Blender (software)

File:Cube in Blender Editor.png

Blender was initially developed as an in-house application by the Dutch animation studio NeoGeo (no relation to the video game brand), and was officially launched on January 2, 1994.{{cite web|url=https://code.blender.org/2013/12/how-blender-started-twenty-years-ago/|title=How Blender started, twenty years ago…|website=Blender Developers Blog|date=27 December 2013 |publisher=Blender Foundation|language=en|access-date=2019-01-10}} Version 1.00 was released in January 1995,{{cite web|url=https://archive.blender.org/wiki/index.php/Doc:DK/2.6/Manual|title=Doc:DK/2.6/Manual - BlenderWiki|work=Blender.org|access-date=2019-01-11}} with the primary author being the company co-owner and software developer Ton Roosendaal. The name Blender was inspired by a song by the Swiss electronic band Yello, from the album Baby, which NeoGeo used in its showreel.{{cite web|date=2021-10-19|title=Ton Roosendaal Reveals the Origin of Blender's name|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2021/10/19/ton-roosendaal-reveals-the-origin-of-blenders-name/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=BlenderNation|language=en-US}}Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/3CdA_NMw7lc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190216080628/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CdA_NMw7lc&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CdA_NMw7lc|title=NeoGeo — Blender|publisher=YouTube|date=2011-10-28|access-date=2019-06-11}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mopi.nl/blogo/p1.html|title=Brief history of the Blender logo—Traces|last=Kassenaar|first=Joeri|date=2006-07-20|access-date=2010-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122234804/http://www.mopi.nl/blogo/p1.html|archive-date=2010-01-22|url-status=dead}} Some design choices and experiences for Blender were carried over from an earlier software application, called Traces, that Roosendaal developed for NeoGeo on the Commodore Amiga platform during the 1987–1991 period.{{cite web|url=http://zgodzinski.com/blender-prehistory/|title=Blender's prehistory - Traces on Commodore Amiga (1987-1991)|website=zgodzinski.com}}

On January 1, 1998, Blender was released publicly online as SGI freeware. NeoGeo was later dissolved, and its client contracts were taken over by another company. After NeoGeo's dissolution, Ton Roosendaal founded Not a Number Technologies (NaN, a reference to the computing term of the same name) in June 1998 to further develop Blender, initially distributing it as shareware until NaN went bankrupt in 2002. This also resulted in the discontinuation of Blender's development.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/foundation/history/|title=Blender History|website=Blender.org|access-date=March 29, 2018}}

In May 2002, Roosendaal started the non-profit Blender Foundation, with the first goal to find a way to continue developing and promoting Blender as a community-based open-source project. On July 18, 2002, Roosendaal started the "Free Blender" campaign, a crowdfunding precursor.{{cite web|url=http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2002072201226OSBZCY|title=Blender Foundation Launches Campaign to Open Blender Source|publisher=Linux Today|access-date=2017-01-22|archive-date=2020-11-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128082249/https://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2002072201226osbzcy|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.blender3d.com/campaign.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021010045558/http://www.blender3d.com/campaign.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-10|title=Free Blender campaign|date=2002-10-10|access-date=2017-01-22}} The campaign aimed at open-sourcing Blender for a one-time payment of €100,000 (USD 100,670 at the time), with the money being collected from the community.{{cite web|url=http://www.blender3d.com/members.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021010174347/http://www.blender3d.com/members.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-10|title=members|date=2002-10-10|access-date=2017-01-22}} On September 7, 2002, it was announced that they had collected enough funds and would release the Blender source code. Today, Blender is free and open-source software, largely developed by its community as well as 26 full-time employees and 12 freelancers employed by the Blender Institute.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/institute/|title=Blender.org About|location=Amsterdam|access-date=2021-02-01}}

The Blender Foundation initially reserved the right to use dual licensing so that, in addition to GPL 2.0-or-later, Blender would have been available also under the "Blender License", which did not require disclosing source code but required payments to the Blender Foundation. However, this option was never exercised and was suspended indefinitely in 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/BL/|title=Blender License|access-date=January 19, 2007|last=Roosendaal|first=Ton|date=June 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090101/https://www.blender.org/BL/|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}} Blender is solely available under "GNU GPLv2 or any later" and was not updated to the GPLv3, as "no evident benefits" were seen.{{cite web|url=https://librearts.org/2012/01/whats-up-with-dwg-adoption-in-free-software/|title=What's up with DWG adoption in free software?|last=Prokoudine|first=Alexandre|date=26 January 2012|access-date=2025-03-09|publisher=librearts.org|quote=[Blender's Ton Roosendaal:] Blender is also still 'GPLv2 or later'. For the time being we stick to that, moving to GPL 3 has no evident benefits I know of. My advice for LibreDWG: if you make a library, choosing a widely compatible license (MIT, BSD, or LGPL) is a very positive choice.}} The binary releases of Blender are under GNU GPLv3 or later because of the incorporated Apache libraries.{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=License |url=https://www.blender.org/about/license/ |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=blender.org |language=en}}

In 2019, with the release of version 2.80, the integrated game engine for making and prototyping video games was removed; Blender's developers recommended that users migrate to more powerful open source game engines such as Godot instead.{{cite web|title=rB159806140fd3|url=https://developer.blender.org/rB159806140fd33e6ddab951c0f6f180cfbf927d38|website=developer.blender.org|access-date=2019-02-28}}{{cite web|title=Blender 2.80 release|url=https://www.blender.org/download/releases/2-80/|website=blender.org|access-date=2020-01-16}}

File:Suzanne.stl

In February 2002, the fate of the Blender software company, NaN, became evident as it faced imminent closure in March.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Nevertheless, one more release was pushed out, Blender 2.25.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} As a sort of Easter egg and last personal tag,{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} the artists and developers decided to add a 3D model of a chimpanzee head (called a "monkey" in the software). It was created by Willem-Paul van Overbruggen (SLiD3), who named it Suzanne after the orangutan in the Kevin Smith film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.{{Cite web |title=Meet Suzanne, the Blender Monkey |url=https://www.dummies.com/article/technology/software/animation-software/blender/meet-suzanne-the-blender-monkey-142918/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=dummies |language=en}}

Suzanne is Blender's alternative to more common test models such as the Utah Teapot and the Stanford Bunny. A low-polygon model with only 500 faces, Suzanne is included in Blender and often used as a quick and easy way to test materials, animations, rigs, textures, and lighting setups. It is included as a primitive, alongside other meshes such as cubes and planes.{{Cite web|title=Primitives — Blender Manual|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/modeling/meshes/primitives.html#monkey|access-date=2023-08-26|website=docs.blender.org}}

The largest Blender contest gives out an award called the Suzanne Award,{{cite web|author=Blender Foundation|url=https://conference.blender.org/2019/festival/|title=Suzanne Awards 2019|publisher=Conference.blender.org|date=2019|accessdate=2022-07-19}} underscoring the significance of this unique 3D model in the Blender community.

File:Steps of forensic facial reconstruction - Virtual Mummy - cogitas3d.gif]]Blender has support for a variety of geometric primitives, including polygon meshes, Bézier curves, NURBS surfaces, metaballs, icospheres, text, and an n-gon modeling system called B-mesh. There is also an advanced polygonal modelling system which can be accessed through an edit mode. It supports features such as extrusion, bevelling, and subdividing.{{cite web|title=Editing — Blender Manual|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/modeling/surfaces/editing/|access-date=2022-03-18|website=docs.blender.org}}

Modifiers apply non-destructive effects which can be applied upon rendering or exporting, such as subdivision surfaces.

Blender has multi-resolution digital sculpting, which includes dynamic topology, "baking", remeshing, re-symmetrization, and decimation. The latter is used to simplify models for exporting purposes (an example being game assets).

