Plugin guide
EEGLAB has more than 200 plugins, and most users need only five or six. This page lists the most widely used ones by analysis stage: what each plugin does, when you need it, and which lesson covers it.
Before you start:
- Install plugins from File Manage EEGLAB extensions. The
install-eeglablesson shows how. - Five plugins ship with EEGLAB 2026.1 and need no installation:
firfilt,clean_rawdata,ICLabel,dipfitandEEG-BIDS. - This page is a map, not an endorsement. The lessons cover only the plugins linked to them. Before using any other plugin, read its official page and check that it works with your EEGLAB version.
Importing data
BiosigImports many formats, including EDF, BDF and GDF. Use it for EDF and BDF files.
Lesson: Importing raw files: EDF, BDF & BrainVisionOfficial page
bva-ioImports BrainVision files (
.vhdr). Use it for Brain Products systems.Lesson: Importing raw files: EDF, BDF & BrainVisionOfficial page
MFFMatlabIOImports and exports
.mfffiles from EGI (Magstim EGI) systems.Lesson: Importing raw files: EDF, BDF & BrainVisionOfficial page
neuroscanioImports Neuroscan files (
.cntand.eeg).Lesson: Importing raw files: EDF, BDF & BrainVisionOfficial page
loadcurryImports Curry files (versions 6, 7 and 8).
ANTeepimportImports ANT
.cntfiles with their trigger file.ctfimportImports CTF (MEG) data.
Lesson: Importing raw files: EDF, BDF & BrainVisionOfficial page
xdfimportImports XDF files recorded with LabRecorder (LSL). Use it when EEG was recorded together with other devices.
Lesson: Importing raw files: EDF, BDF & BrainVisionOfficial page
EEG-BIDSComes with EEGLABImports BIDS datasets and converts your own data to BIDS before you publish it.
Lesson: BIDS & OpenNeuro dataLesson: Organizing files & storageOfficial page
Preprocessing
firfiltComes with EEGLABEEGLAB's FIR filters, including Basic FIR filter (new, default). You use it in every analysis.
Lesson: High-pass & low-pass filteringLesson: Removing line noise (50/60 Hz)Official page
CleanlineRemoves line noise (50 or 60 Hz) by estimating the sine wave and subtracting it, instead of cutting out a whole band.
zapline-plusDetects and removes noise peaks in the spectrum automatically, including line noise. Useful when your analysis needs high frequencies.
clean_rawdataComes with EEGLABDetects bad channels and repairs or removes corrupted segments with ASR.
Lesson: Bad channelsLesson: clean_rawdata & ASROfficial page
PrepPipelineThe PREP pipeline: detects bad channels and computes an average reference that they do not distort (robust reference). An automated alternative to station 3.
ICA and component classification
ICLabelComes with EEGLABClassifies each ICA component into one of seven classes (brain, eye, muscle, heart, line noise, channel noise, other), with a probability for each.
Lesson: ICLabel & removing componentsLesson: Reading artifact componentsOfficial page
ViewpropsShows a component's properties in one window: scalp map, spectrum and activity over time, with its ICLabel classification.
AMICAAn ICA algorithm that is slower than
runicaand can give a better decomposition. Needs a compiled binary for your system.PICARDAn ICA algorithm that is faster than
runicawith similar results.MARAAn older automatic classifier for artifact components. You will see it in older papers; ICLabel is the common choice today.
AdjustAn older automatic classifier for eye and movement components.
SASICAHelps you select artifact components using several criteria, and shows the reason for each choice.
Ready-made automated pipelines
These tools run the whole preprocessing stage with little input from you. Build the pipeline by hand first (stations 3 to 5), then use them knowing what each step does.
FASTERFully automated cleaning of high-density data using statistical criteria.
RELAXFully automated cleaning with Wiener filters and/or wavelet-enhanced ICA.
bemobil-pipelineA script-based import and processing pipeline, designed for mobile brain/body imaging (MoBI) data.
automagicStandardized, BIDS-compatible preprocessing with a quality rating for every file.
HAPPEStandalone toolA standalone tool that runs on top of EEGLAB, designed for child data and short recordings.
MADEStandalone toolA standalone tool that runs on top of EEGLAB, for child and infant data.
ERP analysis
ERPLABA complete ERP toolbox: assigning events to bins, averaging, measuring amplitude and latency, and data quality (SME).
Lesson: ERPLAB: measuring amplitude & latencyLesson: Data quality (SME)Official page
Group analysis and statistics
Fieldtrip-liteAdds FieldTrip statistics to STUDY, including cluster correction for multiple comparisons.
LIMOHierarchical linear models: one model per participant, then one for the group.
Sources and connectivity
dipfitComes with EEGLABEstimates the source of each ICA component with a single dipole, and supports eLORETA.
NFTBuilds a head model from the participant's own MRI instead of a standard template.
SIFTSource-level connectivity analysis using multivariate autoregressive models.
roiconnectConnectivity between brain regions at the source level, with 2-D and 3-D plots. A newer alternative to SIFT.
Computing
nsgportalSends EEGLAB jobs to the free Neuroscience Gateway (NSG) computers and retrieves the results. Useful for long ICA runs.
Specialized fields
These have no lessons on this site. We list them so you know they exist.
fMRIbRemoves MRI-scanner artifacts from EEG recorded inside the scanner (EEG-fMRI).
TESAProcesses EEG recorded with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS-EEG).
EYE-EEGCombines eye tracking with EEG, and uses it to correct eye artifacts.
BrainBeatsAnalyzes EEG together with heart signals (ECG or PPG).
PACTComputes phase-amplitude coupling in continuous data.
Can't find a plugin? The full list is in the plugin manager inside EEGLAB. Search by name, and check its description, rating and download count before installing.
Names are as they appear in the extension manager of EEGLAB 2026.1. We can't vouch for plugins we haven't used in a lesson.