Requirements

  • Windows, MacOS or Linux
  • 4.2 LTS - 4.3

Experimental Builds

Experimental Blender builds such as 4.4-alpha are not supported, and fixing any issues related to them, will not be a priority.

Latest MACHIN3tools

The latest version is 1.11, available on Blender Market and Gumroad

Blender on MacOS

MacOS users should install Blender properly, by following the official instructions.

Avoid running it just from the Downloads folder!
Note that, for dragging of files and folders, you need to hold down the COMMAND key.
This will ensure AppTranslocation1 is avoided.

Furthermore, your download may not actually result in a .zip file. This can and should be be changed in Safari settings.

Blender on Arch Linux

Arch Linux users and users of other Arch based or similar rolling release distros are advised to use the official Blender builds.
The Blender package in the Community repository does not supply its own Python, and does not follow official recommendations.
As a consequence, the system's python version may not work with MACHIN3tools.

Installation

MACHIN3tools is installed like any other Blender addon, see the official Blender manual, for details.

Note

MACHIN3tools is what Blender 4.2+ calls a Legacy Addon now.
This unfortunate term does not imply any obsolescence at all, it's just a distinction compared to the new extensions system.

Blender 4.2+ Drag and Drop Installation

Blender 4.2+ supports drag and dropping addon .zip files (legacy and extension addons!) from the system's filebrowser on Blender to do the installation.
This is super convenient, and should also work for update installations, but may still require a Blender restart afterwards in that case.

Otherwise, the traditional ways to install described below also work.

Fresh Installation

If you don't have a previous version of MACHIN3tools installed, you should follow the default installation process, from the .zip file.

InstallationFromInsideBlender installation from the Addons tab of Blender's preferences, by selecting the addon's .zip file

Update Installation

If you do have a previous version installed, and you want to update (or downgrade) to another version, you can use the integrated MACHIN3tools updater.

Keep in mind

Since this feature is only introduced in version 1.8, it won't be available to you, if you want to update from an earlier version, say MACHIN3tools 1.6 for instance.
In such case please refer to the legacy update installation instructions, using the system's filebrowser.

Using the integrated updater is very straight forward:

  1. Unfold it from the top of the MACHIN3tools addon preferences.
  2. Select the MACHIN3tools zip file to install, if it's in your home dir or Downloads folder, it will be found automatically.
  3. Verify it's the version you want, and Quit Blender to install the update, otherwise remove it.

UpdateInstallation 3 steps to update: unfold, pick update .zip, quit Blender

Note

Installing in this way, has the same benefit as doing a manual update installation in the filebrowser, but without having to do anything in the filebrowser, and without knowing where Blender installs addons.
Updating this way ensures you will not loose any settings, you've have made in a previous version, or any custom keymaps you have set.

  1. Learn more about AppTranslocation. ↩