What's New in 3ds Max 2026.1 Update

Welcome to the 3ds Max 2026.1 Update! You can access the 3ds Max 2026.1 Update from your Autodesk Account.

Read on to learn about the new features and updated workflows you'll find in this release. For technical details including What's Fixed, please see the 3ds Max 2026.1 Update Release Notes.

For more on the evolution of 3ds Max over the years, check out the 3ds Max timeline on Autodesk Area.

Introducing the Attribute Transfer Modifier

We added the new Attribute Transfer modifier in 3ds Max 2026.1. This modifier is designed to transfer various attributes between objects.

Push Modifier Enhancements

The latest enhancements make the Push modifier an even more powerful tool for creating intricate and controlled transformations in 3ds Max.

XForm Modifier Updates

The recent updates to the XForm modifier in 3ds Max 2026.1 introduces a new interface with several modes and functionalities.

USD for 3ds Max 0.11

USD for 3ds Max 0.11 introduces the Promote to 3ds Max Object feature, enabling artists to work with geometry using native 3ds Max tools.

Arnold for 3ds Max 5.8.2.0

Arnold for 3ds Max 5.8.2.0 is a feature release that brings faster scene initialization, USD improvements, and upgraded third-party components.

What else is new?

This release of 3ds Max also includes the following changes and improvements.

OCIO v2.4.2	OpenColorIO has been updated to version 2.4.2.
Updated Default Value for Vertex Weld Modifier	The default value for the Vertex Weld Modifier has been reduced to 0.001. This will help the modifier better align with its intended purpose.
Optimize Spline Updates	The Optimize Spline feature now includes a new "Colinear Knots" reduction method. When this option is enabled, it removes vertex knots that are in a straight line with the previous and following knots before applying the "By Percentage" or "By Maximum" reductions. Additionally, Optimize Spline now supports animated parameters for both "By Percentage" and "By Maximum" methods. We've also improved Optimize Spline to change the corner type of a knot during reduction, which helps prevent self-intersecting loops.
Normalize Spline Updates	Parameters found within the Normalize Spline Modifier can now be set with keyframe animation values.
Skin Fixes	Fixed issue with FBX skin data which would take long to load Skin voxel calculation performance has been improved Improved performance when adjusting vertex weight values such as weight painting, adding/removing bones, bone affect limit, etc. Fixed a crash in Skin modifier when removing a bone.
OpenPBR Viewport Performance	We have improved the performance to load and represent OpenPBR materials in the 3ds Max viewport when these materials are not using SSS, Coat, Fuzz, and/or ThinFilm.