pattern in the Playlist by selecting the little piano icon of the pattern in the top left and selecting Select all similar clips. Now you’re free to do with them what you want, all at the same time.

Tip 80: Make UniqueMake unique creates a new version of an existing clip in the arrangement. Once again, click on the piano icon in the top left of the clip and select Make unique. Now you’ll have a new version that you can, well, make unique.

Tip 81: Merge PatternsYou can quickly merge the patterns on a playlist track into a new playlist by right-clicking on the track and selecting Merge pattern clips. Now you have a new clip you can further edit in the Channel rack. Tip 82: Direct Instrument InsertionYou can add a new instrument directly into the arrangement by right-clicking on the track and selecting Track mode Instrument Track and adding a new instrument. Tip 83: PickerIf you see to the left of the arrangement, there is a list of the patterns that you can drag in. This is a great way to visualise the patterns and add them intuitively.You can switch between patterns, automation and audio clips by navigating the icons above the Picker. You can also toggle the whole Picker on and off by pressing Alt + P. Tip 84: Track ResizingA simple but effective tip – drag the lines between the tracks to resize each one.

Hide the less important ones, emphasize the main ones. Tip 85: ChopIf you have drums or transient-heavy material in an audio clip, clicking on the top left and selecting Chop will bring up a variety of options to slice the material into different segments.The different functions perform differently depending on the material, so play around. It’s especially good in genres like drum and bass and breaks, where chopping loops is integral to the sound. Mixer TipsMixing – the final stage of all good productions. Because it helps to make or break a track, you need to know how to use this thing.Here are some of my favourite tips for it.

Tip 86: Linking a ChannelGot a channel selected and want to link it to a mixer channel? Press Cmd (Ctrl) + L to link it to the selected mixer channel instantly, naming it accordingly. Tip 87: Bulk NavigationPress Down on your keyboard to navigate through 4 channels at a time on the mixer.

Just to speed things up. Tip 88: WaveformsWant to see waveforms for each track rather than the levels? Press Alt + W on your keyboard, or select it from the Mixer menu under View Waveforms. You can also select this at the top of the Mixer – there’s a little waveform icon. Tip 89: Mixer Layout OptionsDid you know that there are 8 options for the mixer layout?

To see them all, select the Mixer layout option at the top of the Mixer (where it says ‘Wide) and experiment with the options – see what works best for you. Tip 90: Built-in EQ. This one is often an overlooked feature of FL Studio’s mixer. Under the FX inserts for each track, there is a three-band EQ for basic adjustments. This is a great tool for on the fly adjustments and low-CPU tweaking. Tip 91: Docking TracksYou can dock important tracks in the Mixer to the left or right by right-clicking on the track in question and selecting Dock to Left/Right.

Great way to visualise what’s important. Tip 92: SeparatorsOn the theme of better visualisation, if you want to add separators between tracks to visualise certain groups, you can right-click on a track and select Separator. Now a thick bar helps to indicate which tracks are related to each other (e.g. Drums, synths or FX). Tip 93: Arranging Mixer TracksUse Alt + Left/Right to move mixer tracks around.

Tip 94: Quick Edison LoadingTo swiftly add Edison to any track, right-click and choose either Open audio editor or Open audio logger. The former opens a default Edison, the latter opens one that starts recording straight away. Tip 95: Fruity Peak ControllerThe Peak Controller is a favourite of many FL veterans. You can map it to the volume of a mixer track and use it to sidechain other elements.If you want a full tutorial on it, check out. Tip 96: Gross BeatOn the theme of sidechain and volume adjustments, Gross Beat is an excellent tool. You can use it to modulate both the volume and pitch (time) over a certain time frame, like 1 bar.Once again, it requires a full tutorial to explain, so check out.

Tip 97: Use Soundgoodizer. Look, I’ll probably cop some hate for this one. But sometimes, it’s exactly what you need.

As I mentioned in my, it can be a great tool.If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s a plugin included with FL Studio that applies some multiband compression presets to a sound to help it sound ‘fuller’. Simply load it into a free FX slot, choose from the 4 options, and crank the knob. Tip 98: Mix LevelIf you have an effect loaded into any slot on the channel, you’ll notice a knob next to the name. This knob acts as a dry/wet control for the particular plugin, allowing you to blend the original (previous) signal with the processed one.Be warned that depending on the plugin, adjusting this knob can actually introduce phase issues, so make sure to listen before using and setting it. Tip 99: Signal FlowBeyond FL Studio, Signal Flow is an important topic in music production in general, and it is often overlooked by beginners.Signal Flow refers to the order of processing devices on a sound. So in FL Studio’s case, it refers to the order of the FX slots.Thankfully, Image-Line have made it easy to reorder FX. Simply hover and scroll over the FX slot and it will move up and down.

