3ds Max

The A23D Asset Importer for 3ds Max adds an A23D Bridge panel to Autodesk 3ds Max. With the panel connected, you can choose 3ds Max on an A23D asset page and click Send to 3ds Max to download and import the asset directly into your scene. It handles geometry, hierarchy, scale, and material setup automatically — including building physically based materials for V-Ray, Corona, Arnold, or the Physical Material in Scanline, so assets arrive ready to render.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about using A23D assets with 3ds Max.

Do I need a plugin to use A23D assets in 3ds Max?

The A23D Asset Importer is the recommended way to use A23D assets in 3ds Max because it supports direct website imports and automatic material setup. You can still download files manually from A23D and import supported formats yourself.

Which 3ds Max versions are supported?

The latest A23D Asset Importer supports Autodesk 3ds Max 2025 and newer, while also supporting Autodesk 3ds Max 2020–2024 on Windows.

How do I install the A23D Asset Importer for 3ds Max?

Download the plugin from the 3ds Max integration page, unzip it, and copy the entire A23DAssetImporter.bundle folder into %APPDATA%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins\. Restart 3ds Max after copying the folder.

How do I download an asset from the website to 3ds Max?

Open 3ds Max and make sure the A23D Bridge panel says Connected. On the A23D website, open an asset page, choose 3ds Max in the Software dropdown, choose a resolution, and click Send to 3ds Max. If you have more than one 3ds Max window open, click Connect in the window that should receive the asset.

Can I choose where website downloads are saved?

Yes. In the A23D Bridge panel, set Settings > Asset Folder to the folder you want to use. Leave the field empty if you do not need a custom location.

Can I import an A23D asset I already downloaded?

Yes. Click Import from disk in the A23D Bridge panel and select the extracted A23D asset folder.

Which file format should I download for manual use in 3ds Max?

For manual imports, .fbx is usually best for 3D models. If you are using the plugin's website import flow, choose 3ds Max on the asset page and click Send to 3ds Max instead.

How are A23D PBR textures wired up in 3ds Max?

The Asset Importer creates a material for the active render setup and connects the available PBR maps, including albedo, normal, roughness, metallic, ambient occlusion, height, opacity, and other supported texture channels. For V-Ray it builds a VRayMtl, for Corona a CoronaPhysicalMtl, for Arnold a Standard Surface, and for the default renderer a Physical Material.

Does the Asset Importer work with V-Ray, Corona, and Arnold?

Yes. The plugin detects your active render engine and constructs the matching native shader (VRayMtl, CoronaPhysicalMtl, Arnold Standard Surface, or 3ds Max Physical Material), so the imported asset renders correctly without manual material conversion.

Are A23D assets scaled correctly for 3ds Max?

Yes. The Asset Importer respects scene units and brings A23D assets in at real-world scale. If your scene units are non-standard (e.g. inches when the asset was built in centimeters), the plugin handles the conversion at import time.

What texture resolution should I use in 3ds Max?

For production renders use 4K maps for hero materials, 2K for general scene assets, and 1K for distant or background elements. This keeps GPU/CPU memory in check and accelerates Light Cache, IR Map, and bucket rendering across renderers.