---
title: Installation
order: 1
---

Chisel is a Blender extension: one `.zip` that you install from inside Blender.

## Requirements

| | Supported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Blender** | 4.5.7 or newer, and every 5.x | Older versions refuse the extension |
| **Windows** | x64 | |
| **Linux** | x64, glibc 2.35 or newer | Ubuntu 22.04 and later, or any distribution of the same age |
| **macOS** | Apple silicon | There is no build for Intel Macs |
| **Graphics** | A card with a current Vulkan driver; Metal on macOS | See [The GPU backend](#the-gpu-backend) |

## Getting it

- **Blender:** [blender.org](https://www.blender.org)
- **Chisel:** the [Superhive marketplace](https://superhivemarket.com/creators/ezelar/?ref=8329). Don't unpack the `.zip`.

## Installing

| Way | What to do |
|---|---|
| Drag and drop | Drag the Chisel `.zip` into the Blender window and confirm |
| From disk | `Edit ▸ Preferences ▸ Get Extensions`, the drop-down arrow at the top right ▸ **Install from Disk…**, then pick the `.zip` |

Blender installs Chisel and enables it straight away. If *Auto-Save Preferences* is off, click **Save Preferences** at the bottom left of the Preferences window so it stays enabled.

## Checking the install

Once Chisel is enabled, the orange [Chisel tool](../interface/active-tool.md) icon is the last one in the 3D View's tool bar.

`Edit ▸ Preferences ▸ Add-ons` ▸ *Chisel* ▸ **Info** shows the add-on's status (see [Preferences ▸ Info](../preferences.md#info)):

![the Info tab of a working install on Vulkan](../assets/prefs-info.webp)

| Line | What a working install shows |
|---|---|
| **armesher 5.0.0** | A check mark: Chisel's native library is loaded and matches this version |
| *GPU Backend: VULKAN* | The backend Blender runs on: *VULKAN*, *METAL* on a Mac, or *OPENGL*, see below |
| Two lines ending in *(matched)* | The add-on and its native library belong together |
| **Brick Pool** and the *Auto picked…* line | The graphics memory Chisel keeps for fine detail, see [Preferences ▸ Brick Pool](../preferences.md#brick-pool) |
| **Documentation**, **Discord** | Open this manual and the Chisel community server |

### The GPU backend

Chisel runs much faster when Blender uses Vulkan than when it uses OpenGL.

- **Blender 4.5** on Windows and Linux starts on OpenGL. Set `Edit ▸ Preferences ▸ System ▸ Backend` to **Vulkan** and restart Blender.
- **Blender 5.x** starts on Vulkan. On OpenGL, the *Info* tab shows the red line *"Blender is on the OpenGL backend — Chisel requires Vulkan"* instead of the backend line: Blender's Vulkan start failed or was switched off. **Open System Preferences** goes to the setting; choose Vulkan and restart. If Blender falls back to OpenGL again, update the graphics driver.
- **macOS**: Blender runs on Metal.

## The render engine

Chisel draws its shapes with its own render engine, set per scene; a new scene starts on Blender's default engine. Pick **Chisel** in *Render Properties ▸* **Render Engine**, or click **Chisel Enable** at the left of the Chisel tool's settings row, which also switches every 3D View to *Material Preview*. Chisel shapes show in *Material Preview* and *Rendered* shading, see [Render Engine](../render-engine/index.md).

## Shader compilation

The first time Chisel draws after an install, an update or a graphics driver update, the graphics card compiles its shaders.

| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| An empty viewport for a few seconds | The shaders are compiling. They are saved, so later sessions start without this wait |
| *Chisel: compiling shaders…* at the top left of the view | The same, in the view's status line (with the view's text overlay on) |
| *Shaders not compiled, first run may take longer* in the [pie menu](../interface/pie-menu.md)'s South-East wedge | The same. On OpenGL the wedge also reads *OpenGL backend, Vulkan is much faster* |
| A short pause the first time a kind of shape or modifier appears in a session | Chisel compiles shaders only for what the scene uses. The first Ngon, Text or path shape, Prism-type shape, Twist or Bend, Bisect or Carve of a session adds its own |
| A first F12 render that waits | The render's own shaders compiling. `Esc` cancels |

## Updating

Install the new `.zip` the same way, then restart Blender. Until you restart, the old native library stays loaded and the *Info* tab can read *armesher update pending — restart Blender*.

## See also

- [Core Concepts](concepts.md): the terms this manual uses
- [Interface](../interface/index.md): every part of Chisel in the Blender window