It’s the easy. The Final TipI bet you’re wondering what we saved for #100. Well, here it is. Tip 100: Nail The BasicsAll of the above tips are great, but you might be wondering how they fit into the overall picture of music production.But to be honest, they won’t help you make good music if you haven’t nailed the basics. How would you do that?By following a structured guide.That’s why Sam has put out a FREE video training for producers to master the fundamentals in less than a month.

INSTALLING PLUGINS

This page provides step by step instruction on installing VST/AU instruments and effects. The following topics are covered:

How to install VST / AU plugins - Instruments & effects.
32 vs 64 Bit VST plugins - Some 'tech' information you should know.
Audio Unit (AU) - macOS only plugins.
VST/AU folders - More detail about where VST/AU plugins may be located.

Watch tutorial videos here

Plugin Types Supported

Virtual Studio Technology (VST) Plugins

VST is a software interface standard that allows you to load VST software synthesizer and effect 'plugins' in FL Studio. VST is in addition to the FL Studio 'native' plugin format. VST plugins generally come in two types, instruments (VSTi) that are designed to make sound and effects (VST) that are designed to process sound, although some can do both. FL Studio categorizes VST instruments as 'Generators' because some also generate control or note data, rather than audio. VSTs are self-contained programs that 'plug-in' to FL Studio giving you access to a, virtually unlimited, source of new instruments and effects. VST plugins are provided in the 'dynamic link library'(*.dll) format file.

Important notes about 32 vs 64 Bit, GUI Scaling & Plugin Names

The computer music industry is in the process of changing from 32 to 64 Bit software. This has made things a little complicated, what's new :)

Plugin compatibility - Just as FL Studio is available in 32 and 64 Bit editions, VST plugins can also come in 32 or 64 Bit format. This determines how much memory the plugin can access. It has nothing to do with 'audio quality', despite what some sleazy marketing guy may have said. We STRONGLY RECOMMEND using 64 Bit plugins in FL Studio 64 Bit and 32 Bit plugins in FL Studio 32 Bit. If you load 64 Bit plugins in FL Studio 32 Bit or 32 Bit plugins in FL Studio 64 Bit, a 'bit bridge' will be used and this consumes about 2% extra CPU, per plugin. Certainly, a few bridged plugins won't normally matter, but bridging 10 or more plugins definitely will waste CPU capacity. Bridging is automatic, you don't need to do anything special to make it happen, one reason to pay attention to what plugins you are using. The Wrapper Settings Tab will show if a plugin is bridged and its Bit version. NOTE: You can install both 32 and 64 Bit versions of a plugin, if available. Many older, free VST plugins you can find online, are only available in 32 Bit.
Project compatibility - You can load projects made with FL Studio 32 Bit in FL Studio 64 Bit and vice versa. When you load a FL Studio 32 Bit project in FL Studio 64 Bit, all plugins are automatically loaded with 64 Bit versions, if the 64 Bit version exists. When loading 64 Bit projects in the FL Studio 32 Bit the reverse is also true, FL Studio will try to find 32 Bit versions of all plugins. If the bit-equivalent plugin is not available, then the bit-original plugin is loaded and bridged (see the point above).
More Bit related information - Click here to see the FL Studio 32 vs 64 Bit FAQ online.
VST GUI Scaling - High resolution monitors will shrink VST plugin interfaces. See the section on Rescaling VST Plugins to fix this. NOTE: Native plugins use a different scaling system, see here.
VST plugin names - Unless you set the File Settings > Manage plugins > Verify plugins switch, FL Studio will perform a 'fast scan'. Fast scans only identify plugins by the name of the VST's .dll file (which is the VST plugin). If the plugin name is changed, either by you or the manufacturer, FL Studio won't find it when loading projects using the plugin. The Verify plugins option gathers unique identification codes for each plugin that allows FL Studio load plugins even if the file name has been changed. In addition, the Verify plugins scan identifies plugins as Generators (Instruments) or Effects, simplifying plugin management, so we strongly recommend you use the Verify plugins setting.

Audio Units (macOS only)

Audio Units (AU) are an Apple standard tied to Core Audio and so only compatible with FL Studio for macOS. AU is Apple's equivalent to VST. As there are many similarities between the two standards, you can usually find both macOS AU and VST versions of plugins.

Some points to consider:

Sharing projects - If you are sharing projects with Windows users, you must use the VST versions of plugins. This will maximize compatibility between projects since the AU versions of plugins will not be matched with the VST equivalent. VST plugins on macOS will be matched with VST plugins on Windows.
64 Bit only - FL Studio for macOS is only compatible with 64 Bit AU and VST plugins. There is no automatic bridging as there is with VST on Windows. See here why we did not support 32 Bit on macOS.
AU vs VST - We recommend using the VST version of plugins, when available, on macOS. There are two reasons; 1. This will ensure Mac/Windows compatibility when sharing projects. AU plugins do not use the same naming conventions and so FL Studio won't be able to match a VST and AU plugin when loading projects. 2. Most 3rd party developers create VST plugins, then add an additional layer of code to provide AU compatibility. This means VST plugins may have slightly less processing overhead compared to their AU counterparts. However, you if you have problems with either format try the alternative AU or VST instead, and check the relative CPU usage also.
AU & VST locations - If your plugin's are installed to the default macOS locations, all you need to do is a 'Verify plugins' scan to access them in FL Studio.
MIDI out - AU does not support MIDI output.

