(View changelogs)
Works in Blender 2.83+, including 4.x
Currently supports: Cycles, Eevee, and Eevee Next
How to Install and Use the Addon
Installation and Updating (Blender 4.2+):
Option 1: Drag and drop install
Download the .zip file to any location. (DO NOT extract the zip file)
Drag and drop it into Blender
Be sure to keep the boxes ticked for Overwrite and Enable on Install
In the 3D viewport, press ‘N’ to open the side panel in the viewport
Click on the Poliigon Addon tab.
Option 2: User preferences install
Download the .zip file to any location. (DO NOT extract the zip file)
In Blender, navigate to Edit -> Preferences. Then the Add-ons tab (not to be confused with "Extensions").
Click the top-right dropdown, and select Install from Disk...
Select the .zip file from your local machine (pro-tip: you can drag and drop the zip into the browse popup to get the path)
Make sure the addon is displayed in the list and enabled (search for "Poliigon" if needed)
In the 3D viewport, press ‘N’ to open the side panel in the viewport
Click on the Poliigon Addon tab
Some linux users have shared they needed to pip install certifi on their system, although this library is typically bundled.
To Update:
For Blender 4.2+, you can follow the same process as installation. Drag and drop, with the "overwrite" option ticked. Be sure to restart Blender right after it has installed.
If you experience any errors updating even after a restart, we recommend fully removing the addon (see next section), restarting Blender, then installing fresh per above.
Installation and Updating (Blender 2.83 - 4.1):
Download the .zip file to any location. (DO NOT extract the zip file)
In Blender, navigate to Edit -> Preferences. Then the Addons tab.
Hit the install button, locate the zip and install the zip file.
Make sure the addon is displayed in the list and enabled (search for "Poliigon" if needed)
In the 3D viewport, press ‘N’ to open the side panel in the viewport
Click on the Poliigon Addon tab.
To update:
For Blender 4.2+, you can follow the same process as installation. Drag and drop, with the "overwrite" option ticked. Be sure to restart Blender right after it has installed.
If you experience any errors updating, we recommend fully removing the addon (see next section), restarting Blender, then installing fresh per above.
How to uninstall
No longer want to use the addon, or had an install issue and want to cleanly remove it before trying again? See the following steps:
In blender, go to edit > preferences, addons, and search for Poliigon (or click the gear icon in the addon)
Expand the Poliigon Addon item, and press the "Remove" button
Alternatively, you can simply uncheck the box next to the addon name. This will only disable the addon, not uninstall it, making it easier to start using again later. If you are troubleshooting however, you should try and fully remove the addon.
Ensure all versions of Blender are closed.
Delete your Poliigon Blender settings folder, found at:
C:\Users\{username}\Poliigon\blenderor/Users/{username}/Poliigon/blenderon Mac/LinuxOptional: if you don’t intend to use any Poliigon software going forward, you can also safely delete the
C:\Users\{username}\Poliigon\OnlinePreviewsfolder. If you used the default location for Poliigon downloads, you can retain or move your already downloaded assets atC:\Users\{username}\Poliigon\Library.
Indepth How-To:
Background
First released in summer of 2022, this addon allows you to browse, purchase, download, and import Poliigon assets all without ever leaving Blender. It supports loading textures, models, and HDRs, and more recently supports generating blender files for use in the Blender Asset Browser.
User Account Setup
After installing the addon, you can go into the 3D view to log into your Poliigon account. Open the sidebar by pressing "n", and clicking on the Poliigon tab.
If you haven’t already, select the Poliigon tab in the (n) side panel of the 3D viewport
Click on "Login" or "Sign Up"
A webpage will open. If you are not already logged in, go ahead and complete the login
Once you are presented with the "Return to the addon" screen, go back to Blender
Confirm or change default Poliigon library folder. This is where files will download to and import from (You can change or add additional library folders in user preferences at any time)
Poliigon Unlimited Plans
If you have an unlimited plan active, the addon behaves differently in a few ways:
You'll see an unlimited icon instead of an asset balance
You can directly (re)download and import any asset without limits
You will not be able to preview textures - instead, just download them directly
Assets you download will appear the Downloads filter, even if it is no longer local
Navigating the Addon
Viewing Categories
By clicking on the Select Category button, you can drill down the assets first by type (Textures, Models, HDRIs, and Free) and then by further subcategories. Initially, it will only show one button, then more will be added as subcategories become available. Click on any of the categories to change back to a higher level category. The results displayed will be identical to the website.