File:Pebble scattering - Blender Geometry Nodes fields.png

Blender has a node graph system for procedurally and non-destructively creating and manipulating geometry. It was first added to Blender 2.92, which focuses on object scattering and instancing.{{cite web|title=Blender 2.92 Release Notes|url=https://www.blender.org/download/releases/2-92/|url-status=live|website=blender.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225175316/https://www.blender.org/download/releases/2-92/|archive-date=2021-02-25}} It takes the form of a modifier, so it can be stacked over other different modifiers.{{cite web|title=Geometry Nodes Modifier — Blender Manual|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/2.93/modeling/modifiers/generate/geometry_nodes.html|access-date=2021-10-08|website=docs.blender.org}} The system uses object attributes, which can be modified and overridden with string inputs. Attributes can include positions, normals and UV maps.{{cite web|title=Attributes — Blender Manual|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/2.93/modeling/geometry_nodes/attributes_reference.html|access-date=2021-10-08|website=docs.blender.org}} All attributes can be viewed in an attribute spreadsheet editor.{{cite web|title=Spreadsheet — Blender Manual|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/2.93/editors/spreadsheet.html|access-date=2021-10-08|website=docs.blender.org}} The Geometry Nodes utility also has the capability of creating primitive meshes.{{cite web|title=Mesh Primitive Nodes — Blender Manual|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/2.93/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh_primitives/index.html|access-date=2021-10-08|website=docs.blender.org}} In Blender 3.0, support for creating and modifying curves objects was added to Geometry Nodes;{{cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=Procedural Curves in 3.0 and Beyond |url=https://code.blender.org/2021/09/procedural-curves-in-3-0-and-beyond/ |access-date=2021-09-27 |website=Blender Developers Blog |date=16 September 2021 |language=en}} in the same release, the Geometry Nodes workflow was completely redesigned with fields, in order to make the system more intuitive and work like shader nodes.{{cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=Attributes and Fields |url=https://code.blender.org/2021/08/attributes-and-fields/ |access-date=2021-10-02 |website=Blender Developers Blog |date=17 August 2021 |language=en}}Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Yci5ouEmnLI Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20211002130722/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yci5ouEmnLI Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|title=Geometry Nodes Fields: Explained!| date=30 September 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yci5ouEmnLI|language=en|access-date=2021-10-02}}{{cbignore}}

File: Cloth on suzanne.ogvBlender can be used to simulate smoke, rain, dust, cloth, fluids, hair, and rigid bodies.{{cite web|title=Introduction to Physics Simulation — Blender Reference Manual|url=https://www.blender.org/manual/physics/introduction.html#introduction-to-physics-simulation|website=www.blender.org|access-date=2015-12-02}}

File:Physics-Fluid-Simulation-Blender.gifThe fluid simulator can be used for simulating liquids, like water being poured into a cup.{{cite web|title=Create a Realistic Water Simulation – Blender Guru|url=http://www.blenderguru.com/tutorials/create-a-realistic-water-simulation/|website=Blender Guru|date=9 November 2011 |access-date=2015-12-02}} It uses Lattice Boltzmann methods (LBM) to simulate fluids and allows for plenty of adjustment of particles and resolution. The particle physics fluid simulation creates particles that follow the smoothed-particle hydrodynamics method.{{cite web|title=Fluid Physics — Blender Reference Manual|url=https://www.blender.org/manual/physics/particles/physics/fluid.html|website=www.blender.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208070913/https://www.blender.org/manual/physics/particles/physics/fluid.html|archive-date=2015-12-08|access-date=2015-12-02}}

Blender has simulation tools for soft-body dynamics, including mesh collision detection, LBM fluid dynamics, smoke simulation, Bullet rigid-body dynamics, an ocean generator with waves, a particle system that includes support for particle-based hair, and real-time control during physics simulation and rendering.

In Blender 2.82, a new fluid simulation system called Mantaflow was added, replacing the old FLIP system.{{cite web|title=Reference/Release Notes/2.82 - Blender Developer Wiki|url=https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/2.82|access-date=2020-06-10|website=wiki.blender.org}} In Blender 2.92, another fluid simulation system called APIC, which builds on Mantaflow,{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} was added. Vortices and more stable calculations are improved from the FLIP system.

Cloth simulation is done by simulating vertices with a rigid body simulation. If done on a 3D mesh, it will produce similar effects as the soft body simulation.

Blender's keyframed animation capabilities include inverse kinematics, armatures, hooks, curve- and lattice-based deformations, shape keys, non-linear animation, constraints, and vertex weighting. In addition, its Grease Pencil tools allow for 2D animation within a full 3D pipeline.

File:Architectural render 02 (Blender).jpg

File:Lunar Gateway rendering 2.webp rendering in Blender]]

Blender includes three render engines since version 2.80: EEVEE, Workbench and Cycles.

Cycles is a path tracing render engine. It supports rendering through both the CPU and the GPU. Cycles supports the Open Shading Language since Blender 2.65.{{cite web|title=Cycles support OpenSL shading|url=https://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-265/|publisher=blender.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125141121/https://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-265/|archive-date=January 25, 2013|access-date=January 26, 2013}}

Cycles Hybrid Rendering is possible in Version 2.92 with Optix. Tiles are calculated with GPU in combination with CPU.{{cite web|url=https://developer.blender.org/rBbfb6fce6594e|title=RBbfb6fce6594e}}

EEVEE is a new physically based real-time renderer. While it is capable of driving Blender's real-time viewport for creating assets thanks to its speed, it can also work as a renderer for final frames.

Workbench is a real-time render engine designed for fast rendering during modelling and animation preview. It is not intended for final rendering. Workbench supports assigning colors to objects for visual distinction.{{Cite web|author=Blender Documentation Team|title=Rendering - Workbench - Introduction|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/render/workbench/introduction.html|access-date=2023-02-07|website=Blender Manual}}

File:Rendering using Cycles in Blender.webm

Cycles is a path-tracing render engine that is designed to be interactive and easy to use, while still supporting many features.{{cite web|title=Introduction — Blender Reference Manual|url=http://www.blender.org/manual/render/cycles/introduction.html|website=www.blender.org|access-date=2015-10-18}} It has been included with Blender since 2011, with the release of Blender 2.61. Cycles supports with AVX, AVX2 and AVX-512 extensions, as well as CPU acceleration in modern hardware.{{Cite web|last1=Jaroš|first1=Milan|last2=Strakoš|first2=Petr|last3=Říha|first3=Lubomír|title=Rending in Blender Cycles Using AVX-512 Vectorization|url=https://www.ixpug.org/documents/1520629330Jaros-IXPUG-CINECABlender5.pdf|access-date=March 2, 2023}}

Cycles supports GPU rendering, which is used to speed up rendering times. There are three GPU rendering modes: CUDA, which is the preferred method for older Nvidia graphics cards; OptiX, which utilizes the hardware ray-tracing capabilities of Nvidia's Turing architecture & Ampere architecture; HIP, which supports rendering on AMD Radeon graphics cards; and oneAPI for Intel and Intel Arc GPUs. The toolkit software associated with these rendering modes does not come within Blender and needs to be separately installed and configured as per their respective source instructions.

Multiple GPUs are also supported (with the notable exception of the EEVEE render engine{{cite web|title=Limitations — Blender Manual|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/render/eevee/limitations.html#multiple-gpu-support|website=www.blender.org|access-date=2023-01-12}}) which can be used to create a render farm to speed up rendering by processing frames or tiles in parallel—having multiple GPUs, however, does not increase the available memory since each GPU can only access its own memory.{{cite web|title=GPU Rendering — Blender Reference Manual|url=http://www.blender.org/manual/render/cycles/gpu_rendering.html|website=www.blender.org|access-date=2015-10-18}} Since Version 2.90, this limitation of SLI cards is broken with Nvidia's NVLink.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender3darchitect.com/blender-cycles/blender-2-90-cycles-updates-in-multi-gpu-nvlink/|title=Blender 2.90: Cycles updates in Multi GPU (NVLink) • Blender 3D Architect|date=10 August 2020}}

Apple's Metal API got initial implementation in Blender 3.1 for Apple computers with M1 chips and AMD graphics cards.{{cite web|url=https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/3.1/Cycles|title=Reference/Release Notes/3.1/Cycles - Blender Developer Wiki}}

The integrator is the core rendering algorithm used for lighting computations. Cycles currently supports a path tracing integrator with direct light sampling. It works well for a variety of lighting setups, but it is not as suitable for caustics and certain other complex lighting situations. Rays are traced from the camera into the scene, bouncing around until they find a light source (a lamp, an object material emitting light, or the world background), or until they are simply terminated based on the number of maximum bounces determined in the light path settings for the renderer. To find lamps and surfaces emitting light, both indirect light sampling (letting the ray follow the surface bidirectional scattering distribution function, or BSDF) and direct light sampling (picking a light source and tracing a ray towards it) are used.{{cite web|title=Integrator — Blender Reference Manual|url=http://www.blender.org/manual/render/cycles/settings/integrator.html#integrator|website=www.blender.org|access-date=2015-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009124836/http://www.blender.org/manual/render/cycles/settings/integrator.html#integrator|archive-date=2015-10-09|url-status=dead}}

The default path tracing integrator is a "pure" path tracer. This integrator works by sending several light rays that act as photons from the camera out into the scene. These rays will eventually hit either: a light source, an object, or the world background. If these rays hit an object, they will bounce based on the angle of impact, and continue bouncing until a light source has been reached or until a maximum number of bounces, as determined by the user, which will cause it to terminate and result in a black, unlit pixel. Multiple rays are calculated and averaged out for each pixel, a process known as "sampling". This sampling number is set by the user and greatly affects the final image. Lower sampling often results in more noise and has the potential to create "fireflies" (which are uncharacteristically bright pixels), while higher sampling greatly reduces noise, but also increases render times.

