INSTALLATION

Blender 4.2 and above:

1. Download snapsave_basic.py

2. Open Blender and go to Edit → Preferences → Add-ons

3. Click Install and select the downloaded file

4. Tick the checkbox next to SnapSave to enable it

5. Open the N-sidebar in any 3D viewport (press N) and click the SnapSave tab

Blender 4.0 – 4.1:

Same steps as above using the .py file.

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FIRST USE

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1. Save your .blend file at least once before using SnapSave (the addon needs a file path to save backups next to)

2. The panel shows a live countdown — auto-save is already running

3. Press Ctrl+Shift+S at any moment to save a named manual backup

4. Click the arrow on any snapshot card to expand it and access restore and edit options

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TAKING A MANUAL BACKUP

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Method 1 — Keyboard shortcut:

Press Ctrl+Shift+S from anywhere in the 3D viewport. A backup is saved instantly with a timestamped name. No dialog, no interruption.

Method 2 — Save Backup button:

Click Save Backup in the SnapSave panel. A dialog opens where you can enter a label, choose a tag (Stable / Milestone / WIP), and add notes before saving.

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RESTORING A BACKUP

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1. Find the snapshot you want in the panel list

2. Click the arrow (▶) on the right side of the card to expand it

3. Click Restore

4. Confirm the dialog — Blender opens that version in the current window

Note: Restore replaces your current session. Make sure you have saved any current work first, or use SnapSave to take a quick backup before restoring.

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AUTO-SAVE SETTINGS

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Open the Settings tab in the SnapSave panel to configure:

- Enabled / Paused — toggle auto-save on or off

- Interval — how often to auto-save (1–120 minutes, default 10)

- Max auto-saves — oldest auto-saves are removed when this limit is reached

- Capture thumbnails — enable or disable viewport screenshots

- Save location — subfolder next to .blend file, or a custom global folder

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WHERE ARE MY FILES SAVED?

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Manual backups: yourfilename_backups/ folder next to your .blend

Auto-saves: yourfilename_autosave/ folder next to your .blend

Each backup is a complete, standalone .blend file. You can open it in any version of Blender without SnapSave installed.

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UPGRADING TO SNAPSAVE PRO

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SnapSave Pro (v1.5) adds open-in-new-window, append objects, overwrite backups, filter bar, and all future features. Install Pro over Basic — your full snapshot history carries over automatically.