Installation Guide
Requirements
- Blender 4.2 or newer
- Operating System: Windows, macOS, or Linux
- Internet connection (for initial installation and updates)
Manual Installation
Step 1: Download
- Go to the Releases page
- Download the latest .zip file for your platform:
- proteinblender-X.X.X-windows-x64.zip (Windows)
- proteinblender-X.X.X-linux-x64.zip (Linux)
- proteinblender-X.X.X-macos-arm64.zip (Mac M1/M2)
- proteinblender-X.X.X-macos-x64.zip (Mac Intel)
Step 2: Install in Blender
- Open Blender
- Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Get Extensions
- Click Install from Disk (top-right corner)
- Navigate to and select the downloaded .zip file
- Click Install from Disk
- Restart Blender
Note: Manual installation does not provide automatic update notifications.
Verifying Installation
After restarting Blender:
- Open a new project or create a blank scene
- Look for the ProteinBlender workspace tab at the top
- Or press N in the 3D viewport to open the sidebar
- You should see ProteinBlender panels
If you see the panels, installation was successful!
Click below to watch a tutorial on how to install ProteinBlender:
Troubleshooting
Extension Doesn’t Appear
- Verify you’re using Blender 4.2 or newer
- Check that you restarted Blender after installation
- Try Edit -> Preferences -> Get Extensions and look for ProteinBlender in the list
Repository Cannot Be Accessed
- Check your internet connection
- Verify the repository URL is correct
- Try clicking the refresh button in the repositories list
Installation Fails
- Check Blender’s system console for error messages
- Try manual installation from zip file instead
- Report issues at GitHub Issues
Dependencies Not Installing
ProteinBlender automatically installs required dependencies on first load. If you see errors:
- Check that you have internet access
- Wait for dependency installation to complete (may take 1-2 minutes)
- Restart Blender if installation completes
- Check the Blender console for specific error messages
Uninstallation
To remove ProteinBlender:
- Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Get Extensions
- Find ProteinBlender in the list
- Click the dropdown arrow next to the extension
- Click Remove
- Restart Blender
Next Steps
Now that ProteinBlender is installed, learn how to:
- Import Proteins - Load your first protein structure
- Update Visuals - Customize how proteins look
| Back to Home | Next: Import Proteins |