The alternative is a branched path tracing integrator, which works mostly the same way. Branched path tracing splits the light rays at each intersection with an object according to different surface components,{{Clarify|reason=|date=December 2019}} and takes all lights into account for shading instead of just one. This added complexity makes computing each ray slower but reduces noise in the render, especially in scenes dominated by direct (one-bounce) lighting. This was removed in Blender 3.0 with the advent of Cycles X, as improvements to the pure path tracing integrator made the branched path tracing integrator redundant.{{cite web |title=Cycles X |url=https://code.blender.org/2021/04/cycles-x/#deprecation |website=Blender Developer Blog |date=23 April 2021 |access-date=2024-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706015139/https://code.blender.org/2021/04/cycles-x/#deprecation |archive-date=2024-07-06}}

Blender users can create their own nodes using the Open Shading Language (OSL); this allows users to create stunning materials that are entirely procedural, which allows them to be used on any objects without stretching the texture as opposed to image-based textures which need to be made to fit a certain object. (Note that the shader nodes editor is shown in the image, although mostly correct, has undergone a slight change, changing how the UI is structured and looks.{{cite web|url=https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/render/shader_nodes/index.html|title=Shader Nodes — Blender Manual}}

File:Blender shader node editor showcasing a Moldy Gold Materiel.png

Materials define the look of meshes, NURBS curves, and other geometric objects. They consist of three shaders to define the mesh's surface appearance, volume inside, and surface displacement.

The surface shader defines the light interaction at the surface of the mesh. One or more bidirectional scattering distribution functions, or BSDFs, can specify if incoming light is reflected, refracted into the mesh, or absorbed. The alpha value is one measure of translucency.

When the surface shader does not reflect or absorb light, it enters the volume (light transmission). If no volume shader is specified, it will pass straight through (or be refracted, see refractive index or IOR) to another side of the mesh.

If one is defined, a volume shader describes the light interaction as it passes through the volume of the mesh. Light may be scattered, absorbed, or even emitted{{Clarify|reason=|date=December 2019}} at any point in the volume.

The shape of the surface may be altered by displacement shaders. In this way, textures can be used to make the mesh surface more detailed.

Depending on the settings, the displacement may be virtual-only modifying the surface normals to give the impression of displacement (also known as bump mapping) – real, or a combination of real displacement with bump mapping.

EEVEE (or Eevee) is a real-time PBR renderer included in Blender from version 2.8.{{cite web|date=2017-03-23|title=Eevee Roadmap|url=https://code.blender.org/2017/03/eevee-roadmap/|access-date=2019-06-11|publisher=Code.blender.org}} This render engine was given the nickname EEVEE,{{cite web|title=Ton Roosendaal - EEVEE|url=https://twitter.com/tonroosendaal/status/809474433903722496|first=Ton|last=Roosendaal|publisher=Twitter|access-date=2019-06-11}} after the Pokémon species. The name was later made into the backronym "Extra Easy Virtual Environment Engine" or EEVEE.{{cite web|title=Blender Developers Blog - Viewport Project – Plan of Action|url=https://code.blender.org/2016/12/viewport-project-plan-of-action/|date=2016-12-15|publisher=Code.blender.org|access-date=2019-06-11}}

With the release of Blender 4.2 LTS{{Cite web |title=4.2 LTS - Blender Developer Documentation |url=https://developer.blender.org/docs/release_notes/4.2/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=developer.blender.org}} in July 2024, EEVEE received an overhaul by its lead developer, Clément Foucault, called EEVEE Next. EEVEE Next boasts a variety of new features for Blender's real-time and rasterised renderer, including screen-space global illumination (SSGI),{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=EEVEE's Future |url=https://code.blender.org/2021/06/eevees-future/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Blender Developers Blog |date=4 June 2021 |language=en}} virtual shadowmapping, sunlight extraction from HDRIs, and a rewritten system for reflections and indirect lighting via light probe volumes and cubemaps.{{Cite web |last=blender |title=EEVEE-Next |url=https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender/issues/93220 |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Blender Projects |language=en-US}} EEVEE Next also brings improved volumetric rendering, along with support for displacement shaders and an improved depth of field system similar to Cycles.

Plans for future releases of EEVEE include support for hardware-accelerated ray-tracing{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=EEVEE Next Generation in Blender 4.2 LTS |url=https://code.blender.org/2024/07/eevee-next-generation-in-blender-4-2-lts/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Blender Developers Blog |date=11 July 2024 |language=en}} and continued improvements to performance and shader compilation.

Using the default 3D viewport drawing system for modeling, texturing, etc.{{cite web |title=Ton Roosendaal on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/tonroosendaal/status/991709311293448192 |access-date=May 24, 2018 |website=Twitter}}

Free and open-source:{{cite web|title=External Renderers|url=https://www.blender.org/download/external-renderers/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309054241/https://www.blender.org/download/external-renderers/|archive-date=2018-03-09|access-date=2018-06-14}}

• Mitsuba Renderer{{cite web|title=Mitsuba Renderer|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2010/11/24/mitsuba-renderer/|website=BlenderNation|date=24 November 2010}}
• YafaRay (previously Yafray)
• LuxCoreRender (previously LuxRender)
• Appleseed Renderer{{cite web|title=Appleseed Renderer|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2012/05/02/appleseed-renderer/|website=BlenderNation|date=2 May 2012}}
• POV-Ray
• NOX Renderer{{cite web|title=Getting started with NOX Renderer in Blender|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2014/09/03/getting-started-with-nox-renderer-in-blender-2/|website=BlenderNation|date=3 September 2014}}
• Armory3D – a free and open source game engine for Blender written in Haxe{{cite web|title=Armory - 3D Engine|url=https://armory3d.org/|access-date=2022-01-05|website=armory3d.org|language=en}}
• Radeon ProRender – Radeon ProRender for Blender
• Malt Render – a non-photorealistic renderer with GLSL shading capabilities{{cite web|url=https://malt3d.com/#/|title=malt-render|access-date=2022-01-01|website=malt3d.com}}

Proprietary:

• Pixar RenderMan – Blender render addon for RenderMan{{cite web|title=RenderMan for Blender 24.0|url=https://rmanwiki.pixar.com/display/RFB24/RenderMan+for+Blender+24.0|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Renderman Documentation}}
• Octane Render – OctaneRender plugin for Blender
• Indigo Renderer – Indigo for Blender
• V-Ray – V-Ray for Blender, V-Ray Standalone is needed for rendering
• Maxwell Render – B-Maxwell addon for Blender
• Thea Render – Thea for Blender{{cite web|title=Blender Add-on for Thea Render|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2013/10/03/blender-add-on-for-thea-render/|website=BlenderNation|date=3 October 2013}}
• Corona Renderer – Blender To Corona exporter, Corona Standalone is needed for rendering{{cite web|title=Blender & Corona Renderer Tutorial|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2014/11/13/blender-corona-renderer-tutorial/|website=BlenderNation|date=13 November 2014}}

Blender allows procedural and node-based textures, as well as texture painting, projective painting, vertex painting, weight painting and dynamic painting.

File:Blender 28 Editing Workspace.png

Blender has a node-based compositor within the rendering pipeline, which is accelerated with OpenCL, and in 4.0 it supports GPU. It also includes a non-linear video editor called the Video Sequence Editor (VSE), with support for effects like Gaussian blur, color grading, fade and wipe transitions, and other video transformations. However, there is no built-in multi-core support for rendering video with the VSE.

Blender supports Python scripting for the creation of custom tools, prototyping, importing/exporting from other formats, and task automation. This allows for integration with several external render engines through plugins/addons. Blender itself can also be compiled & imported as a Python library for further automation and development.

The Blender Game Engine was a built-in real-time graphics and logic engine with features such as collision detection, a dynamics engine, and programmable logic. It also allowed the creation of stand-alone, real-time applications ranging from architectural visualization to video games. In April 2018, the engine was removed from the upcoming Blender 2.8 release series, due to updates and revisions to the engine lagging behind other game engines such as Unity and the open-source Godot. In the 2.8 announcements, the Blender team specifically mentioned the Godot engine as a suitable replacement for migrating Blender Game Engine users.

Blender Internal, a biased rasterization engine and scanline renderer used in previous versions of Blender, was also removed for the 2.80 release in favor of the new "EEVEE" renderer, a realtime physically based renderer.{{cite web|title=Blender Internal renderer removed from 2.8|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2018/04/19/blender-internal-renderer-removed-from-2-8/|date=April 19, 2018|website=BlenderNation}}

Blender features an internal file system that can pack multiple scenes into a single ".blend" file.

