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Import Assets

Importing an asset downloads any missing files (first time) then links or creates the corresponding Blender data so you can place, assign, or edit it immediately.

  • Object


    Mesh / multi-object content: imports linked objects into the active collection.
    Steps

  • Texture / Material


    Builds a material, assigns to selected objects, mutes missing maps gracefully.
    Steps

  • Height Map


    Creates displaced plane with node network ready for sculpting or shading.
    Steps

  • VDB


    Imports OpenVDB volumes and configures them for rendering.
    Steps

  • Troubleshoot


    Slow downloads, missing textures, or update conflicts.
    Fixes

At a Glance

Type Trigger Creates / Updates Placement Behavior Notes
Object Import button Links objects / collections Preview + click to place; Shift=multi-place; Ctrl=scatter Downloads missing data first
Material Import button New material or updates existing node group Assigns to hovered object or selected objects Missing maps muted
Height Map Import button Plane + displacement node setup Click to place plane (or 3D cursor) High-res meshes can be heavy
VDB Import button Volume object(s) configured for rendering Click to place volume origin Large caches can take time to unpack
  • Use Object for geometry you want to place multiple times.
  • Use Material to standardize look across selected objects.
  • Use Height Map for terrain prototyping or displacement-based workflows.
  • Use VDB for volumetric effects like smoke, clouds, explosions, or fog.

Caching & re-use

Already downloaded assets are validated via checksum; re-import is near instantly unless you switched version/quality.

Requirements

Asset owned.
Signed in for first download or if not cached.
Internet if asset not installed locally.

Choose Version & Quality (optional)

Asset details: version & quality dialog

  1. Click the gear icon on the owned asset card. Asset card gear icon
  2. The dialog lists available Quality and Version options.
  3. Select the desired version and quality.
  4. (Optional) Click the Check for Updates button to refresh available builds.
  5. Confirm to save the selection.

Import Steps

The common import flows are grouped below — pick the tab for the asset type you're working with (or jump via the cards above).

Object asset import — download and place.

  1. Click Import on the owned asset card.
  2. Sign in if prompted or allow the add-on to fetch identifiers.
  3. If the asset isn't cached it downloads while you choose placement.
  4. Move the mouse to preview placement, then click to place. Objects link into the active collection.

Placement Controls

  • LMB: Place at the previewed location.
  • While downloading: Click to lock placement. The asset will place automatically once the download completes.

Extended actions use modifier keys:

Multi-place — Shift + LMB

Keep clicking to place additional copies. Press Esc or Right Mouse to finish multi-placement.

Scatter — Ctrl + LMB over a mesh

Adds a FASTscatter Geometry Nodes modifier to the hovered mesh that instances the imported object. Ctrl overrides Shift if both are held.

Material asset import — download and assign.

  1. Select the target objects in Blender.
  2. Click Import on the material asset.
  3. Hover a mesh and click to apply directly to that object; otherwise the material is assigned to the currently selected objects.
  4. Texture nodes are filled where files exist; missing maps are muted.

Material slot behavior

Materials do not overwrite existing ones. They are inserted into new slots at the bottom of the material stack.

Height Map asset — imported plane with displacement setup.

  1. Click Import.
  2. Move the mouse to choose placement, then click to place the terrain. A plane with a displacement setup is created for easy editing.
  1. Click Import.
  2. If not cached, the VDB archive downloads, then unpacks.
  3. Click in the viewport to place the volume origin. Adjust domain/object settings as needed.

VDB notes

  • VDB file sizes vary widely; initial unpack may take longer than textures.
  • Thumbnails and icons identify VDB assets in the browser and details pages.
  • If no VDB objects are found in the downloaded file, an error is reported.

Progress & Cancellation

Download UI

The asset card now shows two distinct stages when needed: Downloading and Unpacking. If the bars complete quickly, the asset was already cached.

  • Progress bars show for Download and Unpack stages.
  • Cancel button (X icon) or ESC stops download; import ends.
  • On cancellation, partial files are cleaned up; cache remains consistent.

Background download

Prefer to pre-cache heavy assets without placing them? Use Background Download from the product details page or hold Alt while clicking Import. You can monitor progress in Preferences > Advanced.

After Import

  • You can re-import with different version/quality by changing settings then repeating.
  • Re-importing an Object duplicates linked object instances; delete unwanted copies manually.
  • Re-importing a Material updates the node tree (if structure unchanged) else creates a new suffixed material.
  • Height Map re-import spawns a fresh plane; consider using Collections to organize iterations.
  • VDB re-import places a new volume object using the currently selected version/quality.

Troubleshooting

Slow download
  • Check other network usage; large textures or height maps can be >100MB.
  • Try importing a smaller asset to test baseline speed.
  • See Offline & Caching for cache location.
Missing textures after import
  • Ensure all maps finished downloading (progress reached 100%).
  • Click import again (cached files will validate quickly).
  • Paths still broken? Restart Blender to rebuild search paths.
Version mismatch
  • If objects look wrong after switching version, re-open the Version & Quality dialog and confirm the intended build.
  • Clear local cache for that asset (if feature available) then re-import.
Material node differences

Some older asset versions may use legacy node groups; updating quality can migrate nodes. Always test in a duplicate file when upgrading large scenes.

Next Steps

  • Manage Variants & Updates


    Switch versions / qualities post-import.
    Open

  • View Download History


    Audit what you downloaded and when.
    Review

  • Offline & Caching


    Learn cache location & offline behavior.
    Guide