Asset Grid
The buttons underneath each asset will change depending on whether or not the asset is purchased or downloaded. The icons at the top left helps you understand the usability of the asset at a glance:
Previously downloaded - Represented by the non-filled in down arrow icon at top left, these are assets that you have previously purchased or downloaded
Found locally - Represented by a filled in down arrow, you can press the Apply or Import button depending on the type of asset.
Recently published - Denoted by a green sparkle icon, these are assets published in the last 30 days
Free asset - Denoted by a blue tag icon, these can be downloaded freely without using your asset balance or contribute to the unlimited fair use limits.
Not previously downloaded - These assets will be displayed with no icon at the top-left. Pro users with an asset balance will see a Purchase button.
Not owned (non unlimited/free plans)
Eye Icon - Shown by the arrow above, this Quick Preview allows you to apply a low-resolution, watermarked preview to the selected object. (Only applicable for materials currently)
Purchase/Download - This will download the asset at the default resolution. Default settings can be changed in the addon settings, click the gear icon.
Down Arrow - This Quick Menu allows you to view a larger thumbnail and quickly open the asset online.
Download ready (Unlimited plans) or Owned (limited plans)
Download - If purchased but currently not downloaded, this button will download the asset to your Addon's primary library folder.
Import/Apply - If already downloaded, this will import the asset into Blender. If this is a material asset and an object is selected, it will read as Apply, and will automatically apply the material to the selected object. If no object is selected, it will load the material into memory with a fake user but not apply it. Models always import as new objects into the scene
Down Arrow - This Quick Menu allows you Import/Download different resolutions of the asset, as well as open the folder locally.
Large Detail Viewer
From the down-arrow quick menu, you can open a dynamic large detail viewer for any asset. From this menu, you can easily purchase, download, and import assets. You also have a button to open the local folder, if already downloaded.
Filtered views
After performing a search or changing categories, you can then further filter your results to one of the following views:
All: View the entire online Poliigon library (limited to your search term or selected category)
Owned: View assets you acquired by using your asset balance - will not display for free or users with no assets acquired via an asset balance
Downloads: Lists out all assets you have previously downloaded, whether or not they are currently local
Local: Lists out all assets with any locally found files
Imported: Lists out assets found in the current blend file or open scene
Account Details Section
Displays Subscription Details, including current status such as paused or non-renewing
Subscribe Now / Manage Account - This button will open your browser at the appropriate page to purchase/edit a subscription
Open Preferences and Addon Help
Opens the Poliigon Addon preferences directly. Also accessible from Edit > Preferences > Addon, and then by searching for Poliigon.
To the left, press the book icon to open this online documentation page.
Addon Preferences
Library + additional directories section
Library - Main root folder for the addon to use when downloading assets
Additional Libraries - Allows you to specify additional directories to scan for download assets. (Note - Only Poliigon assets are supported currently.)
Asset Browser Preferences
Only visible if you have at least one owned asset (does not apply to free or unlimited downloads)
Library Name - The name the addon will create or search for in the blender File Paths section for library paths. This will be the display name of the Poliigon library in the Blender Asset Browser
Synchronize Local Assets - A button which kicks off creating the library and processing assets to display in the library.
Display Preferences
These settings are now also available in the dropdown next to the filter bar above the asset grid.
Thumbnail size - Changes how large to make the thumbnails displayed in the 3D panel grid viewer
Assets Per Page - How many assets to show per page in the main UI.
Note: We suggest using a page size of 10 or smaller for the best stability
Refresh data - (v1.2+) Force a full refresh of icons and addon internal data, also available as a refresh icon in the 3D view panel next to the search bar
Textures Settings
Default texture resolution - The default (closest) resolution size to download and import. For any given asset, you can still use the asset dropdown menu to pick another size to download or import different from the default.
Map Preferences
Similar to the Poliigon website, you have granular control over the extension and which files to include in downloads. These settings are also used to consider what files are necessary to perform imports. For this reason, be wary that changing these settings may require you to download new maps for assets you already have locally. Pressing download on such assets will only download the missing files, not necessarily the entire asset. These settings are only applicable for assets in our latest standards format.
Restore Web preferences: Pressing this button will reset each of the map preference settings below to match your current download settings on the website.
Map tickbox: Uncheck the box to skip downloading and importing this map; only available for "optional" maps, most maps are required for accurate material representation.
Extension dropdown: Select between JPG, PNG, Tiff (teams only aside from displacement maps), and Exr (enterprise only).
