Daz Studio 2026 Beta - version 6.25.2026.4408! (Updated February 18, 2026)

Richard Haseltine · January 27

maureen4486 said:

Squishy said:

Richard Haseltine said:

Squishy said:

Yeah this is actually also headlamp lighting, because the render options also force it by default. This isn't the same as the preview lighting available in current and all previous versions (which seems to be just gone). The difference is you have no contrast with headlamp lighting so it makes it much harder to perceive volume and shape.

There isn't a "preview light". When Preview Lights is on the non-PBR drawstyles attempt to do that, preview the lights (actual light nodes, not emissives or environment). When Preview Lights is off it uses a non-rendering headlamp-stylelight. The command is still in the Window menu, and it does work if there are light nodes (but I don't get a dark scene if I turn Preview Lights on in a scene with no lights in Texture Shaded mode).

Yeah that's what I dislike. This is a big change from earlier versions, in that you currently don't need any light nodes and can work in preview with just material based lighting. Now to duplicate this, I have to manually add a distant light - sure, fine, not a big deal - but I have to toggle it on and off with every render or when using Iray preview. Really baffling user hostile change.

I know it's been quite some time since this discussion about Preview Lights took place, but it made me curious, so I decided to do some tests. I took a series of screen captures in both Daz 4.24 and Daz 2025, and here are the results. Again, these are screen captures., not renders.

The top set were done in Daz 4.24:
Left: Preview Light OFF, no scene lights, no camera
Center: Preview Light ON, scene light on, no camera
Right: Preview Light ON, no scene lights, no camera

The bottom set were done in Daz 2025:
Left: Preview Light OFF, no scene lights, no camera
Center: Preview Light ON, scene light on (had to be made much brighter), no camera,
Right: Preview Light ON, no scene lights, no camera

As you can see, there are differences in how the figure looks, especially between the two left images, in which preview lights are off. However, the overall behavior is the same, although 2025 needed the spotlight to be drastically brighter than what it was in 4.24. As one would expect, if there are no lights in the scene, then Preview Lights isn't going to work. You can't preview what does not exist.

I did notice some differences in the lighting behavior when looking at a scene without lights though a camera. One of the most important things is that, in 4.24, it doesn't matter if the camera is visible or not. As long as the headlamp is on, you'll be able to see your scene through the camera when Preview Lights is on, although the light from the headlamp light isn't actually shown. The scene looks the same whether Preview Lights is on or off. In 2025, however, if the camera is not visible, then, when Preview Lights is on, the scene is black if there are no other lights. So while looking though a camera is when the behavior in 2025 changes significantly from previous versions.

This iis a bug fix - if the camera is invisble it should not affect the scene. The possible workaround that was floated was to be able to hide the camera avatart (the thing that appears in the Viewport) separately from enabling or disabling the camera itself, but that certainly hasn't ben done yet and it was a suggestion, not a promised feature.

I noticed that Squishy, who started the talk about Preview Lights, mentioned something about material based lights. I'm not sure what she meant by that. Was she talking about emissives? If so, I don't think Preview Lights ever worked with the light from emissives. It doesn't recognize that light being emitted from an object is light. The same is true for environment lights.

While working on a scene, I have always kept Preview Lights off unless I needed to check something like shadows. Then I could see anything and everything in the scene, lights or no lights. When you use only environment lights and/or emissives, you actually have to do it that way. Daz 2025 has not changed that.

That having been said, the truth is that, because of several reasons, I'd just stick with Daz 4.24 and have nothing to do with Daz 2025, if I could. Unfortunately, I don't have that option. My new computer has a NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti graphics card. When I got it, I didn't know about iray not playing nice with the 5000 series cards and didn't find out until I realized that Daz 4.24 was completely ignoring the card, using only the CPU, which massively slows down renders. So I guess I'll be doing all the work in 4.24 and then bringing scenes over into 2025 for rendering, that is unless certain issues get resolved by the time 2025 is ready for general release, whenever that will be. Maybe in 2027?