• Most of Blender's ".blend" files are forward, backward, and cross-platform compatible with other versions of Blender, with the following exceptions:
• Loading animations stored in post-2.5 files in Blender pre-2.5. This is due to the reworked animation subsystem introduced in Blender 2.5 being inherently incompatible with older versions.
• Loading meshes stored in post 2.63. This is due to the introduction of BMesh, a more versatile mesh format.
• Blender 2.8 ".blend" files are no longer fully backward compatible, causing errors when opened in previous versions.
• Many 3.x ".blend" files are not completely backwards-compatible as well, and may cause errors with previous versions.
• All scenes, objects, materials, textures, sounds, images, and post-production effects for an entire animation can be packaged and stored in a single ".blend" file. Data loaded from external sources, such as images and sounds, can also be stored externally and referenced through either an absolute or relative file path. Likewise, ".blend" files themselves can also be used as libraries of Blender assets.
• Interface configurations are retained in ".blend" files.

A wide variety of import/export scripts that extend Blender capabilities (accessing the object data via an internal API) make it possible to interoperate with other 3D tools.

Blender organizes data as various kinds of "data blocks" (akin to glTF), such as Objects, Meshes, Lamps, Scenes, Materials, Images, and so on. An object in Blender consists of multiple data blocks – for example, what the user would describe as a polygon mesh consists of at least an Object and a Mesh data block, and usually also a Material and many more, linked together. This allows various data blocks to refer to each other. There may be, for example, multiple Objects that refer to the same Mesh, and making subsequent editing of the shared mesh results in shape changes in all Objects using this Mesh. Objects, meshes, materials, textures, etc. can also be linked to other .blend files, which is what allows the use of .blend files as reusable resource libraries.

.bmp, .dxf, .sgi, .hdr, .jpg, .jpeg, JPEG 2000, .png, .tif, .tiff, .tga, .exr, .cin, .dpx, .svg, .webphttps://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/files/media/image_formats.html

.3ds, .abc, .blend, .bvh, .dae, .dxf, .fbx, .gltf, .glb, .lwo, .obj, .ply, .stl, .usd, .wrl, .x3d

.avi, .mkv, .mov, .mp4, .ogv, .webm

.bmp, .dxf, .exr, .jpg, .png, .svg, .tif, .tga, .webp

.abc, .blend, .bvh, .dae, .dxf, .fbx, .gltf, .glb, .obj, .ply, .stl, .usd, .wrl, .x3d

.avi, .mkv, .mp4, .ogv, .webmhttps://all3dp.com/2/blender-file-format-overview/

File:Blender Version 2.570.jpg

Most of the commands are accessible via hotkeys. There are also comprehensive graphical menus. Numeric buttons can be "dragged" to change their value directly without the need to aim at a particular widget, as well as being set using the keyboard. Both sliders and number buttons can be constrained to various step sizes with modifiers like the {{mono|Ctrl}} and {{mono|Shift}} keys. Python expressions can also be typed directly into number entry fields, allowing mathematical expressions to specify values.

Blender includes many modes for interacting with objects, the two primary ones being Object Mode and Edit Mode, which are toggled with the {{mono|Tab}} key. Object mode is used to manipulate individual objects as a unit, while Edit mode is used to manipulate the actual object data. For example, an Object Mode can be used to move, scale, and rotate entire polygon meshes, and Edit Mode can be used to manipulate the individual vertices of a single mesh. There are also several other modes, such as Vertex Paint, Weight Paint, and Sculpt Mode.

The Blender GUI builds its tiled windowing system on top of one or multiple windows provided by the underlying platform. One platform window (often sized to fill the screen) is divided into sections and subsections that can be of any type of Blender's views or window types. The user can define multiple layouts of such Blender windows, called screens, and switch quickly between them by selecting from a menu or with keyboard shortcuts. Each window type's own GUI elements can be controlled with the same tools that manipulate the 3D view. For example, one can zoom in and out of GUI-buttons using similar controls, one zooms in and out in the 3D viewport. The GUI viewport and screen layout are fully user-customizable. It is possible to set up the interface for specific tasks such as video editing or UV mapping or texturing by hiding features not used for the task.

File:Stucco-blendergame.jpg materials]]

Since the opening of the source code, Blender has experienced significant refactoring of the initial codebase and major additions to its feature set.

Improvements include an animation system refresh;{{cite web|url=https://archive.blender.org/wiki/index.php/Dev:2.4/Source/Animation/AnimationUpdate|title=Blender Animation system refresh project|publisher=blender.org|access-date=2019-01-14}} a stack-based modifier system;{{cite web|url=https://archive.blender.org/wiki/index.php/Dev:Source/Modifiers|title=Modifiers|publisher=blender.org|access-date=2019-01-14}} an updated particle system{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-240/new-particle-options-and-guides/|title=New Particle options and Guides|publisher=Blender.org|access-date=2012-07-06}} (which can also be used to simulate hair and fur); fluid dynamics; soft-body dynamics; GLSL shaders support{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-241/glsl-pixel-and-vertex-shaders/|title=GLSL Pixel and Vertex shaders|publisher=Blender.org|access-date=2012-07-06}} in the game engine; advanced UV unwrapping;{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-241/subsurf-uv-mapping/|title=Subsurf UV Mapping|publisher=Blender.org|access-date=2012-07-06}} a fully recoded render pipeline, allowing separate render passes and "render to texture"; node-based material editing and compositing; and projection painting.{{cite web|url=https://archive.blender.org/wiki/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.49/Projection_Paint|title=Dev:Ref/Release Notes/2.49/Projection Paint – BlenderWiki|publisher=blender.org|date=June 3, 2009|access-date=2019-01-14}}

Part of this development was fostered by Google's Summer of Code program, in which the Blender Foundation has participated since 2005.

Historically, Blender has used Phabricator to manage its development but due to the announcement in 2021 that Phabricator would be discontinued,{{Cite web|title=✩ Phacility is Winding Down Operations|url=https://admin.phacility.com/phame/post/view/11/phacility_is_winding_down_operations/|access-date=2022-08-09|website=admin.phacility.com}} the Blender Institute began work on migrating to another system in early 2022.{{Citation|title=GitLab? Gitea? Call for participation on the future of Blender's development platform| date=16 March 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5EyDQkqMUw|language=en|access-date=2022-08-09}} After extensive debate on what software it should choose{{Cite web|date=2022-03-16|title=Developer.blender.org - Call for comments and participation|url=https://devtalk.blender.org/t/developer-blender-org-call-for-comments-and-participation/23451|access-date=2022-08-09|website=Blender Developer Talk|language=en}} it was finally decided to migrate to Gitea.{{Cite web|last=Marijnissen|first=Arnd|date=2022-06-27|title=[Bf-committers] Gitea as choice for Phabricator migration. Reasons and timeline|url=https://lists.blender.org/pipermail/bf-committers/2022-June/051378.html|access-date=2022-08-09}} The migration from Phabricator to Gitea is currently a work in progress.{{Cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Gitea Diaries: Part 1|url=https://code.blender.org/2022/07/gitea-diaries-part-1/|access-date=2022-08-09|website=Blender Developers Blog|date=12 July 2022 |language=en}}

Official planning for the next major revision of Blender after the 2.7 series began in the latter half of 2015, with potential targets including a more configurable UI (dubbed "Blender 101"), support for physically based rendering (PBR) (dubbed EEVEE for "Extra Easy Virtual Environment Engine") to bring improved realtime 3D graphics to the viewport, allowing the use of C++11 and C99 in the codebase, moving to a newer version of OpenGL and dropping support for versions before 3.2, and a possible overhaul of the particle and constraint systems.{{cite web|url=https://code.blender.org/2015/07/blender-2-8-the-workflow-release/|title=Blender 2.8 – the Workflow release|publisher=code.blender.org|date=June 20, 2015|access-date=September 9, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://code.blender.org/2015/11/the-2-8-project-for-developers/|title=2.8 project developer kickoff meeting notes|publisher=code.blender.org|date=November 1, 2015|access-date=September 9, 2017}} Blender Internal renderer has been removed from 2.8. Code Quest was a project started in April 2018 set in Amsterdam, at the Blender Institute.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/press/announcing-blender-2-8-code-quest/|title=Announcing Blender 2.8 Code Quest — blender.org|last=Foundation|first=Blender|website=blender.org|date=12 February 2018 |language=en|access-date=2018-07-07}} The goal of the project was to get a large development team working in one place, in order to speed up the development of Blender 2.8. By June 29, 2018, the Code Quest project ended, and on July 2, the alpha version was completed.{{cite web|url=https://code.blender.org/2018/06/beyond-the-code-quest/|title=Beyond the Code Quest — Blender Developers Blog|last=Foundation|first=Blender|website=Blender Developers Blog|date=29 June 2018 |language=en|access-date=2018-07-07}} Beta testing commenced on November 29, 2018, and was anticipated to take until July 2019.{{cite web|url=https://code.blender.org/2019/04/2-80-release-plan/|title=2.80 Release Plan --- Blender Developers Blog|date=April 12, 2019|website=blender.org|access-date=April 18, 2019}} Blender 2.80 was released on July 30, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/download/releases/|title=Release Notes|last=Foundation|first=Blender|website=blender.org|language=en|access-date=2019-08-14}}

