KeyShot Plugins

KeyShot for Cinema 4D Plugin

Version 1.2 (Released November 8th 2024)

These installation notes are specific to the latest version KeyShot, Cinema 4D (C4D) and the KeyShot for Cinema 4D plugin, unless otherwise mentioned. For questions about other versions, please contact https://www.keyshot.com/support/.

Specifications

The KeyShot for Cinema 4D plugin requirements are as follows:

• KeyShot (Try | Buy)

• Cinema 4D 2023 or newer
• Windows 10 and later

• MacOS 12 or later

Plugins for previous versions of KeyShot are available here.

Supported Features

The KeyShot for Cinema 4D plugin supports these features:

• Parts retain materials and layers
• Maintain hierarchy of objects created in scene tree
• Objects retain materials, can be unlinked
• Layers independent of grouped objects
• LiveLinking update of models in KeyShot
• Export to .bip without KeyShot installed
• Support for hair
• Support for model units
• Support of camera and part animations

Installation 

Windows

1. After downloading, double-click the installer (.exe) file. Follow the prompts and click Finish.
2. Open Cinema 4D.
3. Go to Edit > Preferences and click the Plugins button in the left-hand menu.
4. Click on Add Folder… at the bottom of the plugin menu
5. In the file browser that opens browse to C:\Program Files\KeyShot\Plugins\C4D (or C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\KeyShot\Plugins\C4D). Here you will find a KeyShot folder.
6. Click on the KeyShot folder and then click OK.
7. Close and re-open Cinema 4D.

MacOS

1. After downloading, double-click the installer (.dmg) file. The KeyShot Plugin installer window will appear.
2. Save the KeyShot folder on your device.
3. Open Cinema4d.
4. Go to Edit > Preferences and click the Plugin button in the left-hand menu.
5. Click on Add Folder… at the bottom of the plugin menu
6. In the file browser that opens browse to the KeyShot folder you saved in step 2.
7. Click on the KeyShot folder and then click Open.
8. Close and re-open Cinema 4D.

KeyShot Plugin Menu

Once installed, a KeyShot menu will appear inside the main menu, Extensions. The KeyShot button performs three functions: Render, Update, and Export. 

Render
Click the Render button to launch KeyShot. The 3D data will be transferred from C4D 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

1. Open your scene or model in C4D.
2. Go to Extensions, KeyShot and click the Render to launch KeyShot. The 3D data will be transferred from C4D to KeyShot. 
3. To Update any changes made in C4D, click Update while your KeyShot scene is open. All materials, textures, labels, animations, transformations, cameras, and lighting will be maintained in the scene. 

Deformable Animation Import

Deformable animations are not supported by the SDK for C4D and can therefore not be transferred to KeyShot directly using the plugin. To transfer deformable animations from C4D to KeyShot export an Alembic (.abc) file from C4D.

Uninstall

Inside C4D go to Edit > Preferences. Click on Plugins in the left-hand menu. Right-click on the KeyShot folder and click Show in Explorer… Close C4D and delete the KeyShot folder with the Cinema 4D plugin inside.