Blender 4.5 is almost here, and it's a big one. As an LTS (Long Term Support) release, this version will get two full years of bug fixes, making it the ideal choice for anyone starting a serious project. From major compositing updates to geometry nodes boosts and long-awaited UV changes, Blender 4.5 is packed with features aimed at improving performance and everyday workflows.
Let's dive into what we know so far and where to download Blender 4.5 Beta.
LTS Means Stability
Long Term Support (LTS) versions of Blender receive updates for two years after they are released and, as the name implies, are intended to be relied on for a long time.
LTS versions often come with many new features and, while initially stable like any other release, become increasingly reliable over time as they receive all the bugfixes of future versions but without the new features that could cause more issues.
If you're starting a project with Blender, sticking to an LTS version like 4.5 is a smart idea!
Headlining Features
There are plenty of changes to look forward to in Blender 4.5, and they're all focused on making your work faster and easier. As it is currently in Beta, it is unlikely further new features will be added until the official release, so here are 6 of the top changes you can get excited about.
1. The Compositor Overhaul Continues
Now that the GPU compositor is fully complete, the compositing developers are turning their attention to the nodes themselves. In Blender 4.5, new nodes and socket types will be added so that the compositing nodes finally match the shader and geometry nodes. Almost all node settings will be turned into inputs so that more effects can be controlled from outside groups.
Additionally, texture nodes that were already available for geometry nodes and shaders are now supported in the compositor.
When enabling "Use Nodes" for the first time, the Viewer node is now added to the default tree.
There's a little rearranging, so if you're looking for options like "Use Alpha" inputs for the compositor or view nodes, you'll need to use the "Set Alpha" node instead.
Relative to Pixel is its own node, which will control the relative option removed from Translate and Blur.
Depreciated nodes will still be present to make opening older files function, but these nodes are slated for complete removal in Blender 5.0
2. Adaptive Subdivision Adds Support
The feature that has been buried under the Experimental option for years is now getting some love. In Blender 4.5, it will not only support attribute and UV subdivision and motion blur, it will also get a huge boost in performance (up to 14 times faster!) thanks to multithreading.
3. Big Steps for Geometry Nodes
Blender’s geometry nodes system is getting impressive performance improvements and several big new features in 4.5.
The new features we’re most excited about are:
- A Camera Info node
- An Instance Bounds node
- Nodes for custom mesh normals
- Import nodes for PLY, OBJ, CSV, STL, TXT, and VDB files
In this Twitter post, artist Redjam 9 demonstrates using the new import nodes to play through and offset baked animation data for thousands of characters in real time.
4. A New Boolean Appears
A brand new solver for booleans will be added called Manifold.
It is both very fast and accurate, combining the best of the two already existing options, Float (used to be Fast) and Exact. But, as the name implies, it only works for manifold meshes - no holes, overlapping faces, flipped normals, etc - perfect for sculpting and 3D printing.
5. The Start of a UV Overhaul
Object UVs in Blender 4.5 will be able to be viewed in Object Mode. Plus, the sticky selection setting will be respected when Sync Select is enabled.
While not major changes, both are incredibly welcome and are a harbinger of bigger and very highly requested UV changes (specifically to Sync Select) coming soon.
6. Grease Pencil Gets a Pass
Grease Pencil objects have always been composited on top of the final render, but that compositing was not something artists had any control over without a significant amount of setup.
In Blender 4.5, Grease Pencil will have its own render pass so that it can be used and adjusted anywhere in the compositor.
Grease Pencil's integration with Geometry nodes also continues to improve. Grease Pencil Objects are now searchable via the add menu.
When adding a "Name Layer Selection" node you can choose existing layers from the dropdown.
Grease Pencil Objects can now support Node Tools, with some limitations. Grease Pencil Edit Mode can support advanced editing like multiframe, but Node Tools will only read/write the current frame.
Also, Locked or Invisible layers will not be editable in Node Tools.
Small but Significant
It bears mentioning that UI overhauls are snuck in, and this time it's with a view to make using a tablet pen easier!
Region highlights now show up as you customize your interface, from extending your Toolbox to adusting your layout windows. You can also increase the border width between editors - this can be really fiddly when using a pen!
Some thought has gone into horizontal scrolling and displaying asset lists in compact views. Asset names will now cover two lines instead of appending a ...
The Status Bar is the unsung hero IMO and any small improvements to make it more legible are a plus. Spacing has been tightened; Icons will also reflect trackpad gestures.
Try the beta today - Download it
You can always test out the latest versions of Blender before they're released at builder.blender.org.
They may contain bugs, so I wouldn't use them for serious projects, but the great news about finding a bug during the alpha or beta stage is that it gives developers a chance to fix it before the final release. The more people who test, the better the release will be!
- Have a question about Blender 4.5, share your questions and experience in our community.
Happy Blending!
P.s. Already getting interested in what's being released in Blender 5.0?
