# Install Blender on Windows and Mac 3D-Agent ([3d-agent.com](https://3d-agent.com)) works with Blender 4.2 or later. This page shows how to install Blender from blender.org on Windows and on a Mac, one screen at a time. ## Which Blender version should I install? - **Windows and Apple Silicon Macs:** the latest Blender from [blender.org/download](https://www.blender.org/download/). - **Intel Macs:** Blender 4.5 LTS. Blender 5.0 and later run only on Apple Silicon Macs. Download the macOS Intel version from [blender.org's Blender 4.5 LTS page](https://www.blender.org/download/lts/4-5/). The Steam version of Blender works too. The Microsoft Store version isn't supported. ## How do I install Blender? Open the section for your system. ### Install Blender on Windows ### 1. Download Blender - Go to [blender.org/download](https://www.blender.org/download/) and click **Download Blender**. On Windows, the page offers the Windows installer, a `.msi` file. ![The blender.org download page with the Download Blender button highlighted, above the Windows installer, its size and version](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-download-light.webp?v=670e6673) - The **Thanks** page opens and the download starts on its own. You don't have to donate to download Blender. If the download doesn't start, click **download manually** on that page. ![The blender.org Thanks page: your download will start automatically, with a download manually link and an optional donation form](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-thanks-light.webp?v=58b9c68a) If your browser reports `Couldn't download - Network issue`, open its downloads list and click **Resume**, or start the download again. ### 2. Run the installer - Open the downloaded file, `blender--windows-x64.msi`, from your browser's downloads or from your **Downloads** folder. ![File Explorer showing the Blender Windows installer file in the Downloads folder](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-file-light.webp?v=3110fc75) - On **Welcome to the Blender Setup Wizard**, click **Next**. - On **Destination Folder**, click **Next** to install in `C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\`. 3D-Agent looks for Blender in this folder. ![The Welcome to the Blender Setup Wizard screen, with the Next button](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-setup-welcome-light.webp?v=d06f3c6b) ![The Destination Folder screen of Blender Setup, installing to C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-setup-destination-light.webp?v=8d4a9292) - On **Ready to install Blender**, click **Install**. - When **User Account Control** asks to let the installer make changes to your device, click **Yes**. ![The Ready to install Blender screen of Blender Setup, with the Install button](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-setup-ready-light.webp?v=048b9b95) ![The Installing Blender screen of Blender Setup, with its progress bar](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-setup-installing-light.webp?v=6b99a861) - Wait while Setup copies the files. It takes less than a minute. - On **Completed the Blender Setup Wizard**, click **Finish**. **Learn how to support Blender** is optional; clear it to skip it. ![The Completed the Blender Setup Wizard screen, with the Learn how to support Blender checkbox and the Finish button](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-setup-complete-light.webp?v=8f3d3609) If you install Blender in another folder, set its path in 3D-Agent. See [Use a Blender in another folder](https://3d-agent.com/docs/connect-blender#use-a-blender-in-another-folder). ### 3. Open Blender for the first time - Open the Start menu, type *Blender*, and click **Blender**. Setup also adds a Blender shortcut to your desktop. ![Windows Start menu search for Blender, with the Blender app as the best match](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-start-menu-light.webp?v=448ad6c5) - On **Quick Setup**, choose your language, theme and keymap, then click **Continue**. The defaults work with 3D-Agent. - On the splash screen, under **New File**, click **General** to start with an empty scene. ![Blender's Quick Setup screen with Language, Theme, Keymap, Mouse Select and Spacebar Action, and the Continue button](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-quick-setup-light.webp?v=f9062df1) ![Blender's splash screen with the New File list, including General, and the Getting Started links](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-splash-light.webp?v=7f4e624c) Blender opens with its default scene: a cube, a camera and a light. ![Blender on Windows with its default scene, a cube, a camera and a light, in the Layout workspace](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-first-launch-light.webp?v=1bf931ce) ### Install Blender on a Mac ### 1. Download Blender - On an Apple Silicon Mac, go to [blender.org/download](https://www.blender.org/download/) and click **Download Blender**. The page offers the macOS Apple Silicon `.dmg` file. On an Intel Mac, download the macOS Intel `.dmg` from [blender.org's Blender 4.5 LTS page](https://www.blender.org/download/lts/4-5/) instead. ![The blender.org download page in Safari with the Download Blender button highlighted, above macOS, Apple Silicon, its size and version](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-download-light.webp?v=47a7f933) - The **Thanks** page opens and the download starts on its own. If Safari asks `Do you want to allow downloads on "blender.org"?`, click **Allow**. ![Safari asking Do you want to allow downloads on blender.org, with the Cancel and Allow buttons](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-allow-light.webp?v=ea522d47) - When the download finishes, open the disk image from Safari's **Downloads** list or from your **Downloads** folder: `blender--macos-arm64.dmg` on an Apple Silicon Mac, `blender--macos-x64.dmg` on an Intel Mac. ![Safari's Downloads list showing the Blender macOS disk image](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-downloads-light.webp?v=b64ac96d) ### 2. Copy Blender to Applications - In the Blender window that opens, drag the **Blender** icon onto the **Applications** folder. 3D-Agent looks for Blender in **Applications**. ![The Blender disk image window: drag the Blender icon onto the Applications folder](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-dmg-light.webp?v=d3cd90f3) - Wait while Finder copies Blender, then eject the **Blender** disk image in the Finder sidebar. If **Applications** already has a Blender, Finder asks whether to replace it. To keep both, rename the old one first, for example to `Blender 4.5.app`. Unless you set a Blender path in 3D-Agent or another Blender is already running, 3D-Agent uses the newest one in **Applications**. See [Which Blender it uses](https://3d-agent.com/docs/connect-blender#which-blender-it-uses). ### 3. Open Blender for the first time - Open **Blender** from **Applications**. - macOS asks `"Blender" is an app downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it?` Click **Open**. macOS asks this only the first time. ![The macOS prompt: Blender is an app downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it? with the Cancel and Open buttons](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-gatekeeper-light.webp?v=71d806b8) - On **Quick Setup**, choose your language, theme and keymap, then click **Continue**. The defaults work with 3D-Agent. - On the splash screen, under **New File**, click **General** to start with an empty scene. ![Blender's Quick Setup screen on macOS, with the Continue button](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-quick-setup-light.webp?v=a1947209) ![Blender's splash screen on macOS with the New File list, including General](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-splash-light.webp?v=d04c1b09) Blender opens with its default scene: a cube, a camera and a light. ![Blender on macOS with its default scene, a cube, a camera and a light, in the Layout workspace](https://3d-agent.com/docs/screenshots/install-blender-mac-first-launch-light.webp?v=ddf1afae) ## Connect Blender to 3D-Agent Keep Blender open and start 3D-Agent. The app finds Blender, installs its `agent_3d` extension, and connects. You don't install anything in Blender yourself. See [Connect to Blender](https://3d-agent.com/docs/connect-blender). ## Next steps - [Install 3D-Agent](https://3d-agent.com/docs/install): Download the 3D-Agent app and check the system requirements. - [Connect to Blender](https://3d-agent.com/docs/connect-blender): See how 3D-Agent finds Blender and connects to it. - [Blender won't connect](https://3d-agent.com/docs/blender-wont-connect): Find your banner message and fix the connection.