On April 23, 2021, the Blender Foundation announced the Cycles X project, where they improved the Cycles architecture for future development. Key changes included a new kernel, removal of default tiled rendering (replaced by progressive refine), removal of branched path tracing, and the removal of OpenCL support. Volumetric rendering was also replaced with better algorithms.{{cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=Cycles X |url=https://code.blender.org/2021/04/cycles-x/ |access-date=2021-05-01 |website=Blender Developers Blog |date=23 April 2021 |language=en}}Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/awMjwhJVRMw Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210423165250/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awMjwhJVRMw&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|title=Cycles X| date=23 April 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awMjwhJVRMw|language=en|access-date=2021-05-01}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |date=2021-04-23 |title=Blender Announces Cycles X: The Blazingly Fast Future of Cycles |url=https://www.blendernation.com/2021/04/23/blender-announces-cycles-x-the-blazingly-fast-future-of-cycles/ |access-date=2021-05-01 |website=BlenderNation |language=en-US}} Cycles X had only been accessible in an experimental branch{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Blender Experimental Builds - blender.org|url=https://builder.blender.org/|access-date=2021-05-01|website=Blender Experimental Builds - blender.org|language=en}} until September 21, 2021, when it was merged into the Blender 3.0 alpha.{{Cite news |date=2021-09-21 |title=Cycles X now in Blender 3.0 alpha! |url=https://www.blendernation.com/2021/09/21/cycles-x-now-in-blender-3-0-alpha/ |access-date=2021-09-23 |website=BlenderNation |language=en-US}}

Blender is extensively documented on its website.{{cite web|url=https://wiki.blender.org|title=Main Page - BlenderWiki|website=Wiki.blender.org|date=2016-11-03|access-date=2017-01-22}} There are also a number of online communities dedicated to support, such as the Blender Stack Exchange.{{cite web|title=Blender Stack Exchange|url=https://blender.stackexchange.com/|access-date=2022-02-09|website=Blender Stack Exchange}}

Due to Blender's open-source nature, other programs have tried to take advantage of its success by repackaging and selling cosmetically modified versions of it. Examples include IllusionMage, 3DMofun, 3DMagix, and Fluid Designer,{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/press/re-branding-blender/|title=Re-branding Blender|website=Blender.org|date=25 June 2012 |access-date=March 11, 2014}} the latter being recognized as Blender-based.

File:Blender 4.4-splash screen.png on the splash screen of Blender 4.4]]

Blender started as an in-house tool for NeoGeo, a Dutch commercial animation company.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/blenderorg/blender-foundation/history/|title=History|publisher=blender.org|date=2002-10-13|access-date=2012-07-06}} The first large professional project that used Blender was Spider-Man 2, where it was primarily used to create animatics and pre-visualizations for the storyboard department.{{cite web|title=Testimonials|url=https://www.blender.org/features-gallery/testimonials/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221025521/https://www.blender.org/features-gallery/testimonials/|archive-date=February 21, 2007|type=Wayback Machine}}

The French-language film Friday or Another Day ({{ill|Vendredi ou un autre jour|fr|vertical-align=sup}}) was the first 35 mm feature film to use Blender for all the special effects, made on Linux workstations.{{cite web|url=http://users.skynet.be/mume//vendredi/blender.html|title=blender|publisher=Users.skynet.be|access-date=October 22, 2009|archive-date=November 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127112113/http://users.skynet.be/mume//vendredi/blender.html|url-status=dead}} It won a prize at the Locarno International Film Festival. The special effects were by Digital Graphics of Belgium.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalgraphics.be/?page_id=8&idfiche=vendredi&lang=en|title=Digital Graphics - Friday or Another Day|work=Digitalgraphics.be|access-date=2018-11-08|archive-date=2018-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108144456/http://www.digitalgraphics.be/?page_id=8&idfiche=vendredi&lang=en|url-status=dead}}

Tomm Moore's The Secret of Kells, which was partly produced in Blender by the Belgian studio Digital Graphics, has been nominated for an Oscar in the category "Best Animated Feature Film".{{cite web|url=http://www.blendernation.com/%E2%80%98the-secret-of-kells%E2%80%99-nominated-for-an-oscar/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205080531/http://www.blendernation.com/%E2%80%98the-secret-of-kells%E2%80%99-nominated-for-an-oscar/|archive-date=2010-02-05|title=The Secret of Kells' nominated for an Oscar!|publisher=blendernation.com|date=2010-02-04}} Blender has also been used for shows on the History Channel, alongside many other professional 3D graphics programs.{{cite web|url=http://www.blendernation.com/2006/09/27/blender-on-the-history-channel/|title=Blender on the History Channel at BlenderNation|date=27 September 2006|publisher=Blendernation.com|access-date=October 22, 2009}}

Plumíferos, a commercial animated feature film created entirely in Blender,{{cite web|url=http://www.blendernation.com/2006/03/08/blender-movie-project-plumi%cc%81feros/|title=Blender Movie Project: Plumíferos|access-date=February 4, 2007|date=March 8, 2006}} had premiered in February 2010 in Argentina. Its main characters are anthropomorphic talking animals.

Special effects for episode 6 of Red Dwarf season X, screened in 2012, were created using Blender as confirmed by Ben Simonds of Gecko Animation.{{cite web|url=http://www.geckoanimation.com/2012/10/04/smegging-spaceships/|title=Gecko Animation: Smegging Spaceshipes|publisher=Gecko Animation|access-date=2013-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111054/http://www.geckoanimation.com/2012/10/04/smegging-spaceships/|archive-date=2013-12-24|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://bensimonds.com/2012/10/04/red-dwarf-x/|title=Ben Simonds Portfolio - RED DWARF X|date=4 October 2012|publisher=Ben Simonds}}{{cite web|url=http://www.blendernation.com/2012/10/11/blender-used-for-red-dwarf/|title=Blender used for Red Dwarf|date=October 11, 2012|website=BlenderNation|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

Blender was used for previsualization in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

{{cite web|url=https://www.fxguide.com/featured/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-reaching-new-heights/|title=Captain America: The Winter Soldier – reaching new heights|last=Failes|first=Ian|date=May 1, 2014|website=fxguide.com|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

Some promotional artwork for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U was partially created using Blender.{{cite web|last=Karon|first=Pavla|url=https://cgcookie.com/articles/max-puliero|title=Max Puliero: "I Use Blender Because It's Powerful, Not Because It's Free"|date=7 December 2017|publisher=CG Cookie|access-date=2019-06-11}}

The alternative hip-hop group Death Grips has used Blender to produce music videos. A screenshot from the program is briefly visible in the music video for Inanimate Sensation.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/r5GCn1BKkxg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20141210053929/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5GCn1BKkxg&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|title=Death Grips - Inanimate Sensation - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5GCn1BKkxg&feature=youtu.be&t=262|access-date=2020-07-17|website=www.youtube.com| date=9 December 2014 }}{{cbignore}}

The visual effects for the TV series The Man in the High Castle were done in Blender, with some of the particle simulations relegated to Houdini.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ZpfUJDxEfz4 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190606011758/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpfUJDxEfz4 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|title=Blender used at VFX studio| date=23 December 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpfUJDxEfz4|language=en|access-date=2021-10-09}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://barnstormvfx.wistia.com/medias/u6ncrwhp6s|title=The Man in the High Castle, Season 2 VFX|publisher=Barnstorm VFX}}

