Add-ons

BlenderKit Release Notes 3.16.1

Vilem Duha ·
A serene forest scene with vibrant flowers and trees, showcasing Blender 3.16.1 release and artwork by Sueti Begum.

BlenderKit has just launched version 3.16.1 of its add-on, introducing Printables as an official asset type in its growing 3D asset library. This update includes numerous enhancements and bug fixes, such as improved drag-and-drop functionality, permanent auto-map settings, and refined thumbnail styling for printable assets.

BlenderKit is proud to roll out BlenderKit Add-on version 3.16.1!

With this feature-packed update, we welcome Printables as an official asset type in our ever-expanding 3D asset library. Since printable assets are different from other assets, they deserve a unique category and thumbnails. When it comes to 3D printing, there is enormous potential in Blender’s magic pipeline—let’s unleash it together!

As always, we also have many exciting improvements and bug fixes to share. Please keep sending us feedback. We appreciate your continued support and are very thankful for our wonderful community.

Highlights

  • Printable Assets Go Mainstream – The experimental “Printable” category is now a first-class citizen—complete with upload and download functionality, categories, refined complexity ratings, and a hot-key toggle (1 / 2 / [ / ]) between regular and photo previews
  • Snappier Drag-and-Drop – A revamped drag-drop operator feels smoother, and node groups now land correctly inside shader editors
  • Permanent Auto-Map Setting – Your auto-map preference is now remembered across Blender sessions

Improvements

  • Proxy Respect – Custom proxy settings are fully honored by the BlenderKit-Client
  • Verbose Pre-Validation – Object names are included in prevalidate_model() reports, it is now easier to identify problematic assets when uploading the scene
  • Sharper Thumbnails – Updated styling for printable thumbnails and a fixed thumbnailer background
  • Tidy Browser Order – “Printable” now appears right after Geometry Nodes for easier navigation
  • Reliable Extension Cache – Extensions refresh properly after install or upgrade
  • Balanced Complexity – Complexity ranges adjusted for Printable and Node Group assets
  • Search Box Comeback – The search box is back in the right panel for Sculpt/Paint modes
  • Slimmer Scenes – Oversized HDR file-size entries are no longer written into the asset-usage list
  • Smaller, Faster Downloads – CDN-side compression is re-enabled for asset downloads—expect quicker file grabs on some assets

View all updates.

Author Vilem Duha
I’m a 3D artist, open-source lover, and the co-founder of the community-driven 3D asset library BlenderKit. Our database includes 3D models, materials, brushes, scenes, HDRIs, node groups, and Blender add-ons. BlenderKit is available for free. For a symbolic subscription fee, users can support creators and open-source development. Also I know November is always quite full so try long in advance. Would it be possible to reserve another banner spot for 3.11- 10.11 and then 24.11-1.12 for both BlenderNation and Blender Artists.
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