# Plugins

Plugins are modules written in C++ or IDAPython that provide additional functionality to IDA. They can improve analysis, automate tedious tasks, and integrate new features.

## Invoking plugins

Usually, a plugin is invoked through a hotkey or the menu system. The registered and loaded plugins will appear in a special **Edit → Plugins** submenu.

## Plugins location

The plugin modules reside in the `plugins` subdirectory of IDA. IDA is able to find and load all the plugins from this directory automatically. However, you can write a configuration file and tell IDA how to load plugins. To do so, you need to modify the `plugins.cfg` file in the `plugins` subdirectory, as described below.

## Configure how plugins are loaded with `plugins.cfg`

The `plugins.cfg` file is needed to customize the plugins, including:

* appearance of the plugin in the menu
* the hotkey used to call the plugin
* the optional argument passed to the plugin

The format of the `plugins.cfg` file is simple:

* Empty lines and lines starting with ';' are comment lines
* Other lines must have the following structure and fields:

  ```
           menu_name filename hotkey arg flags
  ```

  Example:

  ```
           Undefine undef    Alt-U  0
  ```

| Fields      | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `menu_name` | A visible name of the plugin. This name will be used in the Edit → Plugins menu. Underscore symbols will be replaced by spaces here.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| `filename`  | <p>The plugin file name. If the filename doesn't include the file extension or the directory, IDA will add them.<br><br><strong>Default extensions:</strong><br>- Windows: <code>.dll</code><br>- Linux: <code>.so</code><br>- macOS: <code>.dylib</code><br><br><strong>Note:</strong> Plugins compiled with support for 64-bit address space use a <code>64</code> suffix before the extension (e.g., <code>pdb64.dll</code>).</p> |
| `hotkey`    | A hotkey to activate the plugin                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `arg`       | An optional integer argument which will be passed to the run() function of the plugin                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| `flags`     | <p><strong>Optional</strong> flags. The following values are available:<br>- <code>DEBUG</code>: Debugger plugin<br>- <code>WIN</code>: Enable plugin for MS Windows<br>- <code>MAC</code>: Enable plugin for Mac<br>- <code>LINUX</code>: Enable plugin for Linux<br>- <code>GUI</code>: Plugin can only be used with GUI version of IDA<br>- <code>SILENT</code>: Silently skip nonexisting plugin</p>                             |

## See also

* Check documentation on individual [plugins](/9.1/user-guide/plugins/plugins-shipped-with-ida.md).


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