Poisoned Mind · January 28

Well, for starters. If a person has an older computer, it will be hard to get the newer Daz release to function properly due to it not supporting older plug-ins. That means they have to purchase newer plug-ins that do the same thing. A lot of people are struggling with finances and can not afford to buy a new computer let alone all new functions to add to a sofeware that can't seem to fix it's bugs before release. A lot of people are not programers or code writers, but what I see and read in the forums you almost have to be completely computer literate in all the functions and internal workings of your computer. Then if a person like myself buys a new computer but wants to use the older version of Daz 4.24, it doesn't recognize the graphics card so the rendering is all on the CPU which will shorten the life of it. There is talk that Nvidia is moving away from Iray to a different type of render engine. Is Daz going to follow suit or become obsolete? Is Daz going to function properly with the new 5K series and the new 6K series coming soon? Not a word from you people. The technical "Help" center is so very outdated by many years, that it recommends 4gb of video ram. That's if you want to have a simple render take half a day. The requirements stated, have no mention of Windows 11 among other "HELP" answers. It's like going to eat at Dennys. The new Alpha release does not see any of the Ultra-scenery products, so how's that gonna pan out? Do we have to repurchase all of those moduals? I don't see any support for Look at my hair "LAMH" at all. How are we to do your public testing for you if those products don't work anymore? The prices for everything in the market place have virtually doubled. Granted, I wait for the sales and deals to affordably puchase anything anymore. So that will slow down people buying new products. I know the world has gotten more expensive, ie: food, housing, medicine, life in general. But Daz has become a money pit. We are virtually buying air with these products if they become obsolete. I have been with Daz for over 22 years, maybe even more and as I have calculated, spent over $40,000 on the products you sell, and half of it will soon not work. I know exactly what you will say. "Well that's the game you play with technology and it's forward motion." I freaking abhor that answer and thinking. The whole technology thing is leaving the older generation behind. After two thousand years of society we still drag our coattails in the mud. My mother who is 89 years old, does not know how to use a computer, yet everything (bill paying, medical, TV services, taxes for owning property, etc.) have gone digital. If I wasn't there to help her with this she'd be screwed and go in to default because she has no way of taking care of what she needs to do. So many elderly don't have the support of their children or other family members or the money, they are abandoned. You might say, "Well that's the way the cookie crumbles for some people." I find that disgusting and I'm feeling that from from DAZ. There will be a day when everyone will get old, they will still want to be part of and function with the rest of the world, but they will become invisible and a burden to the rest of the newer generation. That is taught in society, a very selfish society. This has become a money grab. Get as much money as you can. Still when it's the end, you can't take it with you. And you plowed and sowed so much that the land will not produce anymore. I know many people reading this will just put their fingers in their ears and go LA LA LA LA. Just wait and you will see and feel it. I'll purchase from other vendor sites that have better pricing and if need be, move to another software like Blender or Unreal. At lease they have their act together. I have over 10 thousand products from DAZ and other vendors. I don't need to blow my money here anymore for a sketchy UI and overpriced products that mostly look cheesy and barbie doll like. Way better artists out there for the picking. Oh yeah, what ever happened to your DAZ AI? Found out that it could be the nail in the coffin for you? Not a word. Your thinking "oh what a grumpy asshole, just venting!" I feel "betrayed" after all these years. Others feel it too. Does that answer your question?

