Download and install help
AURORA and COLONY are free downloads: no account, no license key, no email. This page answers what people actually ask — which button, where the files go, what a Windows warning means, and what isn't supported yet.
Where to click
Open the plugin's page — AURORA or COLONY. The large button reads “Download for …” and is already set to the system you're on; the other systems are the smaller buttons right under it. It's a direct download: no form, no account, no email.
The download panel also lists each build's version and file size, how to install it on that system, and its SHA-256 checksum.
On a phone or tablet?
The plugins run inside a DAW on a computer, not on iOS or Android. On a phone, the download panel offers to email you the link instead, so you can open it later on your studio machine. That email is the download link and nothing else, unless you also tick the box for release news.
Install on macOS
Unzip the download, copy each file into its folder, then rescan plugins in your DAW (or restart it). In Finder, Go → Go to Folder… takes a path like the ones below; ~ is your home folder. Logic Pro and GarageBand use the AU (.component); most other DAWs use the VST3 or CLAP.
Both plugins run on macOS 11 or newer, on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. AURORA's macOS build is signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
| Plugin · format | File | Copy to |
|---|---|---|
| AURORA · VST3 | 13x Aurora.vst3 | ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 |
| AURORA · AU | 13x Aurora.component | ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components |
| AURORA · CLAP | 13x Aurora.clap | ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP |
| COLONY · VST3 | Colony.vst3 | /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 |
| COLONY · AU | Colony.component | /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components |
COLONY also comes as a standalone app, which needs no DAW.
Install on Windows
AURORA: unzip the download and double-click Install Aurora.cmd — close your DAW first and rescan after. It copies the plugin into the folders below. You can also copy the files there yourself.
COLONY: unzip and copy the Colony.vst3 folder to the VST3 folder below. COLONY also comes as a standalone app.
Both run on Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit. Windows warns about the download or the installer? See the next section.
| Plugin · format | File | Copy to |
|---|---|---|
| AURORA · VST3 | 13x Aurora.vst3 | C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 |
| AURORA · CLAP | 13x Aurora.clap | C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP |
| COLONY · VST3 | Colony.vst3 (a folder) | C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 |
Windows says the file is unsafe (SmartScreen, Defender, Chrome, Edge)
AURORA's Windows build isn't code-signed yet. SmartScreen and the download protection in Chrome and Edge rate a file by its publisher's reputation, and an unsigned file from a small, new publisher has none. So you may see “isn't commonly downloaded”, “suspicious download” or “Windows protected your PC”. That's a reputation warning about an unknown publisher, not a finding of malware in the file.
Some antivirus tools also flag the install script inside the zip: a script that copies files into Program Files looks like what malware does. If your antivirus removes or quarantines the zip, use the manual download — the same plugin files without the script — and copy them yourself (paths above).
You don't have to take our word for any of this: check the file. The SHA-256 of every build is listed in the download panel under Checksums. Every AURORA build passes pluginval at strictness 10 before it's published.
- Chrome or Edge: open the download list, click ⋮ (or …) next to the file, then Keep.
- SmartScreen (“Windows protected your PC”): More info → Run anyway. COLONY's standalone app can ask the same once.
- Check the file: in PowerShell or Command Prompt, run certutil -hashfile <file> SHA256 and compare the result with the checksum in the download panel.
Install on Linux
AURORA: extract the .tar.gz and run sh install.sh. It installs per user — VST3 to ~/.vst3, CLAP to ~/.clap and LV2 to ~/.lv2 — so it needs no root. Rescan in your DAW.
COLONY: run sh install.sh, or copy Colony.vst3 to ~/.vst3 yourself. The standalone app runs straight from the extracted folder.
Both need an x86_64 system with glibc 2.35 or newer — Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, Fedora 36 and newer qualify. COLONY on Linux is VST3 and standalone; AURORA adds CLAP and LV2.
Is it safe? What gets installed, and where
There's no account, no license key, no activation and no license manager. What gets installed is the plugin files in the folders listed above — no background service and no extra apps. AURORA's Windows install script also removes our own older Aurora files after checking they're ours (the files were renamed to 13x Aurora after 1.5.1), and never touches anyone else's.
To uninstall, delete those files.
On macOS, AURORA is signed and notarized by Apple. On every system, the SHA-256 checksum in the download panel lets you check that the file you got is the file we published.
Which version do I have?
AURORA shows its version at the bottom left of the plugin window, next to “13x Audio”. The download's file name carries it too (for example Aurora-1.6.1-macOS.zip). What changed in each version is in the release notes.
The current version of each plugin is listed in its download panel, next to the file size.
Mac, Windows, Linux — and Pro Tools?
Both released plugins run on all three desktop systems. Neither is available as AAX, so they don't load in Pro Tools — that's not supported yet, and there's no date for it. Every other DAW that loads VST3, AU or CLAP works: Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, Cubase, Studio One, REAPER, Bitwig and others.
| Plugin | macOS | Windows | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| AURORA | VST3 · AU · CLAP | VST3 · CLAP | VST3 · CLAP · LV2 |
| COLONY | VST3 · AU · Standalone | VST3 · Standalone | VST3 · Standalone |
| LOFT (November 2026) | VST3 · AU | VST3 | — |
No AAX (Pro Tools) for any of them yet.
Still stuck?
Email support@13x.audio with your system, your DAW and what you see. It goes straight to the developer. The support page has more answers.
Where do I click to download AURORA or COLONY?
On the plugin's page, the large “Download for …” button. It's already set to your system; the other systems are the smaller buttons under it. No account and no email needed.
Why does Windows say the download is unsafe?
AURORA's Windows build isn't code-signed yet, and SmartScreen, Chrome and Edge warn about unsigned files from new publishers. It's a reputation warning, not a malware finding. Check the file's SHA-256 against the one in the download panel; if your antivirus removes the zip, use the manual download without the install script.
Is it safe to install?
Nothing is installed except the plugin files in your system's plugin folders — no background service, no license manager, no account. AURORA is signed and notarized on macOS, and every build's SHA-256 is published so you can check the file.
How do I install it on Linux?
Extract the .tar.gz and run sh install.sh. AURORA installs VST3, CLAP and LV2 to ~/.vst3, ~/.clap and ~/.lv2; COLONY installs its VST3 to ~/.vst3 and its standalone app runs from the folder. You need x86_64 and glibc 2.35 or newer.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes. Both run on macOS 11 or newer, on Apple Silicon and Intel, as VST3 and AU (AURORA also as CLAP, COLONY also as a standalone app).
Does it work in Pro Tools?
Not yet. Neither plugin is available as AAX, which Pro Tools needs. Every DAW that loads VST3, AU or CLAP works.
How do I know which version I have?
AURORA shows its version at the bottom left of the plugin window, and the download's file name carries it too. The download panel always lists the current version.
Can I install it on my phone?
No — they're desktop plugins for a DAW on Windows, macOS or Linux. On a phone you can have the download link emailed to you and open it on your computer.