---
title: "Plugins"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/PREFSPLUGINS-PREFSPLUGINS.html"
section_path: "Configuration > Preferences > Plugins > Plugins"
element_id: "PREFSPLUGINS"
group_id: "PREFSPLUGINS"
description: "Cinema 4D automatically considers a plugins directory within the same directory in which the Cinema 4D application was installed. Plugins stored there …"
---

## Plugins

> **Tip:** General information on the installation of plugins:
>
> Cinema 4D automatically considers a *plugins* directory within the same directory in which the Cinema 4D application was installed. Plugins stored there directly or in other subdirectories are therefore always loaded automatically. No extra entry needs to be created for this via the following **Search Paths** setting. This is only necessary if you have installed plugins in other locations.

### Search Paths

Parameter ID: `PREF_PLUGINS_PATHS`

Plugins do not necessarily have to be stored in the program directory in order to be used by Cinema 4D. Rather, plugins can be stored in any path. The system automatically checks whether a specified path has already been defined (e.g. a *plugins* folder within the Cinema 4D installation directory does not have to be specified again here). This check also applies to subfolders of directories already specified. Only the highest directory in which the plugins can be found must be specified.\
If the *plugins* default path or subfolders of directories already specified are nevertheless entered as search paths, you will receive a corresponding error message indicating the corresponding entries, which should then be removed from the **Search Paths**.

Paths to plugin directories can also be set using environment variables/start arguments (see [Environment Variables](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/11083.html.md)).

To use the path list, see [here](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/5822.html.md).