Poisoned Mind · January 28

Richard, as I had a sit down and thought about what I have written down, I realized that I was stomping around like a spoiled brat. I apologize to you and the crew at DAZ. I have been a long time user of Studio and it has been quite a struggle for me to finally feel comfortable with the program to create images and present them confidently in the galleries. I just feel that it has become like a carrot dangeling in front of me to understand DAZ Studio and that it just gets pulled away at a moment of thinking I got it. Time and technology waits for no one, and it's frustrating. Please, you don't have to forgive me, but give the effort to try to understand. The knowledge you and the other developers have, is a skill that I have no idea what it takes and that is so very rude of me to second guess any of you. Yes, I am backpedaling. I just want so badly to conquer this program and create at a level that so many of the wonderful artist have mastered. I've become overly zealous and jealous. To all who read my prior comment, I do deserve your judgment and condemnation. But I hold very high regard to all of you, we are all family here and should respect each other. We are different than most. We feels things more than others. We see and observe things more than others. Since using DAZ, I look more at the details of the world. The textures, the lighting, the landscapes. I needed that. I stopped using DAZ Studio for a few years and thought I would go mad. This is my security blanket that I run to at the end of the day. The puzzle I must complete. May God bless all of you and may the wind be at your backs. My best to all, Tony-(Poisoned Mind)

RAMWolff · January 28

So I got curious and installed the DS 2025, from what I see my current graphics card does or does not work with this build? NVIDIA GeoForce RTX 4060 Ti

DoctorJellybean · January 28

RAMWolff said:

So I got curious and installed the DS 2025, from what I see my current graphics card does or does not work with this build? NVIDIA GeoForce RTX 4060 Ti

It should do. Do you have the latest drivers installed?

RAMWolff · January 28

Yes. I tested it out. Works fine. Here's Dawn 2 in her bikini and bun hair and my little slippers I made for her. Good, I can move forward with feedback if need be!

Richard Haseltine · January 28

Do bear in mind that we do not yet know how plug-ins will be updated - some may well require a full new version, with or without an upgrade price, but others may not f the conversion process is not to painful. The same is true of scripts, though some PAs have said they do intend to offer free updates in at least some cases.

You can always do set-up in DS 4, with all your tools, then open the scene file in DS 2025 solely to render - the only potential issue is needing to bake Mesh Grabber modifiers down to morphs (if you are not a Premer member, Geometry Sculptor in DS 2025 will import Mesh Grabber modifiers from DS 4).

dylerthurden · January 31

I've bees searching for 30 minutes... How do I get Daz Studio 2025 please??

felis · January 31

dylerthurden said:

I've bees searching for 30 minutes... How do I get Daz Studio 2025 please??

In DIM tick 'Daz Studio 2025/6', and potentially also 'Public build', in Adavnced Settings > Downloads.

IceCrMn · February 3

in the new alpha the search has gotten some updates.

If you put && (base::current) after your search term it stays in the folder you currently have selected in the Content Library.

For example...

Select People>Genesis 8 Female>Clothing

Then in the search bar type "Dress && (base::current)".

The search will only look in that folder for anything with "dress' in the name.

For more info on how it works check out the changelog here

https://docs.daz3d.com/public/software/dazstudio/6/change_log#6_25_2025_32908

I don't know when we got it, but I just found it in the new .2920 build that I just found in DIM updates.

Very handy when you want to look for dresses to put on your character but not dresser props.

Would have been much more useful as a set of check boxes in my opinion, but at least the functionality is there.

Lots of other new things also.

When in Texture Shaded or Universal mode we can now remove various overlays on the Draw Settings pane.

Daz Software · February 3

Latest update Change Log.

memcneil70 · February 3

Well, still tiny, tiny print on my Apple Studio Display. At least I have my Pavilion 27xi to use the Alpha on.

halvardeq · February 3

Sadly, still unusable for daily use due to choppy camera behavior once navigated away from world center.

Poisoned Mind · February 3

I did the update that was announced through DAZ Installer, now it will not open up or it loads and loads, but nothing happens. I made sure that DIM was set to Public Build.

Richard Haseltine · February 4

Poisoned Mind said:

I did the update that was announced through DAZ Installer, now it will not open up or it loads and loads, but nothing happens. I made sure that DIM was set to Public Build.

Does it appear on the Task Bar (or Dock, I think, if on MacOS)?

Poisoned Mind · February 4

I'm on a PC. I am acually having issues with 4.24 now also. This is what I am getting for the opening of Daz 6 Alpha.

Richard Haseltine · February 4

Window>Workspace>Select Layout, or just reopen the panes you want from Window>Panes(Tabs) and position them as you want.

