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Installation

Requirements

Requirement Notes
Blender 4.2 LTS or newer (tested through Blender 5.x)
OS Windows, macOS, Linux — anywhere Blender runs
Dependencies None. Everything ships inside the add-on; no internet, no external installs

Gradient Tools is distributed as a Blender extension (.zip) with the id gradient_tools.

Install the extension

  1. Download GradientTools_vX.Y.Z.zip.
  2. Open Blender and drag the .zip straight into the Blender window.
  3. Confirm the install dialog.
  1. Edit ▸ Preferences ▸ Get Extensions (or Add-ons).
  2. Click the ▾ menu (top-right) ▸ Install from Disk…
  3. Select GradientTools_vX.Y.Z.zip and confirm.

The “Install from Disk…” menu in Get Extensions

After installing, make sure the add-on is enabled (the checkbox next to Gradient Tools in the add-ons list).

Gradient Tools enabled in the Add-ons list

You're done

Open the 3D Viewport, press N to show the sidebar, and look for the Gradient Tools tab. If it's there, you're ready — head to the Quick start.

Updating

Install the new .zip the same way; Blender replaces the previous version. Your palettes live inside each .blend file, so updating the add-on never touches your work.

Coming from the old “GradientSmith” add-on?

Gradient Tools changed its internal extension id and material markers. Blender treats it as a new extension (so you may need to re-enable it and re-set your preferences), and very old .blend files saved with the legacy add-on may not auto-recognize their materials. New work is unaffected.

Where it appears

Once enabled, Gradient Tools adds a Gradient Tools tab to the sidebar (N) of both:

  • the 3D Viewport, and
  • the Image / UV Editor.

See The interface for a tour of the panels.

License

Gradient Tools is free software licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later (the standard license for Blender Python add-ons). You may use it commercially; the full license text ships inside the add-on (LICENSE).