In some cases you might need to extract a plugin to your user/plugins folder.If you copy past the folder contents, make sure you are not copying a link, but are really copying the files properly to the destination folder.In newer versions of Macos, APPL decided to quarantine extracted zip contents for you inconvenience.

Extract the zip using a decent zip tool.Do not let Safari download and unpick your zip files, or will think they are empty.See this important info on installing c++ plugins on newer versions of MACOS. Maxon wrote a general article on installing plugins here. Once you have linked your plugin(s), restart Cinema4D.You should make a habit of being organized with your plugin folder structure, and get used to that.Consider that Cinema4D will attempt to load all plugins, regardless of the version they where build for, which can create startup issues, if you have lots of plugins, or the dev has not thoroughly tested all builds across all versions, for this scenario.You should not use a network folder as a plugin location, especially on a mac.Be sure you are not loading any plugin twice, as Cinema 4D is easily confused by this.you can include the entire folder, or point specifically to an individual plugin folder, which I recommend.Then go to your Cinema4d preferences/plugins list and add each plugin, or point it at your version specific folder.

Extract your plugins to that version specific folder.

Best is to make a folder for each version of cinema 4D.

If you don't already have your own plugins folder, simply make a 'plugins' folder yourself, anywhere.

You can still use the old plugin folders in prefs, and the app folder, but these are no longer necessary.

Since R20 there you to place a plugins anywhere, and load them in ad-hock via a plugin link in prefs.

Usually each xdl64 or xlib will be named appropriately for the c4d version it should work in.

An R20 plugin, will only work in R20 (20.059).

Unfortunately, Cinema 4D now needs a different build for every R version of Cinema 4D.

Most Cinema 4D plugins come as a simple zip file, which contains everything the plugin needs.

Octane c4d r23