Poisoned Mind · February 4

Why is this happening? It worked ok before the update. This is why I was frustrated before. Things are buggy and I'm not a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon. This is disheartening. Plus, why did it affect 4.,24? All of my library disappeared. I am doing a total reinstall of Daz 4.24 and all of the assets which usually takes 3 days. This is madness.

fastbike1 · February 4

Poisoned Mind said:

Daz Studio is not user friendly anymore! Feel sorry for the newbies and the veterans alike.

What makes you say that? I don't find Studio 2025 to be significantly different in operation, except for scripts, than the latest 2024 release(s). No issues with Iray preview or rendering. I do find that scene and character opening in 2025 is significantly faster than 2024. Wasn't expecting that. The 2025/2026 versions are ALPHA. Bugs are to be expected. If you have a version thats working. you might consider waiting to install a new Alpha version.

Richard Haseltine · February 4

Poisoned Mind said:

Why is this happening? It worked ok before the update. This is why I was frustrated before. Things are buggy and I'm not a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon. This is disheartening. Plus, why did it affect 4.,24? All of my library disappeared. I am doing a total reinstall of Daz 4.24 and all of the assets which usually takes 3 days. This is madness.

That sounds like disc issues, affecting both the saved layout and the content directories or the settngs for them. Physical issues, overzealous security software, soem kind of rogue system utlity would all be possibilities.

Dr-Claw · February 5

I know its only in the Alpha stage , but are there any plans to make the filament draw options available in alpha? . the contrast ,exposure controls etc were really useful

Nexy · February 6

Installed the latest update and I am VERY happy to say MY CAMERA CONTROLS NOW WORK PROPERLY AND I CANNOT BE HAPPIER!
By that I mean I can use 'fly controls' and it's not a laggy stuttery unuseable experience like it was before, and the directional keys now continuously move in a direction rather than only jump a short distance... yay!!
Thanks DAZ team

Got a new development though... my custom keyboard shortcuts now don't work? Anyone else have this?
I went back into the settings and re-applied them as I thought they were just reset, but they were still listed properly.
Anyone else experiencing this?

halvardeq · February 6

Nexy said:

Installed the latest update and I am VERY happy to say MY CAMERA CONTROLS NOW WORK PROPERLY AND I CANNOT BE HAPPIER!
By that I mean I can use 'fly controls' and it's not a laggy stuttery unuseable experience like it was before, and the directional keys now continuously move in a direction rather than only jump a short distance... yay!!
Thanks DAZ team

Got a new development though... my custom keyboard shortcuts now don't work? Anyone else have this?
I went back into the settings and re-applied them as I thought they were just reset, but they were still listed properly.
Anyone else experiencing this?

Can I ask what GPU you're using?

The camera choppiness does seem much improved, but there are still instances where the choppiness returns when the camera moves away from world center using the Orbit widget.

My hardware:

Ryzen 9 9950X3D
MSI RTX 5090 x2

Tested with identical results on:

Intel i9 14900KS
Asus RTX 4090 x2

Steps to reproduce:

-CTRL + ALT + R to recenter on world
-Move through scene to edge of grid straight forward
-Rotate to face world center
-Use Pan to move slightly off-center
-Use rotate tool again looking toward world center to induce massive stutter

Richard Haseltine · February 6

Yes, I am still getting choppiness (and darkening) when away from the origin, also with a 5090.

a_gus · February 7

For several versions now, the entire interface has been very small on my Mac: text, icons, tabs... It's as if the software hasn't adapted to the Retina display (?).

I was hoping that the latest update would fix this problem, but it seems to be due to a setting or preference issue.

If anyone has a solution, I would be very grateful.

bilyatboring · February 7

a_gus said:

For several versions now, the entire interface has been very small on my Mac: text, icons, tabs... It's as if the software hasn't adapted to the Retina display (?).

I was hoping that the latest update would fix this problem, but it seems to be due to a setting or preference issue.

If anyone has a solution, I would be very grateful.