NASA used

Blender to develop an interactive web application Experience Curiosity to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the Curiosity rover landing on Mars.{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/new-online-exploring-tools-bring-nasas-journey-to-mars-to-new-generation|title=New Online Exploring Tools Bring NASA's Journey to Mars to New Generation|date=5 August 2015|publisher=NASA|access-date=2015-08-07}} This app{{cite web|url=http://eyes.nasa.gov/curiosity/|title=Experience Curiosity|publisher=NASA's Eyes|access-date=2015-08-07}} makes it possible to operate the rover, control its cameras and the robotic arm and reproduces some of the prominent events of the Mars Science Laboratory mission.{{cite web|url=http://www.technology.org/2015/08/11/internet-3d-take-the-curiosity-rover-for-a-spin-right-on-the-nasa-website/|title=Internet 3D: Take the Curiosity Rover for a Spin Right on the NASA Website|date=11 August 2015|publisher=Technology.Org|access-date=2015-08-12}} The application was presented at the beginning of the WebGL section on SIGGRAPH 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.khronos.org/news/events/2015-siggraph|title=Khronos Events – 2015 SIGGRAPH|date=10 August 2015|publisher=Khronos|access-date=2015-08-13}}{{List entry too long|date=9-2-22}} Blender is also used by NASA for many publicly available 3D models. Many 3D models on NASA's 3D resources page are in a native .blend format.{{cite web|url=https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov/detail/jpl-vtad-cassini|title=Cassini|author=BSG Web Group|website=nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov}}

The 2015 animated short film Alike was developed using the operating system Linux and using Blender as primary tool for modeling, animation, rendering, composing and editing.{{cite web|url=https://alike-short.blogspot.com/p/about.html|title=Alike Production Notes}} Archived at [https://web.archive.org/web/20231122004508/https://alike-short.blogspot.com/p/about.html Wayback Machine]{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/buzz/life-award-winning-short-film-alike-shows-how-society-crushes-your-creativity-375734|title=Award-winning short film 'Alike' shows how society crushes your creativity|date=5 April 2017 }} Archived at [https://web.archive.org/web/20201026104327/https://www.indiatvnews.com/buzz/life-award-winning-short-film-alike-shows-how-society-crushes-your-creativity-375734 Wayback Machine]

Blender was used for both CGI and compositing for the movie Hardcore Henry.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/news/hardcore-henry-using-blender-for-vfx/|title=Hardcore Henry – using Blender for VFX|date=4 May 2016 |publisher=Blender News}} The visual effects in the feature film Sabogal were done in Blender.{{cite web|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2015/05/01/feature-length-film-sabogal/|title=Feature length film: Sabogal|date=May 1, 2015|website=BlenderNation|access-date=October 7, 2019}} VFX supervisor Bill Westenhofer used Blender to create the character "Murloc" in the 2016 film Warcraft.{{cite web|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2016/07/07/blender-used-warcraft-2016-feature-film/|title=Blender Used In Warcraft (2016) Feature Film|last=Richard|first=Kennedy|date=July 7, 2016|website=BlenderNation|language=en-US|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

Director David F. Sandberg used Blender for multiple shots in Lights Out,Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ZhJf6Rqffok Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190216080631/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhJf6Rqffok&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhJf6Rqffok|title=The Homemade VFX in Lights Out|last=Sandberg|first=David F.|author-link=David F. Sandberg|date=November 20, 2016|website=YouTube|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{cbignore}} and Annabelle: Creation.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/j-k3-8_rKow Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170528215543/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-k3-8_rKow&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-k3-8_rKow|title=Annabelle Creation Trailer - Behind The Scenes|last=Sandberg|first=David F.|author-link=David F. Sandberg|date=April 4, 2017|website=YouTube|access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://openvisualfx.com/2017/06/16/interview-with-david-f-sandberg/|title=Interview With David F. Sandberg|date=June 6, 2017|website=openvisualfx.com|access-date=October 7, 2019}}

Blender was used for parts of the credit sequences in Wonder Woman.{{cite web|url=http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/wonder-woman/|title=Wonder Woman (2017)|publisher=artofthetitle.com|date=2017-06-21|access-date=2017-09-11}}

Blender was used for doing the animation in the film Cinderella the Cat.{{cite web|url=http://www.cineuropa.org/ff.aspx?t=ffocusinterview&l=en&tid=3190&did=332380|title=Cinderella the Cat, Interview: Alessandro Rak - Director|publisher=cineuropa.org|date=2017-07-09|access-date=2017-09-11}}

VFX Artist Ian Hubert used Blender for the science fiction film Prospect.{{Citation|title=World Building in Blender - Ian Hubert| date=24 October 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whPWKecazgM|language=en|access-date=2022-03-09}} The 2018 film Next Gen was fully created in Blender by Tangent Animation. A team of developers worked on improving Blender for internal use, but it is planned to eventually add those improvements to the official Blender build.{{Cite news|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2018/08/20/next-gen-blender-production-by-tangent-animation-soon-on-netflix/|title="Next Gen" - Blender Production by Tangent Animation soon on Netflix! - BlenderNation|date=2018-08-20|work=BlenderNation|access-date=2018-09-12|language=en-US}}Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/iZn3kCsw5D8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190216080627/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZn3kCsw5D8&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZn3kCsw5D8|title=Blender and Next Gen: a Netflix Original - Jeff Bell - Blender Conference 2018|date=2018-11-04|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en}}{{cbignore}}

The 2019 film I Lost My Body was largely animated using Blender's Grease Pencil tool by drawing over CGI animation allowing for a real sense of camera movement that is harder to achieve in purely traditionally drawn animation.{{cite web|url=https://beforesandafters.com/2019/11/30/how-the-i-lost-my-body-filmmakers-used-blender-to-create-their-startling-animated-feature/|title=How the 'I Lost My Body' filmmakers used Blender to create their startling animated feature|date=2019-11-30|access-date=2021-10-04|website=befores & afters|first=Ian|last=Failes}}

Ubisoft Animation Studio will use Blender to replace its internal content creation software starting in 2020.{{cite web|url=https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/353364/Ubisoft-Joins-Blender-Development-Fund-to-Support-Open-Source-Animation|title=Ubisoft Joins Blender Development Fund to Support Open Source Animation|date=2019-07-22|publisher=Ubisoft|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190723162258/https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/353364/Ubisoft-Joins-Blender-Development-Fund-to-Support-Open-Source-Animation|archive-date=2019-07-23|url-status=live|access-date=2019-07-29}}

Khara and its child company Project Studio Q are trying to replace their main tool, 3ds Max, with Blender. They started "field verification" of Blender during their ongoing production of Evangelion: 3.0+1.0.{{cite web|url=https://japanese.engadget.com/2019/08/14/blender-khara/|title=「やっと3Dツールが紙とペンのような存在になる」エヴァ制作のカラーがBlenderへの移行を進める理由とは？（西田宗千佳）|date=2019-08-14|access-date=2019-08-15|website=Engadget 日本版|last=Nishida|first=Munechika|language=ja|trans-title="Finally, 3D tools become something like paper and pen" Why Khara, produced Eva, is moving to Blender? (Nishida Munechika)}} They also signed up as Corporate Silver and Bronze members of Development Fund.{{cite web|url=https://www.khara.co.jp/2019/07/30/blender/|title=Blender開発基金への賛同について|date=2019-07-30|access-date=2019-08-15|website=Khara, Inc.|language=ja|trans-title=About supporting Blender Development Fund}}{{Cite tweet|number=1154003846718468098|user=blender_org|title=The Japanese Anime studios Khara and its child company Project Studio Q sign up as Corporate Silver and Bronze members of Development Fund. They're working on the Evangelion feature animation movie. https://www.khara.co.jp https://studio-q.co.jp #b3d|date=2019-07-24|author=Blender|access-date=2019-08-15}}{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/user-stories/japanese-anime-studio-khara-moving-to-blender/|title=Japanese anime studio Khara moving to Blender|first=Blender|last=Foundation|date=15 August 2019 }}

The 2020 film Wolfwalkers was partially created using Blender.{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title="2D Isn't Dead, It Just Became Something Different": Using Blender For Wolfwalkers|url=https://www.blender.org/user-stories/2d-isnt-dead-it-just-became-something-different-using-blender-for-wolfwalkers/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=blender.org|date=2 March 2021 |language=en}}

The 2021 Netflix production Maya and the Three was created using Blender.{{cite web|date=2021-06-16|title=New "Maya and the Three" Made With Blender Series Images Released|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2021/06/16/new-maya-and-the-three-made-with-blender-series-images-released/|access-date=2021-10-28|website=BlenderNation|language=en-US}}

