Blender

About this release

Blender covers the entire 3D process inside one window. Modelling, sculpting, retopology, UV unwrapping, texture painting, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking and video editing are all here, and they share one scene rather than passing files between separate applications. For a single artist or a small team that is the whole argument: nothing is exported to get to the next stage.

The renderers cover both ends of the job. Cycles is the physically based path tracer for final frames, with graphics card acceleration, adaptive sampling and denoising that makes clean output practical on ordinary hardware. Eevee is the real time engine for lookdev, previz and stylised work, and it now handles shadows, refraction and volumetrics closely enough to Cycles that a lot of finished work never leaves it.

Geometry nodes have grown into the most powerful part of the application. Procedural scattering, parametric modelling, instancing across large environments and effects that would once have needed scripting are built visually and stay editable. The node system extends into shading, compositing and simulation, so the same way of thinking applies across the whole application.

The importer and exporter set matters when Blender sits alongside other software. Common interchange formats, industry standard scene description and the usual mesh formats all round trip, and the add on system covers the gaps. The Python API is fully exposed, so studio pipelines can automate anything the interface can do.

What it does

One application for the whole pipeline

Model, sculpt, texture, rig, animate, simulate, render and edit in a single scene with no export between stages.

Two renderers

A physically based path tracer for finals and a real time engine for lookdev and stylised output, sharing the same materials.

Geometry nodes

Procedural modelling, scattering and instancing built visually and editable at any point.

Sculpting and retopology

Multiresolution sculpting with dynamic topology and a full set of retopology tools for turning it into clean geometry.

Motion tracking and compositing

Camera solve, object tracking and a node based compositor for finishing shots without leaving the application.

Python throughout

The full interface is scriptable, and the add on system covers importers, tools and pipeline automation.

Changed in this version

• Real time engine gains closer parity with the path tracer on refraction and volumetrics.
• Geometry node evaluation rewritten for faster updates on dense scenes.
• Sculpting performance improved on very high polygon counts.
• Viewport denoising is faster and cleaner at low sample counts.
• Interchange format import and export reworked for better material fidelity.
• Video sequencer gains improved proxy handling on long timelines.

System requirements

Install order

1. Unpack the archive and run the installer, or use the portable folder if you prefer no install.
2. Set the scratch and cache paths in preferences before starting simulation work.
3. Enable the add ons you need from the preferences panel on first launch.
4. Pick the render device in preferences so the graphics card is actually used.

Worth knowing before you start

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