Version: 9.2.0
Build Date: 2025.1016
Released: 4 Nov 2025
Requirements:
Windows: 10, 11
Mac OS: 11.4 (Big Sur) or later
Linux: Centos 7.9 and compatible distributions
Plug-in Connection Requirements:
3ds Max - 2023, 2024 - Plug-in build 2024.1105 Release Notes
3ds Max - 2025, 2026 - Plug-in build 2025.0915 Release Notes
Blender - 3.6.12 LTS and higher (inc Apple Silicon support) - Plug-in build 2024.0718 Release Notes
Cinema 4D - 2023, 2024, 2025 (inc Apple Silicon support) - Plug-in build 2025.0518 Release Notes
DeltaGen - 2019x and higher, Stage 2019x and higher - Plug-in build for 2025x 2024.1218 Release Notes
Houdini - 19.5, 20, 20.5, 21 (with Python 2.7, 3.7, 3.9, 3.11) (inc Apple Silicon support 19.5+) - Plug-in build 2025.0908 Release Notes
LightWave 3D - 2018, 2019, 2020 - Plug-in build 2022.0513
Maya - 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 - Plug-in build 2024.0327 Release Notes
MODO - 15, 16, 17 (Windows and OSX) - Plug-in build 2024.0318 Release Notes
Octane Standalone: 2024.1, 2025.2 (Windows only) , Plug-in build 2025.0609 Release Notes
Omniverse - Create 2023.2.2 and higher (now called Omniverse Kit) (Windows only) - Plug-in build 2025.0902 Release Notes
Rhino 6, 7, 8 (Windows only) - Plug-in build 2024.0307 Release Notes
Unreal Engine - 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 - Plug-in build 2024.0807 Release Notes
Unreal Engine - 5.5 - Plug-in build 2024.1113 Release Notes
Unreal Engine - 5.6 - Plug-in build 2025.0610 Release Notes
Maxwell Studio - 5 (Windows only) - No additional plug-in installation required
Patchwork 3D 2023 - Windows - No additional plug-in installation required
SOLIDWORKS Visualize - 2017 and higher (Windows) - No additional plug-in installation required
VRED - 2025.2, 2026 - New Workflow - Additional Plug-in Installation Required Plug-in build 2025.1014 Release Notes
What's New in HDR Light Studio 9 Drop 2
New VRED Workflow with Streaming Viewport
Enhanced Lighting Workflow Comes to Autodesk VRED
Requires VRED 2025.2 and higher
Stream your VRED viewport directly into HDR Light Studio and design your lighting entirely within its optimized interface. For the first time, Autodesk VRED users can access the full power of HDR Light Studio's lighting workflow without constantly switching between applications.
What Does This Mean for Your VRED Workflow?
Streamlined Interface
Fill your screen with HDR Light Studio and focus purely on lighting design. No more fiddly UI arrangements, "always on top" settings, or window juggling between applications. Everything you need is in one unified interface -perfect for single-display setups.
Direct LightPaint Control
LightPaint directly on the streamed viewport within HDR Light Studio. All LightPaint methods are available, including shade and shadow painting.
Intuitive Preset Placement
Drag and drop presets directly onto the streamed viewport, with lights positioned using LightPaint. This intuitive workflow was previously impossible with VRED.
Automatic Viewport Sync
As you adjust the render view size and proportions in VRED, the streamed viewport updates automatically in HDR Light Studio.
Multi-Camera Review
Switch between available cameras directly from HDR Light Studio to check your lighting from different angles without leaving the interface.
The Result: A More Enjoyable and Productive Lighting Experience
This streamlined workflow means fewer clicks, smoother interaction, and complete focus on what matters most - creating beautiful lighting. Light your shots faster than ever before with a more interactive and intuitive creative process.
Getting Started with the New Workflow
This enhanced VRED experience requires HDR Light Studio 9 Drop 2 and, for the first time, an additional plug-in installation for VRED users.
All existing HDR Light Studio compatibility in VRED remains unchanged, now enhanced with powerful viewport streaming capabilities.
Learn the new workflow here
What else is new?
LightPaint sun position on car using reflection position
LightPaint the Sun Position
You can now use LightPaint to position the sun in the Sky content type. This works in Render Views and on the Canvas. See Sky content. Perfect for placing sun highlights on car surfaces.
Lightning-Fast Application Start-up
HDR Light Studio now launches much faster by loading presets in the background after startup. Start working immediately - no more waiting. If you open the software multiple times a day, these seconds add up to real time savings.
End points added to graph editor
Custom Gradient Editor
You can now drag the first and last pegs in the graph itself. This reduces the clicks needed to adjust the start and end of the ramp.
UI showing 2 different view colorspaces
OCIO Color Management
Colors now display consistently everywhere in the app - including the color picker, swatches, and gradients. This makes it easier to choose the exact colors you want.
Improved UI Layouts Behaviors
The interface layouts now prevent unwanted panel scaling. When you resize panels on one side of HDR Light Studio, panels on the other side stay the same size.
Bug fixes
•Fixed an unpleasant bug where lights were incorrectly reported as having OCIO color issues when loading projects. Error warnings for OCIO are now accurate.
•MacOS - Lumi-Curve editor panel can now be re-sized.
•Fixed a Composite content 'flip' setting bug.
•All panels and dialogs now automatically stay on screen. This fixes an issue where HDR Light Studio could freeze while waiting for a response from a dialog that appeared off screen.
Known Issues
•Saving Production Renders images as EXR files takes longer in this version due to changes in OpenImageIO 3.0.3.1. This has been raised with OpenColorIO and we hope to speed things back up soon.
