This version works on the "vanilla" Blender you can download and install from the Blender Foundation website ( https://www.blender.org/ ).
This means there's no need for a custom build anymore!
Running the Octane server is still needed.
This build is based on Blender 4.5.5. Following this Test Release, will be a new 2025 release based on Blender 4.5.5, and 2026.1 Test Build for Blender 4.5.4. Going forward from there, Blender 5.0 integration is the essential priority for further releases.
Blender 5.0 integration is being targeted for the upcoming 2025.5 Custom-built Plugin, and for the future 2026.1 Releases. Blender 5.0 will be a significant transition, and is going to take some time to complete.
IMPORTANT NOTE: like all previous releases of the Blender Plugin Addon version, this is not a stable release and is not suitable for critical work or production use. Scenes created with this Addon may not be compatible with future versions, and your existing Blend Scenes may not work as expected with this Addon.
Please report any bugs and/or missing features, possibly providing the scene and steps to reproduce the problem.
New 2026 Features
We are excited to bring you the First Preview of OctaneRender 2026.1 for Blender.
Below is a summary of new features that come with OctaneRender 2026.1 for Blender (for an exhaustive list of features, please refer to the OctaneRender 2026.1 Release Post)
MaterialX
You can import MaterialX from here. All MaterialX nodes are added in the Shader Editor too.
As the Standalone, we've introduced typed texture nodes & sockets for some nodes.
The global virtual texture & meshlet options can be adjusted in the preferences. But not all options in Standalone are available yet in the current Alpha version.
- 003.png (10.68 KiB) Viewed 1045 times
Use the new Virtual Texturing box panel.
- When using an image file, the texture id is the filename.
- When using pixel image, you can manually assign the id or use the "Generate ID" to create an image based on the image's hash data.
You can set the Meshlet ID manually so it can be reused in all Octane Blender scenes.
Octane Blender will generate two meshlet ids for viewport and render mode separately.
Known Limitations
-To re-sync and update the meshlet data, you need either use a new meshlet identifier or clear all meshlet data in the preferences panel
- In other word, you cannot re-sync a specific meshlet yet - you'll have to use a new id or clear all meshlet
You can use GaussianSplat as Vectron and other Octane Geometry nodes in the Shader Editor.
These new options are added in the Object property panel
Octane Blender Addon
All Platforms
Blender Addon - All Platforms - Studio/Prime Edition
OctaneServer
Studio Edition
Octane Server - Windows - Studio Edition
OctaneServer - Linux - Studio Edition
Prime Edition
Octane Server - Windows - Prime Edition
Octane Server - MacOS (Metal) - Prime Edition
Octane Server - Linux - Prime Edition
How to Install
- Download the addon and the server files
- Unzip the Octane Addon Server in any location on your hard drive
- Launch the Octane Addon Server (OctaneServer.exe)
- Launch Blender and from Preferences/Addon, install the Octane for Blender addon
- Select File > New > OctaneRender Startup (Direct Lighting) or File > New > OctaneRender Startup (Path Tracing)
- Quit Blender
- Launch Blender again
Scenes created with the current non-addon version may need to be converted to the addon version.
To do that, with the scene, you need to convert loaded in the non addon version, please use File > Export > OctaneBlender Addon.
This will generate a new scene with the "addon" string added to the file name.
As with all beta builds, we advise to not use this release for production purposes.
We are trying to, but we can't guarantee that scenes saved with this version will be compatible in future releases, so, again, do not use this beta for production work.
Features
Generally, We have migrated most of the features from the non-addon version to this addon version.
Features
- Integrated 2026.1
- Supported Virtual Texture
- Supported Meshlet
- Supported MaterialX nodes
- Supported typed texture nodes & sockets
- Supported UVTiles, TileSet, and the legacy ImageTiles
- Supported Trace Set & Trace Set Visibility Rule
- Supported OctaneGaussianSplat
- Supported other new 2026 features
- Fixed Mesh Volume options are not updating the Octane Preview
- Fixed Filled Curve not showing any smoothing in Octane Preview or Render
- Fixed OpenSubd options are not updating the Octane Preview
- Fixed MaterialX files not loading correctly
- Minor Bug Fixes
- Animation gets stuck in a Loop when 'Neural Radiance Cache' is enabled
Usage
- Start with a default scene (File > New > OctaneRender Startup (Direct Lighting) or File > New > OctaneRender Startup (Path Tracing))
- Convert a scene from the non-addon version: "File > Export > OctaneBlender Addon". Please report any problem you may find when converting your scenes!
As this is a Beta release, you may find issues. Please report any bugs and/or missing features, possibly providing the scene and steps to reproduce the problem.
Some converted scenes may not work properly - please report any of them.
Bugs & Issues
This is a beta version, so there may be issues and bugs. Please report any bugs and/or missing features, possibly providing the scene and steps to reproduce the problem.
If you are unable to share the scenes, please try running Blender in debug mode and send us the logs.
How to run Blender in Debug mode
- Open the directory of the Blender executable file.
- Double-click the blender_debug_log.cmd file to open it.
- This will launch Blender in debug mode and automatically start capturing logs.
- Reproduce the issue you are experiencing in Blender.
- Once you have finished reproducing the issue, close Blender.
- Blender will open a folder containing error log files.
- You can then send us the blender_debug_log.txt file to help us diagnose the issue.
You can get more information about the debug command at https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/troubleshooting/crash.html.