Why is Zbrush is Frequently Crashing?

System Requirements

Before troubleshooting installation or stability issues, please verify that your hardware meets the current system requirements for the software you are using.

You can find the official Maxon system requirements here:

https://support.maxon.net/hc/en-us/articles/16797414314012-System-Requirements-for-Maxon-Products

Pay particular attention to:

• CPU requirements
• Supported operating systems
• RAM recommendations
• GPU driver requirements (where applicable)

Outdated System BIOS

If your system meets the requirements but you are still experiencing crashes or instability, check whether your motherboard BIOS is up to date.

Motherboard manufacturers periodically release BIOS or UEFI firmware updates that:

• Improve CPU compatibility
• Improve RAM stability
• Update CPU microcode
• Fix low-level hardware conflicts

Running an outdated BIOS can cause instability in demanding applications.

Visit your motherboard manufacturer's official support page to check for BIOS updates. Follow their instructions carefully when updating firmware.

Important
Updating BIOS incorrectly can render a motherboard unusable. Follow the manufacturer’s documentation exactly.

Antivirus Conflicts

Many antivirus or endpoint security applications can interfere with Maxon software. This can affect:

• Downloading the installer
• Installing the application
• Activation
• Runtime stability
• File writing and modification

Antivirus software may block ZBrush from writing necessary files, or it may constantly scan ZBrush data while in use, causing delays or crashes.

This applies to ZBrush and other Maxon products.

Recommended Steps

1. Temporarily disable antivirus software before downloading or installing ZBrush.

2. Leave it disabled during installation and activation.

3. Re-enable antivirus protection after installation is complete.

Whitelist ZBrush

To prevent ongoing interference, add the following to your antivirus whitelist or exclusion list:

• The ZBrush application executable
• The ZBrush installation directory
Example:
C:\Program Files\Maxon\ZBrush 2026

• The ZBrush user asset directory
Example (Windows 2026.1.0 and newer):
C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Roaming\Maxon\ZBrush_[HashValue]\

Whitelisting is important because issues may not appear during installation but can surface later during normal use. For example, certain brushes or plugins may trigger aggressive scanning behavior and cause instability unless exclusions are set.

Important Notes

• Antivirus behavior can change after updates. A product that previously worked without issue may begin interfering after an update.
• Security software vendors frequently update detection engines, which can occasionally misclassify safe software behavior.
• Maxon cannot provide product-specific instructions for disabling or configuring antivirus software, as steps vary by vendor and version.

Please consult your antivirus provider’s documentation for instructions on temporarily disabling protection or adding exclusions.