Model Settings
Download + Import .blend Files - If checked, will download blend files instead of FBXs, does not affect LODs
Link .blend files - If a blend file is available and the preference to prefer importing is checked, will aim to link objects instead of appending
Default Model Resolution - The default resolution that model textures will be downloaded in.
Download Model LODs - If checked, automatically download all Level of Detail FBX files with the model
Default Model LOD - Which Level of Detail to import, if LODs are already local. If NONE is selected, the default blend file will be imported. Otherwise, the according LOD FBX file will be imported.
HDRI Settings
Default HDRI Lighting Resolution - The default resolution for HDRI lighting, separate from background resolution.
Use JPG for background - If checked, the default import operation will a different background resolution as specified below
Default HDRI Background Resolution - The default background resolution for HDRIs if "Use JPG for background" is enabled. This value will only effect the scene background, not lighting. It is a way to improve background resolution without loading the memory heavy lighting EXR at the same resolution, but will face more clipping issues and not respond to scene exposure as well.
Other settings
Auto-Download Assets on Purchase - Toggle automatic asset downloading after a purchase. Not applicable or displayed for free or unlimited users.
Show purchase confirmation - when purchasing an asset, show an additional popup confirmation dialogue before performing the purchase. Not applicable or displayed for free or unlimited users.
Disp. Method - The default surface bump and displacement method to use during importing. The options are as follows:
Normal Only: Only use the normal map for simulated bump surface details. Default option.
Bump Only: Use the displacement map instead of the normal map for simulated bump surface details. Only available for Cycles And Eevee Next.
Displacement and Bump: Use the displacement map for simulated bump surface details and physical displacement. Only available for Cycles And Eevee Next.
We previously had Micro (adaptive) Displacements as an option here, you can now choose to turn on Adaptive Displacement directly after importing a texture asset using the redo-last menu
Use 16 bit maps: If they exist, load the higher bit depth maps such as for normal map improved accuracy
Auto-check for update (daily): Checks for updates once per 24h (if Blender is open). You can also always press "Check for update".
Verbose logging to console: Enabled by default, adds additional debugging information into the output system console. Does not affect addon behavior.
Share addon errors/usage: Also available at time of log in. If enabled, automatically shares errors encountered inside the addon to developers. Additionally will send key events inside the addon, such as pressing operators or viewing sections, so that we may better understand its usage and improve performance. We do not send any usage behavior outside the Poliigon Addon itself.
Using Materials
Applying a material
Select the object you would like to apply a material to.
Click the “Apply” button on the material selection within the addon.
Material "Adjust last" / "Redo Last" settings
Right after importing or applying a material, look to the bottom left of the 3D view or press F9 to pull up the "adjust last" menu.
Texture - Pick another texture resolution (limited to sizes already local)
Mapping - Pick between different texture mapping options:
Built in mapping options including: UV, Flat, Box, Sphere, Tube
Mosaic: a special de-tiling node good for breaking up repetition (also available from the "Shift-A > Poliigon Node Groups" menu in the shader node editor).
Displacement method - Pick which displacement method to use (defaults to the choice in user preferences, which itself defaults to Normal Only)
Normal Only: Only use the normal map for simulated bump surface details. Default option.
Bump Only: Use the displacement map instead of the normal map for simulated bump surface details. Only available for Cycles And Eevee Next.
Displacement and Bump: Use the displacement map for simulated bump surface details and physical displacement. Only available for Cycles And Eevee Next.
Adaptive Displacement Only: Use the displacement map for geometric displacement only, and sets the material and applied object(s) up for pixel-perfect subdivision with a subdiv modifier. Cycles only.
Displacement strength - Adjust how much displacement to apply, measured in meters. Not visible if "Normal Only" is selected above.
Scale - Change the size multiplier for unwrapped mapping scale. Higher values increase the amount of tiling of the texture
16-Bit textures (if any) - Load higher bitdepth maps, at the cost of extra memory
Reuse Material - If you already imported the material before at that same texture size and mapping combination, reuse that material instead of generating a new one
Keep Additional Texture Nodes - if there are other texture maps local but not directly connected to the shader output, such as ID maps or vertex blend color maps, keep them loaded in the material for ease of further use. Keeping these material maps will not impact render times if they remain disconnected.
Adjusting the imported material
To adjust the imported material, open the shading tab and locate the material node group. As of v1.6.0 and later, we now directly load the entire material without extra grouping of material nodes. A snippet of this example material layout is available below.
