Blender has seen a sudden surge in popularity recently, and with it, a more-than-noticeable uptick in its number of users. Aside from being free and open-source, the Blender development community has been working on plenty of game-changing updates and new features.

But new technology also comes with its fair share of quirks and bugs, especially when used on low-end devices; most digital art novices don’t typically have the experience or budget to invest in expensive machines. If you're just starting out and need a comprehensive introduction to Blender, our Complete Guide to Blender 3D for Beginners is a great place to begin. Regardless of a user’s skill level or work setup, though, troubleshooting tips are always appreciated.

Photo by Sangharsh Lohakare on Unsplash

So today, we’ll be talking about some common Blender problems and solutions to help you get back on track.

Interface and Viewport Issues

Sometimes, issues arise even before you get to the rendering stage of your workflow. Weird issues when trying to zoom in, missing background and reference images, and glitchy interface problems are some of the more commonly encountered problems.

Some users may find that when trying to zoom into something in Perspective view, there’s a limit to how much they can zoom in. In such cases, the zoom reference likely has a center point that the viewport is already very close to. You can remedy this by centering your 3D cursor on the object you want to zoom into with the Numpad dot (.) key. For more detailed guidance on how to effectively use the 3D cursor, check out our Blender 3D Cursor Guide.

In certain cases, Blender workflows require users to utilize reference images to create accurate 3D models. There are cases where those reference images suddenly disappear after orbiting the view. Simply switch the view into Perspective as opposed to Orthographic.

In some extreme cases, Blender’s user interface may exhibit peculiar screen glitches. If Blender won't open or starts to lag, the most common causes are hardware acceleration settings or on-screen effects that your OS applies to Blender by default. Try to disable these to see if this fixes the problem.

Lastly, some of these problems might just be bugs in the copy of Blender you have installed. Although there are plenty of useful Blender plug-ins users might want to install, these can also be causes for certain glitches or bugs. As a last resort, you can do a clean reinstall of Blender and all of your personal add-ons by uninstalling your current copy and downloading and installing the latest Blender release and versions of the plug-ins.

Black and Invisible Elements

If you’re finding that your render progresses smoothly right up until the end, after which it turns completely black, double-check that your nodes are correctly connected with each other. Oftentimes, it’s a simple case of your compositing node not being connected to its adjacent nodes or “use nodes” not being ticked.

Double-checking that you have the appropriate options ticked on is also generally a good rule of thumb when you find yourself dealing with missing objects in your final render output. With how complex some renders can be, we can sometimes forget that we disabled certain objects for rendering somewhere down the line. Utilize Blender’s outliner and pinpoint the hidden or missing objects to try and check its settings.

For clipping issues with specific rendered objects in your Blender file, you can double-check the corresponding camera object for that render and fix up its clipping settings. Under the lens section of a camera’s settings, you can finetune the clipping start and end to figure out what settings solve your clipping problem.

Did you know the Color Ramp node? Check out our Blender 3D Glossary to learn all the Blender 3D terminology.

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Hardware Bottlenecks

Sometimes, issues arise when Blender starts pushing against the upper limit of your computer’s hardware capabilities. This might result in all kinds of issues, from poor and slow program performance to disabled features, and even sudden program crashes. In those cases, the most common culprits are the RAM or the GPU. If you're wondering why Blender is not responding, it could be a hardware issue.

You can check if the RAM is the problem by opening up your Task Manager on Windows, the Activity Monitor on Mac, or the System Monitor on Linux. There, you can see just how much RAM Blender is using. A quick solution would be to optimize the file you’re working on in Blender—simplify your geometry, minimize the number of active particles, and use fewer textures. For further optimization, check out our Blender Tips and Tricks for creating efficient models. There are plenty of Blender classes and courses available that teach you good modeling practices that prioritize the use of simple, clean geometry.

For problems arising from GPU limitations, it might be a driver-related issue. So first, check that you have the most updated drivers installed for your computer’s graphics card. If you're using Eevee for rendering, our guide on Blender Eevee Essentials might provide additional insights to improve performance. Additionally, ensure that the version you have installed is optimized for Blender use.

Photo by Batu Gezer on Unsplash

A long-term solution would be to upgrade your RAM or graphics card, but even lower-end devices should be able to run Blender efficiently when utilized correctly. Alternatively, you could also opt for cloud-computing services such as Vagon to use top-quality computing power at a fraction of the price of upgrading your machine.

Eevee is the popular render engine in Blender, but do you know Cycles Renderer? See our Blender 3D Glossary for explanations to all Blender 3D terminology.

Conclusion

It can be frustrating to have unforeseen Blender issues pop up during complex modeling and animating workflows. It gets all the more upsetting when you can’t figure out what’s causing the problem. In those cases, what usually comes next is a series of trial-and-error tweaks to figure out the solution. Hopefully, the list we’ve gone through today will help lessen the time it takes to figure out a workaround.

You can also check out our GPU Guide for tips to use GPU, along with speed up and acceleration tips for Blender 3D.

FAQs:

1. Why is Blender not responding?

   • Blender might not respond due to hardware limitations, outdated drivers, or excessive use of system resources. Optimizing your project or upgrading your hardware could resolve the issue.

2. What should I do if Blender won’t open?

   • If Blender won't open, check if your drivers are up to date and ensure your system meets the minimum requirements. Reinstalling Blender or resetting your preferences may also help.

3. How can I fix Blender lagging on my computer?

   • Blender may lag if your computer’s hardware is underperforming. Simplifying your project, reducing active particles, or upgrading your hardware can help improve performance.

4. What are the most common problems in Blender?

   • Common Blender problems include interface glitches, missing or black render elements, and performance issues due to hardware bottlenecks.

5. Why is my Blender render turning black?

   • A black render usually indicates that your nodes are not properly connected or that some objects have been disabled in the render settings. Double-check these elements to fix the issue.

6. How do I troubleshoot Blender interface issues?

   • Troubleshoot Blender interface issues by checking hardware acceleration settings, adjusting viewport configurations, or performing a clean reinstall of the software.