Blender 4.2 and newer. It installs as a Blender extension: Edit > Preferences > Get Extensions > ▾ > Install from Disk, then pick the zip.

Yes. Everything works on Windows, macOS and Linux except the desktop pet (the pet walking on your desktop outside Blender), which is Windows only. On macOS and Linux you get a system notification when a render finishes instead.

No. The pet is a small sprite drawn in the viewport, and phone messages are sent in the background, so Blender never waits for them. You can lower Animation FPS in Behavior, or hide the pet anytime with the checkbox in the panel header.

Only for phone notifications through Discord. Everything else works offline. For Discord, turn on Preferences > System > Network > Allow Online Access.

BlendBuddy posts a message in your own Discord channel through a webhook link, and the Discord app pings your phone. The message includes the render picture, the file name and how long it took. Setup takes about a minute and is explained step by step in the add-on (Phone Notifications > How do I get the link?) and in the Documentation.

Right now phone notifications use Discord only. It's free, needs no phone number or API key, and can send the render picture. On your computer you also get a desktop notification and sound, and on Windows the pet pops out on your desktop.

First press Send Test Message in Phone Notifications and read the result under the button. If the test works but your phone stays quiet, Discord is probably open on your PC: Discord only pings your phone when you're away from the PC app. Close Discord on the PC, or set Discord Settings > Notifications > Push Notification Inactive Timeout to the shortest time. Also note that renders shorter than "Only If Longer Than" are skipped on purpose.

The link is saved only in Blender's preferences on your computer and is only ever sent to Discord. Keep it private: anyone who has it can post in that channel (but can't read it). If it ever leaks, delete the webhook in Discord and create a new one.

Yes, in two ways. In Look > Build Your Own you can mix a body, eyes, mouth, colors and an accessory. In Look > Custom Sprite you can load your own transparent PNG sprite sheet (frames side by side; row 1 idle, 2 walk, 3 sleep, 4 happy).

Yes. Choose Stay Put in the main panel and the pet stays where you drop it. Sounds can be turned off or made quieter in Desktop & Sounds. Reminders (save, break, daily tip) can be turned off in Behavior.

Turn on Gizmos in the 3D Viewport header, and check that Behavior > Click & Drag is on.

The BlendBuddy panel shows a message with a Restart Pet button. Press it, and the pet comes back.