(Legacy) Upgrading from an Earlier ZBrush Version

Looking for ZBrush 2023?  Please see Options for Subscribers

Perpetual licenses displayed on the My Licenses page (known as Legacy licenses) MUST use these instructions.  You will NOT use the Maxon App or the My Maxon web page until such time as you might purchase an upgrade or switch to a subscription.

ZBrush 2022.0.8 is the final free update for perpetual license users.  All existing customers are required to update to it as soon as possible as earlier versions will not be supported.

Most ZBrush users who purchased ZBrush 2021 or below are eligible for a FREE update to ZBrush 2022.0.8!

All registered ZBrushCore (original release) users are eligible for a FREE upgrade to ZBrushCore 2021.  Simply substitute "ZBrushCore" for "ZBrush" everywhere it appears in the article below.

Important:  If you have macOS 10.10 or below you should not upgrade to 2022.  ZBrush 2022 requires OSX 10.11 or above.

Important: Bevel Pro (part of ZBrush 2022) has extra requirements.  On Windows, your graphics card must support Vulkan.  On macOS your card must support Metal.  If you card does not meet this requirement you will not be able to use Bevel Pro but can still use the rest of the ZBrush 2022 toolset.

To begin, please go to the section for your current ZBrush version.  Each section will provide the necessary instructions for how to upgrade that version to ZBrush 2022.

 ZBrush 2018 or Above (NOT Floating licenses)

If you have ZBrush 2022 installed already:

• Maxon App Users: Run the Maxon App to update.
• Legacy Users (Perpetual licenses purchased through Pixologic): browse to its folder on your computer and run ZUpgrader.  This will update your ZBrush 2022 to version 2022.0.8.

If you have ZBrush 2018, 2019, 2020 or 2021 installed (any version) you MUST use the stand-alone installer from My Licenses.  ZUpgrader cannot update between version years.

ZBrush 2022 uses your current serial number.   Please follow these steps to upgrade. 

1. Disable your antivirus software.  This includes Windows Defender.  Failure to follow this step will often result in a corrupted installer that fails partway through installation.
2. Depending on your ZBrush version: 
   1. For ZBrush 2022 users, go to your ZBrush folder and run ZUpgrader.  You can skip the rest of the steps on this page.
   2. For ZBrush 2021.7.1 or below, go to My Licenses and log in.  If you get stuck in a login loop, please see the note below.
3. Click the button to Download ZBrush 2022.  (You DO NOT need to upgrade your license.  ZBrush 2022 will use your existing license key.)
4. Choose your region and platform to download. 
   • NOTE:  The download button on My Licenses does not expire.  It allows up to 5 download attempts every 24 hours.  It is therefore no longer necessary to keep a backup copy of your installer.  Simply come back to My Licenses whenever you wish to install ZBrush again.  That way you will always have the most current version.
5. Install ZBrush 2022. 
   •  NOTE: For macOS users, if you receive a message that "Install ZBrush 2021.app can't be opened because Apple hasn't been able to check it for malicious software," go to your Mac Settings >> Security & Privacy >> General tab.  There, you will see an option to "Open Anyway."
6. When you first launch ZBrush 2022 you may be prompted for activation (depending on whether this computer already has an activated copy of ZBrush 2018 or above, and which version).  If so, it will ask for you to enter your Pixologic ID.  This is the same information that you use to log in at My Licenses.  If ZBrush 2022 requires activation on a computer that already has 2018 or above installed, this activation will not deduct from your serial number; it will simply authorize ZBrush.
7. In the browser window that opens, choose your ZBrush license key and complete the activation.
8. If you have the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge, run it and activate as well.
9. Enable your antivirus software again.
10. You can uninstall your earlier ZBrush version at any time.  Don't deactivate it or ZBrush 2022 will also be deactivated.

Note: Some users report encountering a login loop when they try to upgrade or download.  If this is happening to you, please first make sure that you are either using Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome (for Windows users) or Safari (for Mac users).  Also, ensure that you don't have any browser addons or antivirus software that block cookies.  Our site uses cookies to remember that you have logged in as you navigate between pages.  If it can't write the cookie, it will forget you've logged in just as soon as you've done it.
 

ZBrush Floating License Users

ZUpgrader will not work for floating licenses.

It is now possible to upgrade through My Licenses.  Log into My Licenses using the Pixologic ID that the licenses are registered under.  Above your floating licenses you will see a blue button for upgrading.  Click that and then follow the instructions on the next page.

If you do not know what email address your licenses are registered under or encounter issues, please open a support ticket.

Important:  The IT team should handle upgrades so that all users are upgraded at the same time.  This will avoid any file compatibility issues caused by users running different ZBrush versions.

ZBrush 4.x Users

Critical: Due to GDPR laws, Maxon has limitations on how long it may keep data for customers.  These limitations will soon require us to start deleting data for users where there is no recorded use of ZBrush within a specific time frame.  Since ZBrush 4.x only called home when activating or deactivating and it can no longer be activated this means that the ZBrush 4.x licenses will start being deleted as their age reaches the threshold required by law.  Updating to ZBrush 2022.0.6 (which is free) is the only way to prevent that from happening.  Once a non-upgraded license has been deleted there will be no record of your purchase to fall back on and your license will be lost forever.