In 2021 SPA Studios started hiring Blender artists{{cite web|date=2021-03-24|title=Award Winning SPA Studios Looking for Blender TA's and TD's in Madrid, Spain|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2021/03/24/award-winning-spa-studios-looking-for-blender-tas-and-tds-in-madrid-spain/|access-date=2021-03-28|website=BlenderNation|language=en-US}} and as of 2022, contributes to Blender Development.{{Citation|title=FAST GREASE PENCIL - Blender.Today LIVE #182| date=14 February 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODfL-NOPt1Y|language=en|access-date=2022-05-06}} Warner Bros. Animation started hiring Blender artists in 2022.{{cite web|title=Warner Bros. Animation on LinkedIn: #hiring #cganimation #warnerbrosanimation|url=https://www.linkedin.com/posts/warner-bros%2E-animation_hiring-cganimation-warnerbrosanimation-activity-6893232828872556544-nLw6|access-date=2022-02-15|website=www.linkedin.com|language=en}}

VFX company Makuta VFX used Blender for the VFX for Indian blockbuster RRR.{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Visual Effects for the Indian blockbuster "RRR"|url=https://www.blender.org/user-stories/visual-effects-for-the-indian-blockbuster-rrr/|access-date=2022-06-30|website=blender.org|date=28 June 2022 |language=en}}

Blender was used in several cases for the 2023 film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Sony Pictures Imageworks, the primary studio behind the film's animation, used Blender's Grease Pencil for adding line-work and 2D FX animation alongside 3D models.{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=Inklines Across the Spider-Verse (encore) — Blender Conference 2023 |url=https://conference.blender.org/2023/presentations/1928/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Blender Conference 2023 — conference.blender.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Contreras |first=Stefaan |date=2023-06-10 |title=@scontreras on X |url=https://x.com/scontreras/status/1667482046229356544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1667482046229356544%7Ctwgr%5Ecf79853fe73d318a3dae1e27498ef0ba9012533e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blendernation.com%2F2023%2F06%2F11%2Fblender-used-in-across-the-spiderverse%2F |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=X (Formerly known as Twitter)}} At 14 years old, Canadian animator Preston Mutanga used Blender to create the Lego-style sequence in the film.{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=My Journey Across the Spider-Verse: from Hobbyist to Hollywood — Blender Conference 2023 |url=https://conference.blender.org/2023/presentations/1823/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Blender Conference 2023 — conference.blender.org |language=en}} Mutanga was recruited after his fan-made Lego-style recreation of the film's teaser caught the attention of the filmmakers.{{Cite web |last=Bricken |first=Rob |date=2023-06-05 |title=Teen Behind Viral Lego Spider-Verse Trailer Recruited to Help Direct Movie |url=https://gizmodo.com/spider-man-spider-verse-lego-teen-preston-mutanga-1850506037 |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}}

The 2024 Latvian film Flow (Straume) was made entirely in Blender using the EEVEE render engine.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxz6p-QATfs |title=The animation of Flow — Blender Conference 2024 |date=2024-10-24 |last=Blender |access-date=2024-11-26 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |author1=Joe Foley |date=2024-09-15 |title=One of year's best animated films was entirely made in Blender |url=https://www.creativebloq.com/3d/3d-animation/one-of-years-best-animated-films-is-entirely-made-in-blender |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Creative Bloq |language=en}} It received two nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, winning for Best Animated Feature.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/03/oscar-flow-best-animated-feature |title=Flow wins best animated feature Oscar |last=Lee |first=Benjamin |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2025-03-03 |access-date=2025-03-03 |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

File:Blender Course at the University of Michigan.webp EECS 298 : 3D Technical Art and Animation course. Students learn how to model, texture, rig, and animate their own characters in Blender, then integrate them into the Unity game engine to achieve interactivity.]]

Due to its free and open source nature, Blender has become the primary software of introductory 3D art, animation, visualization, and 3D printing courses at institutions including the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor{{cite web|url=https://eecs298.com/|title=EECS 298: 3D Tech Art and Animation|website=eecs298.com|date=March 13, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313222443/https://eecs298.com/ |access-date=March 13, 2025|archive-date=13 March 2025 }} where it has been made widely available in campus laboratories.{{cite web|url=https://software.umich.edu/titles/blender|title=Blender U-M Software Directory|website=software.umich.edu|date=August 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820041514/https://software.umich.edu/titles/blender |access-date=March 30, 2025|archive-date=20 August 2024 }} Blender has also been used to generate synthetic images{{Cite web |last=Gangadharaiah |first=Dhanush |title=Synthetic Data Generation for Enhanced Computer Vision applications: A CAD model and Blender approach |url=https://hsbwgt.bsz-bw.de/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/748/file/Gangadharaiah.pdf |access-date=May 4, 2025}} for computer vision and AI training from crop monitoring{{Cite journal |last1=Aghamohammadesmaeilketabforoosh |first1=Kimia |last2=Parfitt |first2=Joshua |last3=Nikan |first3=Soodeh |last4=Pearce |first4=Joshua M. |date=2025-04-24 |title=From blender to farm: Transforming controlled environment agriculture with synthetic data and SwinUNet for precision crop monitoring |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=e0322189 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0322189 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=12021149 |pmid=40273145}} to additive manufacturing.{{Cite journal |last1=Petsiuk |first1=Aliaksei |last2=Singh |first2=Harnoor |last3=Dadhwal |first3=Himanshu |last4=Pearce |first4=Joshua M. |date=2024-03-28 |title=Synthetic-to-Real Composite Semantic Segmentation in Additive Manufacturing |journal=Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing |language=en |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=66 |doi=10.3390/jmmp8020066 |doi-access=free |issn=2504-4494|arxiv=2210.07466 }}

{{Main|Blender Foundation#Open projects}}

{{Multiple images

| direction = vertical

| width = 150

| image2 = Sintel poster.jpg

| caption2 = Sintel promotional poster

| image3 = Tos-poster.png

| caption3 = Tears of Steel promotional poster

| image1 = Big buck bunny poster big.jpg

| caption1 = Big Buck Bunny promotional poster

}}

Since 2005, every one to two years the Blender Foundation has announced a new creative project to help drive innovation in Blender.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/about/projects/|title=Blender — Open Projects|publisher=Blender.org|access-date=2019-06-11}}{{cite web|url=https://cloud.blender.org/open-projects|title=Blender Cloud — Open Projects|publisher=Cloud.blender.org|access-date=2019-06-11|archive-date=2020-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020192521/https://cloud.blender.org/open-projects|url-status=dead}} In response to the success of the first open movie project, Elephants Dream, in 2006, the Blender Foundation founded the Blender Institute to be in charge of additional projects, such as films: Big Buck Bunny, Sintel, Tears of Steel; and Yo Frankie!, or Project Apricot, an open game utilizing the Crystal Space game engine that reused some of the assets created for Big Buck Bunny.

The Blender Studio platform, launched in March 2014 as Blender Cloud,Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/xGFCZh1MFNU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20140414184006/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGFCZh1MFNU Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|title=Happy Cloud - Project Gooseberry launches on SXSW| date=17 March 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGFCZh1MFNU|language=en|access-date=2021-10-26}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Blender Studio and Blender Cloud|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/blender-studio-and-blender-cloud/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=Blender Studio|language=en}} is a subscription-based cloud computing platform where members can access Blender add-ons, courses and to keep track of the production of Blender Studio's open movies.{{cite web|url=https://cloud.blender.org/blog/blender-cloud-v3|title=Blender Cloud V3 - Blog — Blender Cloud|website=Cloud.blender.org|access-date=2017-01-22}} It is currently operated by the Blender Studio, formerly a part of the Blender Institute. It was launched to promote and fundraiser for Project: Gooseberry, and is intended to replace the selling of DVDs by the Blender Foundation with a subscription-based model for file hosting, asset sharing and collaboration.{{cite web|url=http://www.blendernation.com/2014/01/17/blender-institute-announces-blender-cloud-plans/|title=Blender Institute Announces Blender Cloud Plans|website=Blendernation.com|date=17 January 2014|access-date=2017-01-22}}{{cite web|url=http://www.blendernation.com/2014/06/04/blender-cloud-relaunch/|title=Blender Cloud Relaunch|website=Blendernation.com|date=4 June 2014|access-date=2017-01-22}} Blender Add-ons included in Blender Studio are CloudRig,{{cite web|title=Blender / CloudRig|url=https://gitlab.com/blender/CloudRig|access-date=2021-10-26|website=GitLab|language=en}} Blender Kitsu,{{cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Kitsu add-on for Blender|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/kitsu-addon-for-blender/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=Blender Studio|language=en}} Contact sheet Add-on,{{cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Contact Sheet Add-on|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/contact-sheet-addon/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=Blender Studio|language=en}} Blender Purge{{cite web|title=blender-purge · rBSTS|url=https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/BSTS/browse/master/blender-purge/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=developer.blender.org}} and Shot Builder.{{cite web|title=shot-builder · rBSTS|url=https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/BSTS/browse/master/shot-builder/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=developer.blender.org}}{{cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Tools|url=https://studio.blender.org/tools/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=Blender Studio|language=en}}{{cite web|title=Blender Studio Tools · rBSTS|url=https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/BSTS/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=developer.blender.org}} It was rebranded from Blender Cloud to Blender Studio on 22 October 2021.{{cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Blender Studio and Blender Cloud|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/blender-studio-and-blender-cloud/|access-date=2021-10-25|website=Blender Studio|language=en}}

