Download: this guide as a PDF (for printing or reading offline).

The RedSDK Plug-in switches on the Redway RedSDK engine inside TurboCAD: fast, GPU-accelerated realistic display and rendering, with RedSDK materials, luminances (lights) and environments.

1. Check you can run it

• TurboCAD 2026 64-bit (2026.1, build 33.0.65.1 or later), Platinum, Professional or Deluxe edition.
• A graphics card with current drivers that supports OpenGL. RedSDK uses the graphics card heavily.
• This plug-in is for TurboCAD 2026 only. Earlier TurboCAD versions need their own RedSDK plug-in.

2. Install

1. Close TurboCAD. If you installed this plug-in before, uninstall it first in Windows Settings ▸ Apps ▸ Installed apps (your license stays activated).
2. Right-click the installer (RedSDK_TurboCAD_2026_r2.exe) ▸ Run as administrator.
3. Pick the installer language and accept the licence agreement.
4. The installer finds your TurboCAD 2026 folder. If you have more than one TurboCAD installed, choose TurboCAD 2026 in the list.
5. Enter your licence key when asked. It is one line of five groups, for example RWPEN-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. Copy and paste it from your order email. You need to be online for this step.
6. Click Finish.

Upgrading from the 2025 RedSDK plug-in? Your upgrade key works with the current installer, RedSDK_TurboCAD_2026_r2.exe. If an installer you downloaded earlier says the key is invalid, download the installer again from your order link.

3. Turn it on in TurboCAD

1. Restart TurboCAD so the plug-in is picked up.
2. Go to Options ▸ Program Setup ▸ Native Draw and choose Redsdk instead of GDI. Click OK.
3. TurboCAD warns you and asks whether to restart now. Click Yes. If you click No, TurboCAD does not keep the setting, and you have to choose Redsdk again.
4. After the restart, open the camera settings: on the View tab, click Camera Options ▸ Properties (menu: View ▸ Camera ▸ Camera Properties). The pages for each rendering mode are listed on the left. Set:

All RedSDK materials, luminances and environments now appear in the Properties dialogs, the Palettes and the Render Manager.

4. Your first RedSDK render

1. Open a 3D drawing, or draw a simple solid in a 3D view.
2. Open the Materials palette with Tools ▸ Palettes ▸ Materials, set its render-engine filter to show RedSDK materials, and drag a material onto the object.
3. Optional: open Options ▸ Render Manager to pick a RedSDK environment or luminance.
4. Choose View ▸ Visual Styles ▸ Draft Render to work interactively. RedSDK updates the shaded view as you orbit.
5. Choose View ▸ Visual Styles ▸ Quality Render (the teapot button on the View tab) for the final image. The status bar shows Rendering Complete and the time taken.
6. To save the image, choose File ▸ Save As, set Save as type to BMP or JPG, click Setup and tick Use Render.

5. If something goes wrong

6. Help

• TurboCAD User Guide: Rendering, Render Camera Properties and Drawing Setup.
• Forum: https://forums.turbocad.com
• Support: [email protected]