What was new in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2026

This topic gives you a quick overview of the MAXScript language changes and improvements in 3ds Max 2026 and updates. For details on each feature, please follow the links to the respective documentation pages.

New in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2026


Menu System	The CuiDynamicMenu interface `AddItem()` method contains two new optional arguments for specifying an icon and tooltip.
Menu System	The CuiDynamicMenu interface contains a new convenience function `AddMacroScriptAction()` for adding macroScript actions in dynamic menus using its name and category.
Menu System	The CuiMenu interface contains a new convenience function `CreateMacroScriptAction()` for adding macroScript actions in menus using its name and category.
Color Management	Added a new optional keyword argument, `fileType`, to the `GetDefaultOutputConversion()` and `SetDefaultOutputConversion()` methods of the ColorPipelineMgr interface.
Color Management	Added `doDisplayTransform:<boolean>` parameter to setclipboardBitmap global function, Image button, Angle UI, ImgTag UI, and createDialog. For Bitmap UI, the keyword arg is `doDisplayTransformBitmap`.
Color Management	Added `colorContext` keyword argument for ColorPicker UI.
Color Management	DEPRECATION: `iDisplayGamma` interface was not safe to use with OCIO modes and has already been marked as deprecated in the previous version. Now it is removed completely. Please use ColorPipelineMgr interface which supersedes iDisplayGamma.
PreserveStackPosition	Added a system global, PreserveStackPosition, which gives the option to return back to where you were in the modifier stack when reselecting.
Angle and Percent Snap	snapMode struct contains new system globals for angle and percent snap.
UserGridSettings interface	A new UserGridSettings interface to expose User Grids tab in the Grid and Snap settings dialog.
List Controllers	List controllers have a new property `.tag`, which enables artists to know which of the controller lists serve what purpose.
Scene File Personal Info	Added the clearMAXFilePersonalInfo method to remove the User Name and Computer Name file property entries from external scene files. For users who want to save the computer name and user name in an external scene file file, the following methods have been added: maxOps.GetSceneFileComputerName()`,`maxOps.SetSceneFileComputerName()`,`maxOps.GetSceneFileUserName()`,`maxOps.SetSceneFileUserName().
File Notifications Callbacks	Added a third element to `callbacks.notificationParam()` to indicate whether the scene file was loaded or saved successfully for #filePostOpenProcess and #filePostSaveProcess.
createDialog	Added `hidden:<boolean>` keyword arg to createDialog that defaults to false. The dialog is created `hidden` if set to true and if `modal` is not specified or is set to false.
Biped	Added `#extraBonesNameMatch` argument for biped.loadBipFile.
maxops.FindNodeFromBaseObject added keywords	Added `handleBranching:<boolean>` and `preferSelected:<boolean>` keywords to maxops.FindNodeFromBaseObject.
CSharpUtilities.CSharpCompilationHelper	Added a .NET class/method `static Assembly CSharpUtilities.CSharpCompilationHelper.Compile(string code, string[] additionalAssemblies)`to compile c# code.

Notes 3ds Max has transitioned from .NET Framework 4.8.1 to .NET Core 8. However, some features available in the previous framework are not currently supported in .NET Core 8. This may affect certain plugins and scripts that rely on functionalities exclusive to the older framework.

New in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2026.1


Previously Undocumented Items	`outputColorConversion`, `outputColorSpace`, `outputDisplay` and `outputViewTransform` as argument keywords for the Render() and Bitmap save() functions, and as read-only properties for the Bitmap Value are now documented.
MXSCallstackCaptureDepth	Added MXSCallstackCaptureDepth context and MXSCallstackCaptureDepth MAXScript System Global Variable to control number of stack levels captured on exception.
MAXScript minidump creation control	Added `createMiniDumpOnGCException` and `createMiniDumpOnMxsSystemException` MAXScript System Global Variables to control MiniDump creation on garbage collection exeptions and System exceptions.
Change Handlers	Added method getAllChangeHandlers and properties `broken`, `refDeleted` and `id` for Change Handlers.
getNodeByPath	Added method getNodeByPath to get nodes by path name.
systemTools.debugBreak	Added method systemTools.debugBreak() to break in external debugger if attached.
Field Helper	Added helper Field.
Field Probe Controllers	Added controllers Float_Field_Probe_Control, Point3_Field_Probe_Control, and Point4_Field_Probe_Control.
Normalize_Spline2 animatable parameters	Normalize_Spline2 parameters now animatable: `insertNum`, `length`, `NumKnots`, `RetainPercent`.
Optimize_Spline animatable parameters	Optimize_Spline parameters now animatable: `reducedMaxKnots`, `reducedMinKnots`, `subsegment`.
Optimize_Spline new parameters	Optimize_Spline new parameters: `angleThreshold`, `collinearKnots`.
Push multiple new parameters and interfaces	Push multiple new parameters added and Push interface added.
XForm multiple new parameters	XForm multiple new parameters added.
Viewport Zoom/Pan/Dolly/Rotate methods	Multiple new Viewport Zoom/Pan/Dolly/Rotate methods added to maxOps.
Miscellaneous maxOps methods	loadMaxThumbnail and DisplayObjectPropertiesDialog methods added to maxOps.
Data_Channel new method	Data_Channel new method GatherOperators added.
Attribute Transfer Modifier	Added modifier Attribute_Transfer.
Added Edit > Reset Zoom to Scripting Listener menu and right-click menu	Listener Commands.
Added PathName constructor `<node> as pathname`	PathName Values.
Added `#viewportCameraChanged` General Event Callback Notification	General Event #viewportCameraChanged added.
Added `#numFrames:` keyword argument to methods that display or capture the MAXScript call stack	threads, stack, assert.
Added Time literal corresponding to how 3dsMax displays SMPTE	Time Values.
Added `#pickFrozenAndUnfrozen:` keyword argument to `pickObject` and `pickAnimatable`	Picking Scene Nodes By Hit.

New in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2026.2


Color Management	Added `ElementSetOutputColorConversion()` and `ElementGetOutputColorConversion()` methods. See Render Element Functions page for the details.
Color Management	Added `max file preferences colormanagement` command. See 3ds MAX Commands page.
Added `#exactMatch:` keyword argument to `getFiles` and `getDirectories`	External File Methods
Added `#failIfExists:` keyword argument to `copyFile`	External File Methods
`#outputHDRbitmap:` keyword argument to `render` default value changed	render.
Added `tag` property to List controllers	Added `tag` property to Block_Control, rotation_list, scale_list, position_list, float_list, point3_list, transform_list.
Material_Switcher new property	Material_Switcher property `showPreviews` added
IAutoCamMax Interface	Added properties `showPivotBallOnZoom` and `showPivotBallOnRotate`. Added methods `SaveOptions()` and `LoadOptions()` methods. See Interface: IAutoCamMax for the details.
MultiMaterial new property	MultiMaterial property `showPreviews` added.

New in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2026.3


Python Interface	Added the kwargs keyword, which allows you to pass case-sensitive parameter names in a Dictionary to Python functions, and parameters that might otherwise have naming conflicts with MAXScript keywords. See Executing Python from MAXScript for an example.
Fixed keyword handling of `dotnetcontrol` constructor	dotnetcontrol
Conform modifier new properties	Conform properties `distance`, `distanceFalloff`, and `useDistance` added.
Material_Switcher properties and methods	Material_Switcher property `selection` now animatable, method `UpdateShowPreviewsDefault` added.
MultiMaterial new method	MultiMaterial method UpdateShowPreviewsDefault added.