Create and Save Your Own Assets in the Asset Browser

Ronald McGlynn
Ronald McGlynn
  • Updated

You can turn your own models, materials, nodes, scenes, and media into reusable assets in the Cinema 4D Asset Browser. The two methods below both open the same Save Asset dialog, where you choose a Database and Category to save into.

Before you start The Save Asset dialog lets you save into Preferences (a built-in database that ships with Cinema 4D and stores assets in your preferences folder) or into any User Database you've connected. Watch Folders are read-only from inside Cinema 4D, so they won't appear as a destination.

Saving to Preferences is the quickest option for personal use. For team libraries or anything you want to keep portable across installs and version upgrades (e.g., Cinema 4D 2025 → Cinema 4D 2026), save into a User Database. If you don't have a User Database yet, see How to create and share or migrate a Cinema 4D Asset Browser database for the Create New Database steps.

Method 1: Drag files in from File Explorer or Finder

  1. Open the Asset Browser.
  2. Drag one or more files (for example .c4d scenes, images, HDRIs, OBJs) from File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) into the Asset Browser window.
  3. When the Save Asset dialog appears, select the Database and Category you want to save into, then confirm.

Method 2: Drag from Cinema 4D managers

You can also drag items directly from Cinema 4D's managers into the Asset Browser to save them as assets:

  • Objects: drag from the Object Manager into the Asset Browser.
  • Materials: drag from the Material Manager into the Asset Browser.
  • Nodes and node presets: drag from the Node Editor into the Asset Browser.

The Save Asset dialog will open so you can pick a Database and Category for the asset.

Tip: Use a shared database for team libraries If your team needs everyone working from the same library of custom assets, save them into a database stored on a shared network drive. That way every artist who connects to that database sees the same set of assets, with updates reflected live.

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Learn more

For full details on the Asset Browser, including advanced options like metadata, tagging, and search, see the official Asset Browser help documentation.

TL;DR

  • Drag files from File Explorer or Finder, or drag objects, materials, or nodes from inside Cinema 4D's managers, into the Asset Browser.
  • The Save Asset dialog opens. Pick a Database and Category, then confirm.
  • Save into a Database, not a Watch Folder. Watch Folders are read-only from inside Cinema 4D.
  • For team libraries, save into a database hosted on a shared network drive so everyone sees the same assets.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please submit a support ticket, and our team will be happy to help.

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