RenderCue

Sequence. Queue. Render.

RenderCue is the ultimate batch rendering solution for Blender, designed to bridge the gap between Scene Management and background execution. It provides a streamlined, professional interface to queue multiple scenes, override their settings per-job, and execute renders in the background—keeping your UI responsive so you can keep working.

Built for modern pipelines, RenderCue fully supports Blender 4.2 LTS through 5.0+.

• Global Render Queue: Add scenes from anywhere in your .blend file to a centralized, reorderable queue.
• True Background Rendering: Renders are performed in a separate background process, keeping Blender completely responsive.
• Queue Health System: Automatically validates your queue for errors (missing cameras, invalid paths) before you start, preventing wasted render time.
• Smart Overrides: Instantly override settings per job without changing your scene data. Organized into collapsible sections:
  • Output Settings: Custom Output Path, Camera, Transparent Background, and Compositor toggle.
  • Range & Resolution: Frame Range (Start/End), Frame Step, and Resolution Scale %.
  • Format: Change file format (PNG, EXR, JPEG, etc.) per job.
  • Render Engine: Switch between Cycles, Eevee, and Workbench.
  • Quality: Override Samples and Cycles-specific settings (Denoising, Device, Time Limit, Persistent Data).
• Context Menus: Right-click any job to duplicate, remove, or jump to its scene.
• Smart Validation: Inline warnings alert you to potential issues (e.g., missing cameras) before you render.
• Pause & Resume: Pause renders at any time. New: You can now even close Blender and resume your render queue later from where it left off.
• Presets System: Save your entire queue configuration to a JSON file to load later, or share between files.
• Notifications:
  • Desktop Toasts: Native Windows notifications when jobs complete.
  • Webhooks: Send completion reports to your Discord or Slack channels.
• Detailed Summary: View a comprehensive report of render times, successful frames, and errors upon completion.

1. Download the latest release zip file.
2. Open Blender.
3. Go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
4. Click Install... and select the zip file.
5. Enable the addon by checking the box next to Render: RenderCue.

• Open the RenderCue panel in the Render Properties tab or N-Panel.
• Click Add All Scenes or use the [ + ] button to populate your queue.
• Queue Health: Check for inline warnings (e.g., "Scene has no camera") which will appear directly below the list or on specific jobs.
• Reordering: Use the Arrow keys or right-click context menu (Move to Top/Bottom) to organize your sequence.

• Scene Summary: Select a job to view its details (Engine, Resolution, Samples) in the summary card below the list.
• Overrides: Expand the Overides section to change settings per-job:
  • Enable specific overrides like Resolution, Frame Range, or Camera.
  • Tip: Use the "Apply to All" button next to any setting to instantly propagate it to every job in the queue.
• Quick Switch: Click the [👁] (eye) icon in the list or summary to instantly jump to that scene in the viewport.

• Click Render Cue to start.
• Monitor progress via the Rendering in Progress panel, which shows:
  • Job progress (e.g., "Job 1/5")
  • Time Remaining (ETR)
  • Live Preview: A thumbnail of the last rendered frame.
  • Queue Status: A mini-view of upcoming jobs.
• You can continue working in Blender while your renders churn in the background!

If you find this tool useful, consider supporting its development.

GPL v3