Enabling Auto-update in Assets window
At the bottom right of the Assets window is now available a button and menu to configure the auto-update system (the little double arrows icon). Enable the option Assets panel to monitor libraries and reload them.

Updating resources in projects
Reloading a resource won't automatically update the version used inside a project via the layer stack, display settings, shaders settings, etc. To do so, make sure to enable the Resources used in project option as well.

Update frequency
How often Painter should look for an update of resources can be defined in minutes via a dedicated setting. Using 0 minutes will make the application refresh every few seconds. Note however such a low value can lead to performance issues. The application will also automatically refresh when regaining focus.

Manual resource update
The refresh and update process can also be triggered manually by using the dedicated buttons at the bottom of the auto-update menu. This can be more convenient than using and waiting for the automatic process to kick in.

Mismatch and errors in log window
Updating resources, especially if the difference between the old and new version is important, can lead to issues. For example texturing results can greatly change or break because of missing/changing parameters on a Substance resource. This is why Skip assets when their parameters mismatch is enabled by default. Issues will be reported in the log window.
To force an update, simply disable this setting.

Available in Python API for automating project maintenance
The auto-update workflow has also been exposed to Python. New functions have been added to help list outdated resources and replace them.
For more information check out the dedicated documentation via the application Help menu.

New tool to create path with a filled color
A new tool called Filled path is available in the Path menu. This tool can fill the inner area of a path when closed. The filling is done with a uniform color for each channel of the Texture Set.

Adapt to surface automatically
The Filled path tool can fit any kind of surfaces, it is not restricted to planar areas. It can cross gaps and object boundaries.

Compatible with mirror and radial symmetry
This new tool also supports the symmetry properties, which opens possibilities to create complex shapes.

Easy switch between path tools
A new way to switch between the different types of path tools has been added in the Properties window. It makes it easier to try out tools and duplicating paths. For example you can create a path outline and then duplicate it to convert it into a filled path, making it possible to quickly have a shape with an outline.

Path preview (toggle with Shift+P)
When editing a path, a new dotted line will appear to indicate how the path will react when adding a new point at the end of the curve. This make changes more predictable. This preview can be disabled via the dedicated settings menu or by using the Shift+P keyboard shortcut.

Straight line and angle snapping
The Shift keyboard modifier can now be used to create straight lines between points automatically. Maintaining Ctrl can also be used to apply angle snapping which helps build geometric shapes.
The angle snapping settings can modified via the path settings menu in the contextual toolbar.

Snap Path points to mesh polygons
To make placing points easier a new snapping (magnet icon) can be enabled. This option allows to put points on the 3D model vertices. This option make it easier to follow a surface or an edge.
Snapping can be done in three different manners:

• Snap to vertices
• Snap to edges
• Snap to center of edges

All of these modes are available via the path settings menu in the contextual toolbar.

Auto-close when clicking on last vertex
To make the Filled path tool easier to use, clicking on the first vertex while the last one is selected will now automatically close the path. To select a point instead of closing the path you can use the CTRL key. (This behavior was inverted in the previous version.)

Copy path vertices positions from content to mask
It is now possible to do Copy a path in material mode and then use Paste all vertices on a path in a mask. This make synchronizing different paths possible between materials and masks.

Improved show/hide UI display behavior
Pressing the viewport manipulators keyboard shortcuts (W, S, or D) will now toggle them on the fly. They can also be enabled/disabled from the contextual toolbar dedicated buttons. This change make it possible to quickly show or hide them without also hiding the other visuals in the viewport (like the path curve and points).

Rotate and Scale now accessible on path vertices
In this version the Rotate and Scale tool can now be used when multiple vertices are selected. This open the possibility to adjust and align vertices together.

Show path information in Properties window
The properties window now has a new section when a path tool is selected. This new section regroups information and action specific to paths such as the length of a path, the projection depth, and actions to switch between types.

Improved Tangent edition when viewed from an angle
Editing custom tangents could be difficult depending on the view angle. This has now been changed so that tangents will be constrained to their own plan.

Keep Path list open across layers
When switching between different paint layers and effects, if the Path panel in the viewport was closed it would also be closed for other layers. The panel will now remain open to make back and forth more convenient.

Focus on currently selected path
Pressing the F keyboard shortcut will now focus on a path instead of the whole 3D model when editing a path.

Delete path with backspace
Paths can now be quickly deleted by pressing the Backspace keyboard shortcut.

Stylization
This new filter can be used to convert an existing texturing into a more stylized version. It simulates brush strokes in 3D space and can apply a few other effects to achieve a painterly look. It contains several presets to make it easy to play with.

Quantize
The quantize filter can be used to reduce the number of colors in an image and create flat areas with hard limits. It can also be used for stylizing textures.

Anisotropic Kuwahara
This filter applies the Kuwahara filter which can be used for noise reduction and for stylizing textures too.

Directional distance
This is a simple filter to stretch pixels in a given direction in 2D space. It can be used to smudge brush strokes or easily create leaks.

Bevel smooth
The bevel smooth is a new version of the bevel filter, providing better results and controls. It is available in addition to the existing filter.

Grayscale conversion
This new filter can be used to conveniently convert images or channels to grayscale, providing control over the Red, Green, and Blue channels if needed.

Scratches generator
An improved scratches generator simulating thin threads with various controls for randomness.

Triangle Grid
A noise built from the connections of triangles, with control for randomness and smoothness.

Tile Random
A texture generator tailored to building tile patterns.

Voronoi and Voronoi Fractal noises
Already available as 3D noises, these new versions can be used as 2D versions instead which make them more convenient for tiling or UV space texturing.

Updated noises to latest version from Designer
Most of the noises available in Painter have been updated with the latest version from Substance 3D Designer. Noises parameters are no longer hidden into a group to make them quicker to edit.

New setting in the common baking parameters
Inside the common baking parameter the cage parameter has been replaced with a selection between three options:
Distance-based: the default frontal/rear distance settings.
Automatic (experimental): the new automatic cage.
Custom file: the previous way of loading a custom mesh file as a cage.

Metal graphic API is now used instead of OpenGL on Mac
Starting with this version, Painter now uses the Metal graphic API on Mac, both for rendering its viewport and computing textures. This switch greatly improve the performance and stability of the application. It will also make it easier to integrate new functionalities in the future as OpenGL has been deprecated on MacOS.

Removal of support for Intel architecture on Mac OS
With this version the compatibility with Intel CPUs on MacOS has been removed. The ARM architecture (M1, M2, etc.) is now the only one supported.

Only enable base Color channel on new fill layer/effect
Now by default, when creating a new fill layer or effect, only the Base Color channel will be enabled. (This change doesn't apply when drag and dropping a resource that would create itself a fill layer/effect.)
Based on feedback from the community we made this change to improve performance by avoiding triggering the computation of channels that get disabled afterward. This should help responsivity when working at high resolution or with UV tiles.
Note that you can quickly re-enable all the channels by clicking on the Base Color button while maintaining the ALT keyboard shortcut.

Rename UV Tiles for exporting textures
In the Texture Set list window it is not possible to add a custom name on UV Tiles. Contrary to the description, the custom name can be retrieved in export presets via the dedicated tag $uvTileName.
This new functionality allows to replace UDIM numbers into specific names during export.

New export button available in Dock toolbar
The Send To actions make easy export toward other applications has moved into a dedicated window, now available from the Dock toolbar on the right side of the application.

Improve naming of copy/pasted paths and layers
The naming scheme of layers when duplicating or copy/pasting layers and paths has been improved to be more consistent and predictable.