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KeyShot for Blender Plugin
Version 1.2 (Released November 8th 2024)
Specifications
The KeyShot for Blender plugin requirements are as follows:
- KeyShot 11.1 and newer
- Blender 2.80 and newer
- Windows 10 and newer
- MacOS 12 or later
Supported Features
The KeyShot for Blender plugin supports these features:
- Support for mesh, curves, surfaces and text
- Import View Layers as Model sets
- Parts retain materials and layers
- Objects retain material names
- LiveLinking
- Optionally update only selected parts
- Export to .bip
- Support for rigid and deformable animations (requires KeyShot Pro)
Note
Animation and NURBS data import requires KeyShot Pro.
Installation
Windows
- After downloading, double-click the installer (.exe) file. Follow the prompts and click Finish.
- Open Blender.
- Go to Edit > Preferences and click the Add-ons button in the left-hand menu.
- Click on Install… at the top of the add-ons menu
- In the file browser that opens browse to C:\Program Files\KeyShot\Plugins\Blender (or C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\KeyShot\Plugins\Blender). Here you will find a KeyShot folder.
- Click on the KeyShotBlenderAddon.zip and then click Install Add-on.
- In the list of Add-ons in the community tab, find Import-Export: KeyShot plugin and enable it.
MacOS
- After downloading, double-click the installer (.dmg) file. The KeyShot Plugin installer window will appear.
- Save the KeyShot folder on your device.
- Open Blender.
- Go to Edit > Preferences and click the Add-ons button in the left-hand menu.
- Click on Install… at the top of the add-ons menu
- In the file browser that opens browse to the KeyShot folder you saved in step 2.
- Click on the KeyShotBlenderAddon.zip and then click Install Add-on.
- In the list of Add-ons, find Import-Export: KeyShot plugin and enable it.
KeyShot Plugin Menu
Once installed, a KeyShot menu will appear in the header. The KeyShot button performs three functions: Send, Update, and Export.
Send
Click the Send button to launch KeyShot. The 3D data will be transferred from Blender to KeyShot.
Update
Click the Update button while an existing KeyShot scene is open to update any changes on your model.
Export
Click the Export button to export your geometry as a .BIP file that you can share with other KeyShot users. KeyShot will not launch.
How To Use The Plugin
- Open your scene or model in Blender.
- Go to KeyShot and click Send to KeyShot to launch KeyShot. The 3D data will be transferred from Blender to KeyShot.
- To Update any changes made in Blender, click Update KeyShot while your KeyShot scene is open. All materials, textures, labels, animations, transformations, cameras, and lighting will be maintained in the scene.
Note
Previously imported animations will remain in the scene if a scene is updated. For best results, delete the old animation in KeyShot prior to sending updates to KeyShot.
Uninstall
Inside Blender go to Edit > Preferences. Click on Add-ons in the left-hand menu. Unfold the Import-Export: KeyShot plugin item and click Remove. Close Blender and delete the KeyShot folder with the Blender plugin inside.