How to Install VST / AU Plugins (Instruments & Effects)

Install the plugin - We strongly recommend you run the plugin's installer and use its default install location OR for VST/AU plugins without an installer, copy the files to the appropriate folder set in the Plugin Manager > Plugin search paths field. NOTE: The best manual method is always to install to one of the default plugin locations for your OS. Only use the Plugin Manager to add additional plugin install and search locations if you have a specific and valid reason.
Scan for installed plugins - After installing the plugin/s, we recommend the 'Find plugins + Verify plugins' option. This correctly sorts plugins into their Installed > Effects or Generators category. Verify scans ensure only the correct plugin types are shown at the various 'add plugin' locations in FL Studio. E.g. the Channel Rack > Menu > Add one option, Channel Rack + button and Main menu > Add option, FX slot menu etc. AND along with the 'Rescan previously verified plugins' option, ensures plugins are correctly identified after plugin updates.
Where can I find my new plugins? - Newly scanned plugins will appear under your Browser in Plugin database > Installed > Effects > New and Generators > New. Whether or not they are correctly classified as Generators or Effects will depend on whether you ran a Verify plugins (Yes) or Fast scan (No, both Generators/Instruments and Effects will be in both categories). The plugin will also be in the VST, VST3 or Audio Units sub-folder, depending on its type.
Making favorites - Add your plugins to your 'Favorites' list the Plugin Database, the Effect and Generator folders above the Installed folder. This will allow you to add the plugin to projects from the standard locations as mentioned above (see point 2 above):
1. Prepare the plugin - Configure the plugin with the default preset you prefer and any wrapper settings (e.g. Scaling options) before creating a favorite. This will ensure the plugin will always load in the preferred state.
2. To categorize a plugin (generator/effect) - This will 'favorite' it, available from the standard locations as mentioned above. Open the Browser > Plugin database > Generators or Effects to the sub-folder where you would like to add the plugin and select 'Add to plugin database (flag as favorite)' from the plugin wrapper menu (shown below).
  NOTES: 1. Alternatively you can 'favorite' plugins from a list using the Plugin manager tool OR anywhere you see the 'More plugins..' option in menus. Use this if you are not interested in creating plugin thumbnails. 2. The plugin database is a standard folder on your disk so feel free to reorganize and or create/delete categories using any file manager (right-click 'Plugin database' category in the Browser and select 'Open').
Removing plugins from the database - From the database right-click it in the Browser and select 'Delete file..' from the pop-up menu. NOTE: This does not delete the pluginfrom your disk, it only removes the database entry.
Using the plugin - Now the plugin is installed and can be used as a standard FL Studio instrument or effect.
Creating and managing 'favorite' lists - See here for creating and managing favorites. Favorite plugins will show in drop-down menus and the Plugin picker.

Plugin Default Locations

If you use the plugins default installer you should not need to worry about the information below. FL Studio will find your plugin in one of the following default locations. This information is provided for installing legacy plugins, without an installer. Choose the appropriate folder based on its VST / AU specification.

NOTE: If a plugin is not located, make sure you have selected 'Verify plugins' and 'Rescan previously verified plugins' in addition to installing the plugin to one of the default locations below. DO NOT install plugins to the FL Studio installation folder (..Image-LineFL StudioPluginsVST). This is a special folder for legacy native FL Studio plugins.

Windows

VST 1 and 2 Plugins (.dll):

The '.Program FilesCommon FilesVST2' (64 Bit plugins on a 64 Bit Windows only).
The folders set as the Extra search path in the Plugin manager (32 Bit plugins).

VST 3 Plugins (.dll):

The '.Program FilesCommon FilesVST3' & '.Program FilesVST3' folders (32 Bit plugins on 32 Bit Windows OR 64 Bit plugins on 64 Bit Windows).
The '.Program Files (x86)Common FilesVST3' & '.Program Files (x86)VST3' folders (32 Bit plugins on Win 64 Bit Windows).

macOS

VST 2 plugins (.vst):

[Macintosh HD]/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST
[Macintosh HD]/Users/Username/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST (rarely used)
NOTE: The /User/Library is hidden by default.

VST 3 Plugins (.vst3):

[Macintosh HD]/Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST and Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST3
[Macintosh HD]/Users/Username/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 (rarely used)
NOTE: The /User/Library is hidden by default.

Audio Unit Plugins (.au):

[Macintosh HD]/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/

Custom VST/AU Folders:

You can set custom VST/AU search folders from the 'Plugin manager > Plugin search paths' field. Normally this would be used for VST 1 and 2 format plugins, without a factory installer.

NOTE: If you install VST and AU plugins to their default locations, FL Studio will find them automatically!