If you never upgraded above ZBrush 4R8 then you will need to follow slightly different instructions from those for users that have done so.  This is because we will need to generate a new serial number for you.  All upgrades from ZBrush 4 will be a perpetual license. Please follow these instructions:

1. Log into the My Licenses page using the email address that your license is registered under. 
   • If you have never used My Licenses before, we have created a Pixologic ID for you.  Simply use the "forgot password" feature to reset your password from the random one that we created for you to one that you will remember going forward.
2. You will see your ZBrush 4 serial number(s)/keys.  Click the blue button to Upgrade to ZBrush 2022.
3. Select the serial numbers that you wish to upgrade at this time.  If you have multiple ZBrush 4 licenses you can opt to upgrade some of the now and the rest later.  Most users will wish to upgrade all at once. 
   • Some licenses are not eligible for upgrade and will not be displayed on this page: 
     • NFR licenses are never eligible because they were provided for a specific purpose.  If you still need an NFR copy and do not wish to purchase a license or subscription please send an email to pr@pixologic.com and include an explanation regarding why the NFR is necessary.
     • Cross-platform licenses are not able to be upgraded because they're not stand-alone licenses.  They are rather license add-ons, which is why they were provided at a 50% discount off the regular ZBrush price.  Now that all ZBrush licenses are dual-platform, the add-on is no longer needed.  Simply upgrade the license for your original platform, which will now work on both Windows and macOS.  If you wish to upgrade the cross-platform license you must first upgrade it to a stand-alone license by paying the remaining 50% of the license price.  To do this, submit a Support ticket.
     • Licenses that have already been upgraded will also not display here.
4. The next page will provide you with a final confirmation.  You may either opt to select different keys or to confirm your upgrade.
5. After clicking the "Confirm Upgrade" button your license(s) will be upgraded and a new serial number will be assigned to this license.  As you may have noticed, this license will not specify whether it was for Windows or macOS -- All ZBrush licenses now work on both platforms.
6. Disable your antivirus software.  This includes Windows Defender.  Failure to follow this step will often result in a corrupted installer that fails partway through installation.
7. Return to the My Licenses page.  The section for ZBrush 4 will now be collapsed at the bottom of the page.  The top of the page will display your new serial number.  It will also have a button to Download ZBrush 2022.  This button will take you to a page where you can choose your region and whether you wish to download the Windows or macOS installer. 
   • NOTE:  The download button on My Licenses does not expire.  It allows up to 5 download attempts every 24 hours.  It is therefore no longer necessary to keep a backup copy of your installer.  Simply come back to My Licenses whenever you wish to install ZBrush again.  That way you will always have the most current version.
8. Install ZBrush 2022. 
   •  NOTE: For macOS users, if you receive a message that "Install ZBrush 2022.app can't be opened because Apple hasn't been able to check it for malicious software," go to your Mac Settings >> Security & Privacy >> General tab.  There, you will see an option to "Open Anyway."
9. When you first launch ZBrush it will ask for you to enter your Pixologic ID.  This is the same information that you use to log in at My Licenses.
10. In the browser window that opens, choose your ZBrush 2021 serial number and complete the activation.
11. If you have the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge, run it and activate as well.  Unlike with ZBrush 4.x, the Bridge now activates using your Pixologic ID.  You no longer need a license file.
12. Enable your antivirus software again.
13. You can uninstall your old ZBrush version at any time.  You do not have to deactivate it before doing so.

Users of Earlier ZBrush Versions (3.5 or below)

GDPR laws have required us to delete customer data for all users still on ZBrush 3.5 or earlier.  That data was 13 or more years old.  We held onto it as long as we could, but it is now gone.

If you never upgraded to ZBrush 4 or above, we no longer have any records of your purchase and therefore have no way to verify your license ownership.  It will be necessary for you to purchase a new license -- either subscription or perpetual. 

ZBrushCore Users

Upgrading to ZBrushCore 2021 is free. 

• If you have ZBrushCore 2018 or above, download the 2021 installer from My Licenses as described in the "ZBrush 2018 or Above" section above.
• If My Licenses only says "ZBrushCore" for your license key and does not have a version number then you have the original ZBrushCore release and must upgrade your license as described in the "ZBrush 4.x Users" section above.

Upgrading to ZBrush 2022 is not free.  You have two different ways that you can upgrade;

1. Log in at My Licenses and go to the ZBrushCore tab.  There, you would click the button to Upgrade to ZBrush Pro.  Doing this will give you a perpetual license for ZBrush 2022, and you will receive a $100 discount off the regular ZBrush price because you are a ZBrushCore user.  When you upgrade, be sure to use the same email address that your Pixologic ID is under.  Changing the email address would break the link between your ZBrushCore license and the ZBrush license, requiring a Support ticket to resolve.
2. Alternatively, you can purchase a ZBrush subscription.  You will still have the option to upgrade to a perpetual license at any time, receiving the $100 discount as described above.  If you ever do upgrade to a perpetual license, be sure to cancel your subscription so that it does not rebill.  Our systems cannot know on their own that your upgrade is meant to replace the subscription.