SketchUp 2025 Review: Useful Updates or Just Another Version Number?
SketchUp 2025 is here, and while it does bring some new features, this update feels relatively minor—especially for those of us who primarily rely on rendering extensions like V-Ray. While some improvements will be useful for specific workflows, many of the headline features don’t significantly impact how I use SketchUp. That said, I’m thankful they didn’t change the interface, so I won’t have to re-record my lessons!
Key Takeaways:
- Minimal Impact for V-Ray Users – The new Photoreal Materials and AI texture generator don’t add much value for those who already rely on V-Ray or other advanced rendering tools. The lack of updates to the Diffusion extension is also disappointing.
- Some Useful Workflow Improvements – The Apply Tags to Scenes feature makes managing large models easier, and the Extension Migrator finally simplifies upgrading. However, scene management remains unchanged, and there’s still no way to assign an object to multiple tags.
- No Major Overhaul, but No Major Disruptions Either – While this update doesn’t bring game-changing features, it also doesn’t require relearning the interface or adjusting workflows.
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Table of Contents
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A Word on Upgrading – My Usual Advice
Before I get into it, I want to mention my usual advice on upgrading software to a new major version. If you’re considering upgrading to SketchUp 2025, my usual advice still applies: don’t upgrade mid-project or if you have anything high-priority going on in your business or workflow. While SketchUp installs on top of older versions, meaning you can technically revert to a previous version if needed, extensions can sometimes get squirrely during the transition. This is especially true for third-party plugins like V-Ray or other essential tools you rely on daily.
In general, I recommend waiting a month or two before upgrading to a major new version. This gives Trimble enough time to release any hotfixes for unexpected bugs, and it also allows extension developers to catch up with compatibility updates. If you do decide to upgrade right away, be sure to back up your key files and double-check that all your critical extensions are working properly before committing fully.
Environments – HDRI Backdrops & Lighting
One of the main additions in SketchUp 2025 is the Environments panel, which allows users to add 360° HDRI images to their models. This feature enhances reflections and lighting inside SketchUp, making it easier to create more immersive views. While this might be useful for those who rely on SketchUp’s built-in rendering or visualization tools, it doesn’t add much value for those of us using V-Ray, as V-Ray already supports custom HDRI lighting with far more control.
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Photoreal Materials – Built-In PBR Textures
SketchUp now includes Photoreal Materials, a new face style that supports Physically Based Rendering (PBR) textures. These materials can reflect light and surroundings dynamically, bringing more realism into SketchUp itself. Again, for those of us who use external rendering engines, this isn’t a game-changer. We’ve already had access to high-quality materials with proper reflections, roughness, and bump maps inside V-Ray, so this addition is more relevant for users who don’t use third-party rendering tools.
AI-Powered Generate Textures
Another major new feature is Generate Textures, which uses AI to convert older materials into PBR textures. This tool automatically generates roughness, metalness, normal, and ambient occlusion maps based on an existing texture. While this could be helpful for those working with SketchUp’s native rendering, it isn’t particularly useful for V-Ray users, since V-Ray materials have always supported advanced texture mapping with much more customization.
I’m excited to test this one out though, as the concept is one that I was hoping the folks at Chaos would implement in V-Ray. AI is powerful, but as we all know, it can produce some less-than-desirable results. PBR textures from reputable companies and sites at least go through quality control before being public. Also curious how V-Ray will handle these AI textures in SketchUp.
Apply Tags to Scenes – A Small But Helpful Improvement
A more practical improvement is the ability to apply tags to multiple scenes at once. For users working with large models that contain a lot of tags and scenes, this will make scene organization faster and more efficient.
However, scene management overall remains unchanged, which is a disappointment. A more flexible scene organization system or even the ability to assign objects to multiple tags would have been a much more significant update.
Extension Migrator – A Welcome Fix
One of the best updates in SketchUp 2025 is the Extension Migrator, which allows users to transfer their extensions from an older version to a new one. In the past, upgrading SketchUp meant manually reinstalling and reconfiguring every extension, which was frustrating and time-consuming. This new tool finally solves that problem, making the transition between versions much smoother.
Trimble Connect Enhancements
Trimble Connect, SketchUp’s cloud-based file management system, now includes better import, reload, and save out options. This allows users to bring in SketchUp files from Trimble Connect, reload updated files, and save out components more efficiently. These are nice improvements for collaborative workflows, but they don’t drastically change how most users work with SketchUp.
Purge Unused Reminder
SketchUp 2025 now includes a Purge Unused Reminder, which pops up when saving a file to ask if you’d like to remove unused components, materials, and styles. While this is a useful addition for keeping file sizes manageable, it’s something that experienced users already do manually, so it’s more of a convenience than a must-have feature.
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Modeling Tool Tweaks
There are some minor updates to SketchUp’s core modeling tools, including:
- Rotate Tool now has rotation grips similar to the Move Tool
- Arc Tools have better tangent snapping
- Snaps Improvements, including a new “Connected by Snaps” selection tool
- Text Tool Updates, which allow dynamic values to update automatically when referenced objects change
These changes refine existing tools but don’t introduce anything groundbreaking.
LayOut Updates – Some Quality-of-Life Changes
LayOut also received a few improvements, but nothing particularly exciting:
- Move, Rotate, and Scale tools now function more like their SketchUp counterparts
- Join and Split tools now allow easier editing of linework
- Zoom Window tool enables quick zooming into specific areas
- Viewports now support Photoreal Materials and Environments
- New Ambient Occlusion settings for viewport rendering
- Ability to export individual pages or a range of pages from the Pages Panel
These changes make LayOut slightly more intuitive, but fundamental issues with scene management and viewport handling remain unaddressed.
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No Update for the Diffusion Extension
One disappointment in the SketchUp 2025 release is the lack of any update for the Diffusion extension, SketchUp’s built-in AI rendering tool. I was hoping to see new features that improve control over revisions, making iterative changes easier and more accurate. Right now, Diffusion can generate some decent AI renders, but fine-tuning the results can be frustrating since it lacks the ability to refine specific elements without completely regenerating the image.
It’s unclear whether Trimble plans to update Diffusion separately in the near future, but it would have made sense to release enhancements alongside SketchUp 2025. Adding better variation controls, the ability to lock certain aspects of a render while adjusting others, or even simple revision tools would have made Diffusion much more useful—especially for those of us experimenting with AI-assisted workflows.
SketchUp had a great presentation at Basecamp 2024 about updates to Diffusion, so I thought for sure they would include those updates in SketchUp 2025. For now, Diffusion remains an interesting but limited tool, and without significant updates, it’s not something I can fully rely on for professional rendering. Hopefully, a standalone update is coming soon.
Final Thoughts – Is SketchUp 2025 Worth It?
For me, this is one of the least exciting SketchUp updates in recent years. While Apply Tags to Scenes and the Extension Migrator are genuinely useful, the other features don’t add much for those who rely on V-Ray or other rendering engines. The new Environments and PBR Materials are nice for those using SketchUp’s native rendering tools, but they don’t offer much for advanced visualization workflows.
If you frequently manage large models with complex tagging, then the new tag management options will be a helpful improvement. If you struggle with manually transferring extensions, the Extension Migrator is a great fix. But beyond that, this update doesn’t do much to improve overall workflow efficiency or scene management.
Still, I’m just so grateful they didn’t change the interface, so at least my course lessons will visually remain up-to-date!
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