> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://sketchupguide.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # V-Ray for SketchUp: what it does and how to get it - URL: https://sketchupguide.net/v-ray-for-sketchup/ - Published: 2026-11-01T14:04:42.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-04T19:52:14.000Z - Description: V-Ray adds materials, lights and render output to desktop SketchUp. Choose Studio on Windows or a separate Chaos license, avoid the Pro-trial trap, check both vendors' requirements and save the first rendered image. - Author: Oliver Grant - Tags: Extensions & rendering V-Ray for SketchUp is Chaos's rendering plugin for desktop SketchUp: it turns your model's faces, materials and lighting into a rendered image. [SketchUp Studio includes V-Ray](https://help.sketchup.com/en/vray-sketchup?ref=sketchupguide.net) on Windows; a separate Chaos license is the documented route for a Mac or a Windows user keeping Pro. Start with the [plan you already hold](https://sketchupguide.net/sketchup-vs-sketchup-pro/), then match both SketchUp's requirements and V-Ray's before downloading anything. ## What V-Ray adds to the model You still build the edges, faces, groups and components in SketchUp. V-Ray adds material settings, placed lights, camera controls and render output settings. [Trimble's V-Ray feature list](https://sketchup.trimble.com/en/products/v-ray?ref=sketchupguide.net) includes interactive rendering, CPU and GPU rendering, lighting tools, post-processing and Chaos Cosmos content. It can also add render geometry, such as scattered objects and displacement. [Global illumination](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109794826/Global%20Illumination?ref=sketchupguide.net) calculates light bouncing between surfaces, so the material on one face can affect the light reaching another. You do not need V-Ray to model in SketchUp. I'd keep the built-in display for a model whose job is to show shape and layout, because an extra renderer adds materials, lighting and output choices to maintain. V-Ray earns its place when you need control over a rendered image: which lights illuminate the faces, how materials respond, and the pixel size and file format you deliver. Materials already painted in SketchUp are a starting point. [V-Ray translates native SketchUp material attributes](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109790446/How%20to%20Work%20with%20Materials?ref=sketchupguide.net) for rendering, and its [7.00.02 release notes](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109796327/V-Ray%207?ref=sketchupguide.net) added support for SketchUp 2025's PBR materials and Environments. That support does not make the viewport and final render the same image: V-Ray's lights, exposure and material settings still determine the result. ## Choose the license by plan and computer V-Ray runs inside a supported desktop SketchUp installation on Windows or macOS. It does not run inside SketchUp for Web or the iPad app; [SketchUp's V-Ray FAQ](https://help.sketchup.com/en/vray-sketchup/frequently-asked-questions?ref=sketchupguide.net) explicitly excludes mobile devices. A V-Ray license does not supply the SketchUp desktop subscription. __Documented routes to V-Ray for SketchUp__ | Your setup | Route | Sign-in | | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | | Windows with an active Studio subscription | Use the included V-Ray entitlement and Trimble's installer route. | Trimble ID holding the Studio entitlement | | Windows with Pro, keeping that plan | License V-Ray separately from Chaos, or use its eligible trial. | Chaos account for V-Ray; Trimble ID for SketchUp | | Mac with desktop SketchUp | Use Chaos's macOS build with a separate Chaos license or eligible trial. | Chaos account for V-Ray; Trimble ID for SketchUp | [Studio is a Windows-only bundle](https://sketchup.trimble.com/en/plans-and-pricing/sketchup-studio?ref=sketchupguide.net). Its V-Ray entitlement ends when Studio ends and a lower Pro or Go subscription begins. [SketchUp's V-Ray FAQ](https://help.sketchup.com/en/vray-sketchup/frequently-asked-questions?ref=sketchupguide.net) says the renderer has no feature differences when purchased directly from Chaos, but the Trimble ID and Chaos accounts cannot be linked. Keep the purchase route and sign-in together. For a separate purchase, [Chaos lists Solo as a named personal license](https://www.chaos.com/vray/sketchup?ref=sketchupguide.net), and Premium and Collection as floating licenses shared when a seat is available. Choose by who needs the seat and which bundled products you need. A floating license is not unlimited simultaneous access. For an online floating pool, [the administrator must add you to the Chaos Organization](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109792893/Chaos%20License%20Quick%20Start%20Guide?ref=sketchupguide.net) before you sign in. ### Try V-Ray with Chaos's 30-day trial V-Ray is paid software, with a [fully functional 30-day Chaos trial](https://www.chaos.com/vray/sketchup/free-trial?ref=sketchupguide.net). The current [SketchUp trial includes Pro](https://help.sketchup.com/en/studio-trial?ref=sketchupguide.net), so it does not include V-Ray. Do not start that trial expecting a Studio entitlement. [Chaos's trial instructions](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109779813/Free%20Trial?ref=sketchupguide.net) require checkout with an email address and billing details, and billing begins automatically when the trial ends. Existing commercial-license holders are not eligible. To