D5 Lite for SketchUp · Mac

D5 Lite
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:sparkles: D5 Lite for SketchUp · Mac

  • Real-time path tracing, built natively on Metal, with the rendering architecture rebuilt for Apple Silicon. Lighting keeps up as you move the camera, changes to glass, water and materials show immediately, and reflections and indirect light in complex spaces don’t keep you waiting.
  • A plugin you call up inside SketchUp. Not another app to open, and no model to export.
  • Your data stays in the .skp. Scenes, materials, lights, environment, effects and proxy asset placement are all saved with the file, with no extra project files. Open it on another machine and the setup comes back intact — the assets it needs download automatically.

:fire: What’s supported today

:desktop_computer: Real-time rendering and camera

  • The image updates as soon as you change the model, materials or lights
  • Fly-through, look-around and orthographic projection; SketchUp layer and tag visibility stays in sync
  • Live Sync can be turned off at any time, and the image updated manually when you need it

:art: Materials and lights

  • Native SketchUp materials and lights are mapped into D5 Lite automatically
  • Seven material templates — General, Glass, Sheer, Metal, Emissive, Water and Grass — with PBR map support
  • Point Light, Spot Light, Strip Light, Rectangle Light and Disc Light

:sun_behind_small_cloud: Environment and effects

  • Two systems, Geographic Sky and HDRI environment, with built-in HDRI presets
  • Effect parameters including exposure, auto-exposure, contrast, temperature and saturation

:herb: Proxy asset library

  • Built-in plant and people proxy assets
  • Lightweight in SketchUp; the render window swaps in the high-poly model automatically

:framed_picture: Scenes and output

  • Each scene keeps its own camera, environment, effects and output settings
  • Images up to 4K, 360° panoramas up to 8K

:arrows_counterclockwise: Handoff to D5 Render

  • Materials, lights and proxy assets from Lite can be synced to D5 Render for further refinement and delivery

:white_check_mark: Before you install

  • Apple Silicon M3 or newer
  • macOS 26 Tahoe or later
  • SketchUp 2021.1 – 2026
  • An internet connection and a signed-in D5 account

The build can’t be installed on devices that don’t meet these. Worth checking before you join.

:warning: Not in this build

  • No AI image generation
  • No modeling software other than SketchUp on Mac
  • Stability is still being worked on, so we don’t recommend it as your only tool on a project with a deadline

:inbox_tray: How to get the build

Join our Discord: 【DISCORD-INVITE】

Go to the #mac-d5-lite-for-sketchup channel. The Launcher download, the current D5 Lite build, install steps and every version update are posted there.

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