Maxon just released ZBrush 2027.0 for desktop and iPad, and this update brings some genuinely useful improvements to digital sculpting.
Here's what's new.
1. A Proper UV Editor in ZBrush Desktop This is probably the biggest addition.
ZBrush now has a dedicated UV editing environment built using technology from Cinema 4D. Instead of constantly exporting your sculpt to another application, you can create, unwrap, edit, and pack UVs directly within the ZBrush workflow.
The new UV Editor supports:
UDIM workflows: Organize textures across multiple UV tiles.
Texel density controls: Maintain consistent texture resolution across different parts of a model.
Trim sheets: Reuse texture details efficiently across complex assets.
Automatic unwrapping: Generate UV layouts with different unwrapping methods.
UV packing: Arrange islands efficiently within the available texture space.
PolyGroup-based unwrapping: Use existing PolyGroups to help organize UVs.
Customizable interface: Adjust the workspace to your needs.
For character artists, creature designers, and anyone preparing high-resolution sculpts for texturing, this is a significant workflow improvement.
2. Selection Sets
Here's another feature that's less spectacular in a trailer but potentially extremely useful in everyday production.
ZBrush can now save and recall multiple states of your sculpt.
Selection Sets can store:
PolyGroups Mask PolyPaint UV configurations Morph Targets And you aren't limited to a fixed number of saved sets.
3. ZBrush for iPad Gets 3D Layers
Now for the tablet version. ZBrush for iPad finally gets proper non-destructive 3D Layers. This brings an important part of the desktop sculpting workflow to Apple's tablet.
For example:
Create a layer for facial wrinkles.
Add another for skin details.
Store PolyPaint changes separately.
Save and manipulate masks.
Blend different sculpting states.
Show, hide, or bake individual layers.
4. Spotlight Comes to iPad
Another major desktop feature has arrived on the tablet.
Spotlight lets you use reference images directly inside the sculpting viewport.
This makes it possible to:
Sculpt using photographic references.
Paint textures through images.
Create details using reference imagery.
Generate 3D geometry from images.
Keep visual references visible while sculpting.
And because it's running on an iPad, you can combine those tools with Apple Pencil.
That's a particularly interesting workflow for creature artists, portrait sculptors, and concept designers.
5. Better Cross-Platform Workflows
Maxon has also been improving the surrounding ZBrush ecosystem.
Recent updates introduced native Windows on ARM support, expanded GoZ compatibility with Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max, and customizable hotkeys that can be shared between desktop and iPad.
These features arrived in earlier 2026 updates rather than being entirely new to 2027.0, but they remain important parts of the current workflow.
You can move projects between supported applications while preserving compatible geometry and asset information. And custom keyboard shortcuts make it easier to maintain familiar controls when moving between desktop and tablet.
One important detail: The new advanced UV Editor is a desktop feature. The iPad version has UV Master, but not the same dedicated UV editing environment.
So what's the bigger picture?
For years, ZBrush has been one of the most powerful sculpting tools available.
But certain production tasks still required switching to other applications.
UV editing was an obvious example.
And while ZBrush for iPad was impressive from the beginning, the missing desktop features limited some professional workflows.
ZBrush 2027.0 addresses both problems.
The desktop version becomes more self-contained.
The iPad version becomes more capable.
And the gap between sculpting, texturing, and preparing assets for production gets a little smaller.
Personally, I think that's more useful than adding another experimental AI button.
Not every update needs to generate something automatically.
Sometimes, artists just want better tools for making things themselves.
And a proper UV Editor inside ZBrush has been a long time coming.
ZBrush 2027.0 was released on October 14, 2026.
Official ZBrush 2027.0 release notes: https://support.maxon.net/hc/en-us/articles/15780513877788-ZBrush-2027-0-0-2027-0-1-Release-Notes-October-14-2026
ZBrush for iPad: https://www.maxon.net/en/zbrush-for-ipad
What's new in ZBrush: https://www.maxon.net/en/zbrush/new
Maxon Fall 2026 release announcement: https://www.maxon.net/en/article/maxon-fall-2026-release-faster-workflows-more-creative-control
#ZBrush #ZBrush2027 #ZBrushForiPad #DigitalSculpting #3DModeling #UVMapping #CharacterArt #Maxon
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