ZBrush

ApplicationMaxon

Also called z brush, pixologic zbrush

MaxonCreative

Digital sculpting. Pixologic is now Maxon. ZBrush.exe is the process. It is not Blender.

What you need to know

ZBrush is dedicated sculpting. Blender sculpt is a mode.

ZBrush.exe is the Pixologic sculptor, now Maxon. blender.exe is a free suite with a sculpt mode. A ZTool is this app.

What is it?: Digital sculpting
Still current?: Yes, see Current status
Official download?: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If ZBrush.exe is the process, that is Maxon ZBrush, formerly Pixologic, not Blender. I would not hunt blender.exe to explain a ZTool.

What is ZBrush?

ZBrush is a digital sculpting application. Tools live in a ZTool / ZTL. The Windows executable is ZBrush.exe.

If you have never used it

ZBrush is a digital sculpting app. Pixologic built it. Maxon owns it now. ZBrush.exe is the process. It is not Blender. Blender has a sculpt mode. ZBrush is the dedicated sculptor. Install from Maxon.

What is it used for?

High-poly sculpt

Millions of points. Blender can sculpt. ZBrush is the dedicated tool.

ZRemesher and maps

Retopo and displacement. Blender has its own remesh. Different exe.

GoZ

Send a mesh to Maya or C4D. That bridge is ZBrush, not blender.exe.

Who is it for?

Character artists
People who still say Pixologic
Anyone who opened Blender sculpt looking for ZBrush

Current status

ZBrush (1999) is a current digital sculpting from Maxon. The vendor still points Windows users at https://www.maxon.net/zbrush.

How old is it?

Pixologic shipped ZBrush in 1999. Maxon acquired Pixologic in 2022. Blender sculpt is a mode inside a free suite. Current ZBrush is a Maxon product.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Current Windows build

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor
RAM	16 GB, per Maxon product requirements

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
ZBrush.exe	Main Windows executable

Startup components

ZBrush does not need to start with Windows. Maxon App may sit in the tray.

File locations

Common ZBrush locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\Maxon ZBrush <year>\

File formats

ZTLOBJFBXGoZ

Common problems

UI feels unlike every other 3D app

ZBrush document space is unique. That is not a broken Blender keymap.

License moved to Maxon

Old Pixologic serials need Maxon's current path. Read Maxon support.

Getting unstuck

Confirm ZBrush.exe

Program Files\Maxon ZBrush or Pixologic is the app. blender.exe is the other product.

Use the Maxon App

That is the current installer.

Reset ZBrush startup prefs

A bad UI config can block launch. This is not Blender factory settings.

Alternatives

Blender sculpt and Maya overlap. Blender does not replace a ZBrush studio seat.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	www.maxon.net/zbrush Official installer or vendor page
Help	www.maxon.net/support Vendor support
Official site	www.maxon.net/zbrush Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

Maxon lists 16 GB RAM and 64-bit Windows for current Maxon products. Dense sculpts want RAM.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

ZBrush official site · Vendor product page
ZBrush help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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