Everything You Need to Know About the New Version of SketchUp

3D workspace showing built-in collaboration tools in the new version of SketchUp with user comments and feedback icons inside a modern building model.

In design and construction, coordination can make or break a project. Architects, interior designers and construction professionals rely on accurate feedback, seamless collaboration and precise documentation, yet traditional tools often slow that process down.

The new version of SketchUp changes that dynamic, continuing Trimble’s mission to create intelligent design software that evolves alongside professional workflows.

Built for modern practice, the 2026 SketchUp release introduces a more connected way to design and communicate, bringing every conversation into one shared workspace. It refines 2D drafting, enhances real-world context and gives designers greater control over visual styles, all within a cohesive, smarter SketchUp experience.

Whether you’re modelling a new build in Johannesburg or refining an interior concept in Cape Town, the new SketchUp features will make your workflow smoother from start to finish.

How the New Version of SketchUp Allows for Smoother Collaboration

The new version of SketchUp introduces built-in collaboration and feedback tools that transform how teams share and review models. Designed to simplify communication and accelerate decision-making, these tools allow users to comment, update and coordinate in real time within a single connected workspace.

As part of the wider 2026 update, these SketchUp collaboration tools work seamlessly with improved documentation, real-world context features and richer visualisation, giving design teams a faster, more connected way to communicate and create.

In-app commenting feature in the new version of SketchUp showing feedback panel with comments, image uploads, and emoji reactions in a 3D workspace.

1. Built-In SketchUp Collaboration Tools

Desktop view of the new version of SketchUp showing the Collaboration Bar dropdown menu for sharing and feedback tools.

In the Collaboration Bar, click Share to invite others to view your model. If you haven’t already saved your model to Trimble Connect, a prompt appears prompting you to save it there.

The built-in collaboration and feedback tools allow you to share models securely via private links or public invitations. Reviewers can open the model directly in their browser, leave comments and take measurements, without any extra software or licence required. 

Real-world example: An architect in Durban shares a live model with a contractor in Johannesburg. The contractor leaves a comment flagging a structural alignment issue directly in the model and within minutes, the architect updates the design. Collaboration stays seamless and decisions move forward instantly.

2. Streamlined Workflows

For multidisciplinary teams, these SketchUp collaboration tools centralise communication and speed up approvals. 

  • Architects manage revisions and approvals quickly, reducing version conflicts.

  • Interior designers host virtual design reviews and present updates in real time.

  • Construction teams access models on-site via tablets to identify issues early.

By integrating these SketchUp collaboration tools into your daily workflow, you avoid miscommunication, making version management seamless.

How the Latest SketchUp Update Enables Streamlined Documentation

Updated documentation tools in the new version of SketchUp showing detailed 3D models, exploded views, and drafting layouts in LayOut.
Four new powerful drafting tools and scrapbook collections elevate LayOut documents.

The SketchUp update makes precision simple with smarter connections between your 3D models and 2D documentation, keeping every layout aligned with your latest design changes.

1. Enhanced Documentation Workflow Between SketchUp and LayOut

In the 2026 release, SketchUp LayOut – the enhanced 2D documentation environment –  introduces improved DWG compatibility and smarter template management. DWG, the standard AutoCAD drawing format, now integrates more smoothly with LayOut, ensuring improved synchronisation between models and drawings.

Any change made to your model is instantly reflected across linked drawing sheets, keeping documentation accurate without manual updates. For example:

  • Architects can modify window placements in 3D and floor plans refresh instantly.

  • Interior designers can adjust materials or finishes and reflected ceiling plans can be auto-updated.

Contractors receive updated documents without waiting for re-exports.

2. Improved Project Delivery with the Latest SketchUp Update

For South African firms working to tight deadlines, these documentation upgrades streamline delivery, improve accuracy, and speed up approvals, thereby enhancing productivity and outcomes.

How the New SketchUp Features Support Context-Rich Design

Bring models to life with the new Texture Projection feature.

The new version of SketchUp enhances how you integrate your design into real-world surroundings, where accuracy starts with context.

1. Add Location: Real-World Data in Your Model

The improved Add Location feature allows users to import high-resolution satellite imagery and terrain data directly into SketchUp. You can geo-locate projects to capture sun paths, topography and elevation for realistic, data-driven site planning. 

For example, an architect working on a hillside residence can simulate sunlight and terrain gradients to evaluate shading and visibility early in the process.

2. Scan Essentials: Integrating Real-World Scans

Scan Essentials bridges the gap between physical reality and digital models. Using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, it imports 3D point cloud data from site scans and overlays it in SketchUp.

Perfect for renovations, restorations and as-built verification, Scan Essentials enables you to trace, measure and align design geometry with exact site data, reducing errors and keeping every adjustment accurate to real-world conditions.

How the Enhanced SketchUp Visualisation Tools Bring Ideas to Life

The latest updates to Diffusion offer more control to help you create your most realistic renders yet.

The 2026 SketchUp release produces faster, richer and more realistic rendering tools. Built on professional feedback, this SketchUp update makes visualisation effortless and presentation-ready.

1. Diffusion: AI-Powered Concept Visualisation

The new Diffusion feature in SketchUp visualisation uses artificial intelligence to transform quick 3D models into high-quality concept images, ideal for mood boards, client proposals or early-stage visualisation. There is no need to export to external software – choose your preferred style, generate an image and share instantly.

2. Ambient Occlusion: Depth and Definition

Ambient Occlusion adds subtle shadows where surfaces meet, enhancing depth and realism. In the new version of SketchUp, you can now control intensity, distance, and colour directly — giving materials more definition without heavy rendering.

Perfect for demonstrating joinery details or emphasising façade depth, enabling clients to grasp scale and texture instantly.

3. Additional SketchUp Visualisation Enhancements

This SketchUp update further improves material and lighting control:

  • Smarter texture editing with inverted roughness maps.

  • Customisable material thumbnails for faster library navigation.

  • Support for HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imaging) environments, giving reflective materials realistic light and shadow.

Whether you are showcasing a retail interior in Sandton or a beachfront villa in Durban, your visuals now feel truly immersive.

Your Questions Answered: What’s New in SketchUp 2026

SketchUp 2026 introduces several updates and improvements. Below are quick answers to key questions about compatibility, workflows and new features.

Yes. Older SketchUp models remain compatible. Always back up your files before migrating to the new version to safeguard extensions and settings.

Absolutely. With the new built-in collaboration tools, you can share a live model via a secure link. Clients and stakeholders can view, comment, and take measurements directly in their browser; no installation or licence is required. 

No additional hardware is needed to use Scan Essentials within SketchUp. The extension allows you to import, view and model directly from point-cloud data captured by compatible 3D scanners or drones, bridging the gap between as-built conditions and your digital design model.

Diffusion gives designers the ability to generate polished concept images directly inside SketchUp, helping communicate design intent faster. Instead of exporting to external tools, you can show clients multiple style options within minutes.

The enhanced Add Location feature uses higher-resolution terrain and imagery, enabling you to capture more detailed site information for improved planning. Combined with precise geolocation data, it supports more reliable sunlight studies, slope analysis and environmental simulations.

Design Smarter With the New Version of SketchUp

The new version of SketchUp gives South African design professionals the tools to connect, collaborate and deliver with confidence. This SketchUp release represents a milestone in connected design, giving teams new ways to communicate, coordinate and present ideas with precision. Every stage of the process becomes more efficient, keeping teams aligned and ensuring work moves forward seamlessly.

Explore What’s New in SketchUp 2026 and see how the latest update simplifies collaboration, enhances productivity and sets a new standard for how design professionals work.