stop renewal, open **My Chaos > Active Products**, choose **Cancel subscription** next to **Auto renewal** and complete the questionnaire. The trial remains usable until its expiry date. For study, [Chaos's V-Ray Student Collection](https://www.chaos.com/education/students?ref=sketchupguide.net) uses a named educational license and requires proof of student status during checkout. Its educational-use restriction matters before taking paid work; a student price is not a commercial license. ## Match the host requirements as well as V-Ray's [Chaos lists SketchUp 2021 through 2027](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109781237/System%20Requirements?ref=sketchupguide.net) as V-Ray hosts on Windows and Mac. That list is broader than [SketchUp's currently supported versions: 2025, 2026 and 2027](https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/system-requirements?ref=sketchupguide.net). For SketchUp 2027, Windows 11 is required, and the Mac installer requires Apple silicon and a supported macOS release. An older V-Ray operating-system minimum does not override the host's requirements. __V-Ray requirements to check alongside the selected SketchUp version__ | Item | Chaos's requirement | | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Memory | 8 GB minimum; 16 GB recommended. | | Disk | 2 GB minimum; 12 GB recommended, including additional downloadable content. | | Windows processor and OS | 64-bit Intel/AMD-compatible processor with AVX2\. V-Ray lists Windows 10/11; Intel Alder Lake requires Windows 11. | | Windows GPU rendering | NVIDIA Maxwell-generation or later hardware with the recommended driver. V-Ray Vision separately requires DirectX 11/12 and Shader Model 5.0. | | Mac | V-Ray lists macOS 12 or later. V-Ray 7 Metal support requires Sonoma, Sequoia or newer; also [match the chosen SketchUp release's OS and processor requirements](https://sketchupguide.net/sketchup-system-requirements/). | | Network | IPv4; Chaos does not list IPv6 support. | These are installation and compatibility thresholds, not a promise about how quickly a detailed interior will render. CPU, GPU and hybrid rendering are different configurations. I'd check the supported GPU before choosing an engine, because a graphics card that displays SketchUp's viewport is not automatically a supported V-Ray GPU device. ## Install with the account that owns V-Ray ### Studio on Windows With an active Studio entitlement, [Trimble offers V-Ray in the SketchUp Windows Installer](https://help.sketchup.com/en/vray-sketchup/installing-vray-sketchup?ref=sketchupguide.net). Select it there during a new SketchUp installation. If SketchUp is already installed, use the following route: 1. Sign into the Account Management Portal with the Studio account and download V-Ray for SketchUp from **My Products**. 2. Run the installer, review the agreement and select **Next**. Select the SketchUp version you use. 3. Choose **Install** for the defaults. If you open **Advanced**, keep the licensing option on **Local**, as Trimble requires for this Studio route. 4. Finish with **Done**. If SketchUp opens a license-error prompt that directs you to the Chaos License Server, sign in there with the **Trimble ID** holding Studio. If activation still fails, check the entitlement and email address before reinstalling anything. [Trimble identifies an earlier V-Ray installation under a different email](https://help.sketchup.com/en/v-ray-fails-activate?ref=sketchupguide.net) as one possible cause. License reassignment belongs to the subscription administrator; removing the license server or deleting its files should not be the first diagnostic step. [SketchUp directs Studio authorization to its own support](https://help.sketchup.com/en/vray-sketchup/frequently-asked-questions?ref=sketchupguide.net) and V-Ray installation or use to Chaos Support. ### A separate Chaos license on Windows or Mac 1. **Download the matching product.** A trial's **Download** button opens Active Products in My Chaos. Choose **Download** beside V-Ray, then select the SketchUp and OS versions. For a paid license, use the Download section of My Chaos. The [all-products Chaos Installer is Windows-only](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/Installation/776011795/Chaos%20Installer?ref=sketchupguide.net); **Show individual products** exposes individual installers, including the Mac route. 2. **Run the correct installer.** On a Mac, mount the downloaded `.dmg` and run V-Ray Installer with administrator privileges. Windows may also require administrator permission. Follow the trial's installation flow if you selected a trial. In the [commercial V-Ray installer](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109779799/Installation?ref=sketchupguide.net), accept the terms, choose the correct **Host App Version** and select **Install**. 3. **Keep the correct licensing model.** The commercial Chaos installer defaults to **Cloud Licensing** for a first installation. Keep it for a normal direct Chaos sign-in; **Use License Server** serves a network-license setup. An organization's administrator should supply those network settings. This is a different route from Studio's **Local** requirement. 4. **Sign in from SketchUp.