How to uninstall SoundID Reference

Uninstall SoundID Reference from your computer - apps, driver, plugin, user data, and profiles. Follow all the steps provided below to completely remove the software from your device.

In this article:

• macOS
  • Removing the SoundID Reference apps
  • Removing the driver & plugin files
  • Deleting the Sonarworks folder (user data and profiles)
• Windows
  • Uninstalling the SoundID Reference apps & plugins
  • Removing the plugin files
  • Removing the Sonarworks folder (user data and profiles)
  • Clearing the registry data
  • Force-uninstalling leftover MSI components from previous installations

macOS

Removing the SoundID Reference apps

1. Fully quit the SoundID Rereference apps: How to fully quit the standalone app?
2. Go to Finder > Applications.
3. Select the SoundID Reference standalone app and Move to Trash.
4. Select the SoundID Reference Measure app and Move to Trash.

Removing the driver & plugin files

SoundID Reference installs components such as the HAL driver for the standalone app, and four different plugin formats: AU, AAX, VST, and VST3. These are all located in the Audio/Plugins directory and can be deleted manually by navigating to the locations shown below:

Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/SoundID Reference.driver
Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/SoundID Reference VST Plugin.vst
Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/SoundID Reference VST3 Plugin.vst3
Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/SoundID Reference AU Plugin.component
Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/SoundID Reference AAXPlugin.aaxplugin

Deleting the Sonarworks folder (user data and profiles)

SoundID Reference software also stores files such as calibration profiles, log files, settings data, license information, and other data. This data is stored in the Sonarworks folder and can be deleted by navigating to the directory shown below. 

Keep in mind that this will delete all your user data, including any speaker profiles you've created. If you wish to back up your profiles, you can simply copy them from the location shown here: Where can I find my speaker profile?

Depending on the version you have installed (or have installed in the past), the Sonarworks folder might be present in two different locations:

Macintosh HD/Users/Username/Library/Application Support/Sonarworks
Macintosh HD/Users/Username/Library/Sonarworks

Note: The User/Library directory on macOS is hidden by default. Use the Command + Shift + "." (dot) key command in Finder to show hidden files, or follow the directions here: How to show hidden files Mac and Windows?

Windows

Uninstalling the SoundID Reference apps & plugins

1. Fully quit the SoundID Rereference apps: How to fully quit the standalone app?
2. Click on the Start Menu, and go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.
3. Type "SoundID Reference" in the search bar to find the installed components.
4. Click on "⋯" (options) > Uninstall for all SoundID Reference components:
   • SoundID Reference
   • SoundID Reference Measure
   • SoundID Reference AAX Plugin for Pro Tools 11/12
   • SoundID Reference VST Plugin (64-bit)
   • SoundID Reference VST3 Plugin (64-bit)

Removing the plugin files

SoundID Reference VST, VST3, and AAX plugins on Windows can also be removed manually, if necessary. The plugins are located in the Program Files directory by default (unless a custom location was assigned when installing):

C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins\SoundID Reference VST Plugin x64.dll
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\SoundID Reference VST3 Plugin.vst3
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\SoundID Reference.aaxplugin\Contents\x64\SoundID Reference.aaxplugin

Removing the Sonarworks folder (user data and profiles)

SoundID Reference software also stores files such as calibration profiles, log files, settings data, license information, and other data. This data is stored in the Sonarworks folder and can be deleted by navigating to the directory shown below. 

Keep in mind that this will delete all your user data, including any speaker profiles you've created. If you wish to back up your profiles, you can simply copy them from the location shown here: Where can I find my speaker profile?

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Sonarworks

Note: The Library\AppData directory on Windows is hidden by default. To show hidden files, follow the directions here: How to show hidden files Mac and Windows?

Clearing the registry data

Some registry entries can be partially kept as the uninstaller won't remove them. To delete the entries manually, proceed with the steps below:

1. Press Win key + R to open Run.
2. In Run, type in: "regedit" to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to this directory:
   • Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Sonarworks
4. Delete the entire Sonarworks folder.

Force-uninstalling leftover MSI components from previous installations

If a previous installation didn't fully uninstall, the SoundID Reference installer may fail with the error: "Setup Failed... 0x80070666 - Another version of this product is already installed." This happens when an orphaned Windows Installer (MSI) entry for a previous version remains registered on the system but no longer appears in Apps & Features, so the standard uninstaller can't remove it.

Follow the steps below to locate the leftover entry's ProductCode in the installer log and force-uninstall it using Microsoft's Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter.

1. Click on "log file" in the error message to open the MSI bootstrapper log file in Notepad/Text Editor.
2. Search for the "FindRelatedProducts" entry, locate the ProductCode GUID, and copy it (Ctrl+C).
   ProductCode example: {DBA8FE9E-CDE9-497E-84C3-E7C187B8EB54}
3. Run the Microsoft Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter (downlad here).
4. Proceed to Next > Uninstalling > Not Listed > and enter the ProductCode (Ctrl+V).
5. Wait for the troubleshooter to finish the task, and restart the computer.