Figure out if there can be a mechanism to swap out the VST2 plugin instances in the project for VST3, either automatically or manually. If correctly implemented by plugin manufacturer, plugins of VST2 and VST3 should be somehow linked - to know it's the same plugin but different format, and to correctly map loaded presets. Cubase likely already does this, at least since Cubase 14 where VST2 is phased out. ## Other DAWs Among other DAWs (based on my research), these seem to support the automatic conversion: * Cubase * Studio One (at least since v7, [according to this](https://studiooneforum.com/threads/studio-one-7-0-1-7-0-2-discussion-thread.73/page-5#post-1231)) * Reaper (since [v7.34](https://web.archive.org/web/20260409175521/https://www.reaper.fm/download-old.php#:~:text=improve%20VST2%20to%20VST3%20migration%20compatibility) with IPluginCompatibility and moduleinfo.json, limited support on earlier versions) * FL Studio (since [25.1.0](https://forum.image-line.com/viewtopic.php?p=2015176#p2015176) with IPluginCompatibility, limited support on earlier versions) Majority of them depend on the same "IPluginCompatibility", some mention "moduleinfo.json". FL Studio in older versions likely just only used ID mapping. ## Additional reference ### Automatic replacement (Cubase) https://forums.steinberg.net/t/cubase-12-0-51-maintenance-update/818649/35 > The replacement \[VST2 -\> VST3\] occurs only if the plugin is not installed locally and you have a new version able to replace it… that´s all. A notification is then displayed… > If you do not remove the older plugin, no problem, this older one will still be used. ### Other VST3 docs: https://steinbergmedia.github.io/vst3_dev_portal/pages/Tutorials/Guideline+for+VST3+replacing+VST2.html VST3 docs: https://steinbergmedia.github.io/vst3_dev_portal/pages/FAQ/Compatibility+with+VST+2.x+or+VST+1.html u-he (Urs Heckmann) comment: https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8868813#p8868813 https://forums.steinberg.net/t/vst2-ot-vst3-migration-stratgy/974124/3 https://forum.juce.com/t/vst3-iplugincompatibility/67131 https://forums.steinberg.net/t/cubase-automatically-replaces-some-plug-ins-used-in-old-projects/820559 https://forum.juce.com/t/vst2-vst3-parameter-mapping-bug/66027/8 \[Misc.\] https://www.fabfilter.com/forum/topic/7576/vst3-to-vst2