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How to Use Any iOS Plugin in Koala Sampler (AUV3 Support Is Finally Here)

Koala Sampler somehow just became even more powerful. With the addition of AUV3 plugin support, you can now run third-party iOS synths and effects directly inside Koala. That means Koala is no longer limited to just its built-in sounds and effects. You can now load full synth plugins, experimental effects, reverbs, delays, and basically turn Koala into a tiny mobile DAW.



It’s a massive update for iPad and iPhone music production. But it also raises an interesting question: at what point does Koala stop feeling like a dedicated sampler and start feeling more like a mini DAW?


What Is AUV3 Support?

AUV3 (Audio Unit v3) is the iOS plugin format used by apps like:

  • Koala Sampler

  • Logic Pro for iPad

  • GarageBand

It allows apps to load:

  • Synth plugins

  • Audio effects

  • MIDI instruments

  • Processing tools

directly inside another app.


Before this update, Koala was mostly a self-contained sampler environment. Now, it can host external instruments and effects just like a traditional DAW.


How to Load Plugins in Koala Sampler (iOS Only)

Getting started is surprisingly simple.

Inside Koala:

  1. Go to the Sample page

  2. Tap More

  3. Open Audio Units

From there, you’ll see all compatible AUV3 plugins installed on your device.

You can now:

  • Load synths directly into Koala

  • Play them chromatically

  • Sequence them inside Koala’s workflow

  • Process sounds with third-party effects


For example, in the video above, I loaded the BA-1 synth plugin directly into Koala and immediately started sequencing melodies inside the app. It's a massive change to workflow considering Koala started as a lightweight mobile sampler. One quick note, this update appears to only be for the iOS version of Koala.


This Changes Koala’s Workflow Completely

The biggest shift here is that Koala is no longer limited to sample flipping, basic sound generation with Quokka synth & internal effects.

Now you can:

  • Add full synth engines

  • Use external reverbs and delays

  • Process sounds with experimental plugins

  • Build layered production chains

This dramatically expands what Koala can do. Instead of: “What can I sample into Koala?” The question becomes: “What can I make with the entire iOS plugin ecosystem inside Koala?”


Why This Matters for Mobile Producers

One of Koala Sampler’s biggest strengths has always been immediacy. Open the app, sample something, start chopping and you're making a beat.


But now there’s another side emerging:

  • deeper sound design potential

  • larger production chains

  • plugin experimentation

  • synth layering


For mobile producers, this turns Koala into something much closer to a portable DAW.

Especially on iPad, you can now realistically build surprisingly complex productions entirely inside Koala. To learn how to make the most out of everything Koala can do, check out my cheat sheet.

Koala Sampler Cheat Sheet & Beatmaking Quick Start Guide
$5.00
Buy Now

The Tradeoff: Is Koala Losing Its Simplicity?

This is where things get interesting. Part of Koala’s appeal was always that it wasn’t a DAW.

It was focused, limited and most importantly, immediate. Those limitations encouraged creative workarounds and fast production.


Adding AUV3 support makes Koala significantly more powerful, but it also pushes it closer to the same complexity found in traditional DAWs.


That doesn’t make the update bad. Far from it. It just changes the philosophy of the app a little bit.


Personally, I think this update is incredible. Being able to load synth plugins, sequence them quickly & process sounds directly inside Koala opens up the production possibilities of Koala Sampler in ways I could never imagine.


That said, there’s something inspiring about dedicated tools with clear limitations compared to unlimited options, and now Koala sits somewhere in the middle, still fast and immediate, but dramatically more expandable


But either way, it’s hard not to be impressed by how far this app has evolved.


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