That view is insane, no way someone could use that. One thing to keep in mind while using Daz, is to never use it on latest tech, it an archaic software intened to be used on 10 year hardware. So happy that I didn't bought a 4k monitor.

Nexy · February 7

halvardeq said:

Nexy said:

Installed the latest update and I am VERY happy to say MY CAMERA CONTROLS NOW WORK PROPERLY AND I CANNOT BE HAPPIER!
By that I mean I can use 'fly controls' and it's not a laggy stuttery unuseable experience like it was before, and the directional keys now continuously move in a direction rather than only jump a short distance... yay!!
Thanks DAZ team

Got a new development though... my custom keyboard shortcuts now don't work? Anyone else have this?
I went back into the settings and re-applied them as I thought they were just reset, but they were still listed properly.
Anyone else experiencing this?

Can I ask what GPU you're using?

The camera choppiness does seem much improved, but there are still instances where the choppiness returns when the camera moves away from world center using the Orbit widget.

My hardware:

Ryzen 9 9950X3D
MSI RTX 5090 x2

Tested with identical results on:

Intel i9 14900KS
Asus RTX 4090 x2

Steps to reproduce:

-CTRL + ALT + R to recenter on world
-Move through scene to edge of grid straight forward
-Rotate to face world center
-Use Pan to move slightly off-center
-Use rotate tool again looking toward world center to induce massive stutter

5090, Ryzen 9 5950x.

Don't get me wrong it's still a bit choppy and the right click orbit still is funky, but fly controls went from almost unuseable because of the 'pressing W just jumps forward a bit' thing to a smooth fly motion like in the old DAZ.
This is how I set up all my cameras and spotlights, so it was a big deal for me! A bit choppy is something I can deal with, especially cos I can always just move my scene back to the center if the characters get a bit far from it... had the same problem in the old DAZ with eyes going completely black back in the day if they were too far from center.

Are you able to use keyboard shortcuts?... them being broken is bugging me pretty bad

Richard Haseltine · February 7

bilyatboring said:

a_gus said:

For several versions now, the entire interface has been very small on my Mac: text, icons, tabs... It's as if the software hasn't adapted to the Retina display (?).

I was hoping that the latest update would fix this problem, but it seems to be due to a setting or preference issue.

If anyone has a solution, I would be very grateful.

That view is insane, no way someone could use that. One thing to keep in mind while using Daz, is to never use it on latest tech, it an archaic software intened to be used on 10 year hardware. So happy that I didn't bought a 4k monitor.

See DAZ Studio : Incremented build number to 6.25.2025.34208 iin https://docs.daz3d.com/public/software/dazstudio/6/change_log

Implemented a workaround for a Qt/macOS bug where system memory is quickly consumed when devicePixelRatio is not 1.0 - e.g., 4K displays

High-DPI scaling is effectively disabled on macOS

Prevents the runaway memory situation from occurring at the expense of causing individual UI elements to appear smaller on screen

This workaround is not intended to be permanent

Intention is to allow other aspects of the application to continue testing while a proper solution to the underlying issue is sought

wsgentry · February 8

I had been using the 2025 Public Build Alpha. I saw there was an update to Daz Studio 2026 Public Build, so I tried to update. Using DIM it downloads, but installation stopped immediately. I do files that might have been modified, and the 2025 Public build shortcut disappeared and I get an error when trying to launch the 2025 executable. So, I'm kind of stuck. I do have it being installed on my G: drive--where I have/had the 2025 Pubic build installed. Any ideas of what to do at this point?

Thanks!

Fixed: Redownloaded several times, then it dawned on me to reboot. After the reboot, installation of 2026 and associated Premier additions worked.

Masterstroke · February 8

Hard to reproduce:
Occasionally, the latest ALPHA shows the wrong material in preview and final render, although listed correctly in the material parameter list.

first: DS 4.24
second: DS ALPHA 6.25

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Daz Studio 2026 Beta - version 6.25.2026.4408! (Updated February 18, 2026)

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