The Blender Development Fund is a subscription where individuals and companies can fund Blender's development.{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Blender Development Fund|url=https://fund.blender.org/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=Blender Development Fund}} Corporate members include Epic Games,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Epic Games supports Blender Foundation with $1.2 million Epic MegaGrant|url=https://www.blender.org/press/epic-games-supports-blender-foundation-with-1-2-million-epic-megagrant/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|date=15 July 2019 |language=en}} Nvidia,{{cite web|date=2019-10-07|title=NVIDIA joins Blender Development Fund|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2019/10/07/nvidia-joins-blender-development-fund/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=BlenderNation|language=en-US}} Microsoft,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Microsoft joins the Blender Development Fund|url=https://www.blender.org/press/microsoft-joins-the-blender-development-fund/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|date=29 July 2020 |language=en}} Apple,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Apple joins Blender Development Fund|url=https://www.blender.org/press/apple-joins-blender-development-fund/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|date=14 October 2021 |language=en}} Unity,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Unity joins the Blender Development Fund as a Patron Member|url=https://www.blender.org/press/unity-joins-the-blender-development-fund-as-a-patron-member/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|date=21 August 2020 |language=en}} Intel,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Intel signs up as Corporate Patron|url=https://www.blender.org/press/intel-signs-up-as-corporate-patron/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=blender.org|date=21 December 2021 |language=en}} Decentraland,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=New Patron member: Decentraland|url=https://www.blender.org/press/new-patron-member-decentraland/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=blender.org|date=6 December 2021 |language=en}} Amazon Web Services,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=AWS joins the Blender Development Fund|url=https://www.blender.org/press/aws-joins-the-blender-development-fund/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|date=17 December 2020 |language=en}} Meta,{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Facebook joins the Blender Development Fund|url=https://www.blender.org/press/facebook-joins-the-blender-development-fund/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|date=19 November 2020 |language=en}} AMD,{{cite web|date=2019-10-23|title=AMD joins NVIDIA as Blender Development Fund patron|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2019/10/23/amd-joins-nvidia-as-blender-development-fund-patron/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=BlenderNation|language=en-US}} Adobe{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Adobe joins Blender Development Fund|url=https://www.blender.org/press/adobe-joins-blender-development-fund/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|date=20 July 2021 |language=en}} and many more. Individual users can also provide one-time donations to Blender via payment card, PayPal, wire transfer, and some cryptocurrencies.{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Donations|url=https://www.blender.org/about/donations/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=blender.org|language=en}}

The Blender ID is a unified login for Blender software and service users, providing a login for Blender Studio, the Blender Store, the Blender Conference, Blender Network, Blender Development Fund, and the Blender Foundation Certified Trainer Program.{{cite web|url=https://blender.org/id/about|title=Home - Blender ID|website=Blender.org|access-date=2017-01-22}}

File:Blender Benchmark classroom screenshot.png

The Blender Open Data is a platform to collect, display, and query benchmark data produced by the Blender community with related Blender Benchmark software.{{cite web|url=https://opendata.blender.org/about/|title=Blender - Open Data|website=Blender.org|access-date=2021-04-06}}

The Blender Network was an online platform to enable online professionals to conduct business with Blender and provide online support.{{cite web|title=Org:Foundation/BlenderNetwork - BlenderWiki|url=https://archive.blender.org/wiki/index.php/Org:Foundation/BlenderNetwork/|access-date=2021-10-25|website=archive.blender.org}} It was terminated on 31 March 2021.{{cite web|last=Foundation|first=Blender|title=Sunsetting Blender Network in 2021|url=https://www.blender.org/press/sunsetting-blender-network-in-2021/|access-date=2021-10-25|website=blender.org|date=30 December 2020 |language=en}}

A store to buy Blender merchandise, such as shirts, socks, beanies, etc.{{cite web|title=Blender Store|url=https://store.blender.org/|access-date=2021-10-20|language=en-US}}

Blender Extensions acts as the main repo for extensions, introduced in Blender 4.2, which include both addons and themes. Users can then install and update extensions right in Blender itself.{{cite web |title=About |url=https://extensions.blender.org/about/ |website=Blender Extensions |access-date=2024-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716223200/https://extensions.blender.org/about/ |archive-date=2024-07-16}}

{{cleanup section|date=August 2023|reason=Overly detailed changelog relying entirely on primary sources}}

The following table lists notable developments during Blender's release history: green indicates the current version, yellow indicates currently supported versions, and red indicates versions that are no longer supported (though many later versions can still be used on modern systems).{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

As of 2021, official releases of Blender for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux,{{cite web

|title=Download – blender.org – Home of the Blender project – Free and Open 3D Creation Software

|url=https://www.blender.org/download/

|access-date=July 30, 2014

|publisher=Blender Foundation}} as well as a port for FreeBSD,{{cite web

|date=March 16, 2018

|title=FreeBSD Ports: Graphics

|url=https://www.freebsd.org/ports/graphics.html#blender-2.79_6

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920053907/https://www.freebsd.org/ports/graphics.html#blender-2.79_6

|archive-date=September 20, 2020

|access-date=March 16, 2018

|website=FreeBSD

|publisher=The FreeBSD Project}} are available in 64-bit versions. Blender is available for Windows 8.1 and above, and Mac OS X 10.13 and above.{{cite web

|title=Requirements

|url=https://www.blender.org/download/requirements/}}{{cite web

|date=17 December 2023

|title=What You Need to Get Started with Blender

|url=https://cgcookie.com/posts/blender-3d-hardware-requirements-what-you-need-to-get-started-with-blender#minimum-requirements}}

Blender 2.80 was the last release that had a version for 32-bit systems (x86).{{Cite web |title=Index of /release/Blender2.80/ |url=https://download.blender.org/release/Blender2.80/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=download.blender.org}} Blender 2.76b was the last supported release for Windows XP, and version 2.63 was the last supported release for PowerPC. Blender 2.83 LTS and 2.92 were the last supported versions for Windows 7.{{cite web

|title=System Requirements

|url=https://www.blender.org/download/requirements/

|access-date=March 29, 2016

|website=Blender.org}} In 2013, Blender was released on Android as a demo, but has not been updated since.{{cite web

|title=Index of /demo/android/

|url=https://download.blender.org/demo/android/

|access-date=2020-09-23

|website=download.blender.org}}

{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}

• CAD library
• MB-Lab, a Blender add-on for the parametric 3D modeling of photorealistic humanoid characters
• MakeHuman
• List of free and open-source software packages
• List of video editing software
• List of 3D printing software

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last=Van Gumster|first=Jason|title=Blender For Dummies|publisher=Wiley Publishing, Inc|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|year=2009|page=408|isbn=978-0-470-40018-0}}
• {{cite web|url=http://ocw.tufts.edu/Course/57|title=Blender 3D Design, Spring 2008|publisher=Tufts University|work=Tufts OpenCourseWare|year=2008|access-date=July 23, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720000311/http://ocw.tufts.edu/Course/57|archive-date=July 20, 2011}}
• {{cite web|title=Release Logs|url=https://www.blender.org/development/release-logs|work=Blender.org|publisher=Blender Foundation|access-date=July 23, 2011}}

{{Refend}}

{{Wikibooks|Blender 3D: Noob to Pro}}

{{Commons}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Blender Foundation}}

{{3D software}}

{{Compositing Software}}

{{Animation editors}}

{{Video editors}}

{{FOSS}}

{{Fractal software}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1994 software

Category:Free 2D animation software

Category:Free 3D animation software

Category:3D rendering software for Linux

Category:3D modeling software for Linux

Category:AmigaOS 4 software

Category:Articles containing video clips

Category:Blender Foundation

Category:Computer-aided design software for Linux

Category:Cross-platform free software

Category:Free software for BSD

Category:Free software for Linux

Category:Free software for Windows

Category:Free software for macOS

Category:Formerly proprietary software

Category:Free computer-aided design software

Category:Free software programmed in C

Category:Free software programmed in C++

Category:Free software programmed in Python

Category:Global illumination software

Category:Haiku (operating system)

Category:IRIX software

Category:MacOS graphics-related software

Category:MorphOS software

Category:Motion graphics software for Linux

Category:Portable software

Category:Software that uses FFmpeg

Category:Technical communication tools

Category:Visual effects software

Category:Windows graphics-related software