** Follow the V-Ray sign-in prompt, or open **Extensions > V-Ray > Help > Chaos Account** and choose **Sign in**. Use the Chaos account that owns the license or has been added to the floating pool. For V-Ray 7.0 or earlier, Chaos documents browser sign-in at the end of installation instead. The [Chaos license quick start](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109792893/Chaos%20License%20Quick%20Start%20Guide?ref=sketchupguide.net) describes that sign-in path. If a license seems missing, check **My Chaos > Licensing**: [a shared Cloud Licensing pool may not appear in the local license-server list](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/LIC5/124359569/Viewing%20Your%20Available%20Licenses?ref=sketchupguide.net). Only a locally installed and running license server is managed at `localhost:30304`; that address is not a universal test for Cloud Licensing. [![V-Ray Cloud Licensing installer with Install highlighted beside Use License Server for a direct Chaos commercial license](https://storage.ghost.io/c/91/44/91442afd-0c5c-4b43-a595-8db40125cd56/content/images/2026/11/a04-chaos-cloud-license-choice.webp)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/91/44/91442afd-0c5c-4b43-a595-8db40125cd56/content/images/2026/11/a04-chaos-cloud-license-choice.webp?ref=sketchupguide.net) For a direct Chaos commercial license, Install keeps Cloud Licensing. Use License Server is for a network setup; Studio follows Trimble's separate Local route. ## Make the first render end in a saved file Start with a saved copy of your model, materials on its faces and the camera view you want. Keep a SketchUp scene for that view so you can return to it. For the first image, use the existing materials and a single light: changing several materials and lights at once makes it harder to trace what changed. [![V-Ray Asset Editor Lights bulb icon highlighted, with steps to create a light and insert it from the SketchUp Components list](https://storage.ghost.io/c/91/44/91442afd-0c5c-4b43-a595-8db40125cd56/content/images/2026/11/a04-vray-light-create-place.webp)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/91/44/91442afd-0c5c-4b43-a595-8db40125cd56/content/images/2026/11/a04-vray-light-create-place.webp?ref=sketchupguide.net) Create the light in the Asset Editor, then insert it from SketchUp's Components list. Creating an asset alone does not place it in the model. 1. **Open the Asset Editor.** Choose **Extensions > V-Ray > Asset Editor**, or its toolbar button. [The Asset Editor](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109777030/V-Ray%20Asset%20Editor?ref=sketchupguide.net) holds the Materials, Lights and other asset categories, plus the Settings tab. If it does not appear, first check that V-Ray was installed into the same SketchUp version you opened. 2. **Check the materials.** Native SketchUp materials can render through V-Ray's translation. To edit one as a V-Ray material, choose **Edit in V-Ray** in the Asset Editor. To apply a listed material, select the target object, right-click the material and choose **Apply to Selection**. Keep the saved copy: converting a V-Ray material back to a SketchUp material [irreversibly strips its V-Ray data](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109790446/How%20to%20Work%20with%20Materials?ref=sketchupguide.net). 3. **Place one light.** Use **Create Asset > Lights** or the Lights category's creation menu. [Creating a light in the Asset Editor does not place it in the model](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109776489/Lights?ref=sketchupguide.net): find the new item in SketchUp's Components list and insert it. Check both that the component is in the model and that the asset appears under Lights. Follow the active tool's hints in SketchUp's status bar while placing it. 4. **Set the frame and destination.** Open **Settings > Render Output**. Choose an **Aspect Ratio**, then **Image Width/Height** in pixels; the example below uses 16:9 and 1280 × 720\. Safe Frame shows the output area when its aspect differs from the viewport. Under Match Viewport, Safe Frame is disabled because the aspects already match. Turn on **Save Image**, set a valid **File Path** and select **png** or **jpg** as File Type. [File Type becomes available after a valid path is set](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109795945/Render%20Output?ref=sketchupguide.net). [![V-Ray Render Output set to 1280 by 720 and 16:9, with Save Image enabled, an example PNG file path and Single File Output checked](https://storage.ghost.io/c/91/44/91442afd-0c5c-4b43-a595-8db40125cd56/content/images/2026/11/a04-render-output.webp)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/91/44/91442afd-0c5c-4b43-a595-8db40125cd56/content/images/2026/11/a04-render-output.webp?ref=sketchupguide.net) Example: 1280 × 720 PNG. Enable Save Image, choose your own destination, then set File Type. Open the image for larger labels. 1. **Keep a quality preset.** Switch off the Interactive renderer for production quality controls. [Changing Quality sets several render options together](https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109776586/Render%20Parameters?ref=sketchupguide.net); keep a preset for the first image before adjusting individual sampling settings. If you set Time Limit, its unit is minutes and `0.0` means unlimited. 2. **Render the current view.** In the Asset Editor's Render menu choose **Render with V-Ray** for production rendering. The image appears in the V-Ray Frame Buffer. When it finishes, check the destination chosen in step 4 for the saved image file. Return to the saved SketchUp scene before revising materials or lights, so the camera stays consistent between versions. Once the first file is saved, decide what needs changing: lighting on a face, a material, the frame or the output dimensions. That gives the next render one clear purpose.