Ambient occlusion is connected but turned off by default, since it is not realistic or necessary for path traced rendering. Increase the Factor of the color mix node to apply it to your material when desired.
Exporting objects with materials for game engines, such as for gLTF, obj, or fbx? Disconnect the Ambient Occlusion node for best results, as otherwise the output file will fail to include the color map while other maps may be retained. Not all export formats will be able to retain all maps.
Poliigon Nodegroup (Legacy)
Previously, before v1.6.0 of the addon, materials would import into this legacy node group. Pre-existing saved materials and models downloaded from the website in blend format may still have this node group on import or reuse:
Scale - Adjust the scale of the material.
Aspect Ration - Adjustment for non-square textures, will be adjusted automatically on import.
Translate X, Y - Move the texture along the X, Y access, corresponding to the UV.
Global Rotation - Rotate the material, corresponding to the UV.
Color Hue, Saturation, Value, Brightness, and Contrast Adj. - Adjustment sliders
AO Strength - Adjust the amount of influence the ambient occlusion texture has.
Roughness Adj. - Adjustment to the roughness map.
Normal Strength - Adjustment to the normal map’s strength.
Displacement Strength - Adjust displacement strength (Defaults to ZERO!)
Displacement Mid-Level - Adjust the mid-level of the displacement.
Bump Strength - Adjust the strength of the bump map (Defaults to 0.005)
Subsurface Multiplier - Adjust the effect of the SSS map.
* Certain values may be missing depending on the material imported. For example, if the material doesn’t have an SSS map, no Subsurface Multiplier value will be listed.
Using Models
Importing a model
Set the 3D Cursor to the desired location
Click Import within the addon
View the F9/redo last menu for more options on how to import, such as to import models as collections, or to change to link models instead of append (not applicable if importing LODs)
Model redo last settings
Right after importing a model, look to the bottom left of the 3D view or press F9 to pull up the "redo last" menu.
LOD - If any LODs are available, import that using the settings below. Not available if using "Link .blend file". LODs always load FBXs on disk, not the source blend file, so you may find there are some material setting differences.
Texture - Change the model texture to load, only will display already downloaded model resolutions
Import as collection - If ticked, create a collection for this model at the origin of the scene, and place an instance of that collection. Future model imports will continue to reference that existing collection instead of performing new imports.
Reuse materials: - If you have already imported this model before, reuse the prior material instead of creating a new duplicate
Link .blend file - If a blend file is available, live link the model. If disabled, all operations will act like "append"
Using HDRs
Importing an HDR will automatically assign it to the active world, or create a new one if necessary. You will not see this HDR unless you go into the rendered mode, and you can see the node layout in the shader window after switching to World. HDRs are imported with two image inputs, depending on your user preferences
Light - A higher-depth EXR file used to actually light the scene.
Background - The JPG image to be visible in the background render.
HDR redo last settings
Right after importing an HDR, look to the bottom left of the 3D view or press F9 to pull up the "redo last" menu.
Light Texture - The EXR resolution size which will be used to light the scene
Background Texture - By default will use the Light Texture, but you can select another typically higher resolution JPG
HDR Strength - How strongly the lighting texture will light up the scene
Z-Rotation - Rotate the whole HDR using this slider
Blender Asset Browser integration
As of the addon version 1.4.0, there is now support for the Blender Asset Browser for pro plans (non-unlimited). This only supports assets which are owned after using your asset balance on a Pro limited plan, this does not apply to free or unlimited downloaded asset.
Once you have synced your already downloaded assets, you will be able to easily drag and drop them into your scene. Poliigon blend files for the asset library are generated on the fly, using your current user preference default values for which size and setting variants to use when generating files. You will notice "_LIB.blend" files appearing adjacent to your assets, which allows for this integration to work. Where possible, model files will link to the source blend file to avoid data duplication.
See the section in the Poliigon addon's user preferences to get started, click "Synchronize Local Assets" to generate the library. Broader support for the asset browser is planned.
You can also sync a single asset at a time from the asset quick menu:
Other Information
We recommend you leave files and folder structures downloaded as-is without renaming, to avoid breaking connections with the addon. You may, though, move assets into subfolders of pre-existing libraries as much as you like, as the plugin will discover these folders recursively from added libraries.
Remember to always restart blender after performing any updates of the addon
If you run into issues, you can chat with help on this page using the chat bubble to connect with our support team.