Model import guidelines for SketchUp

**1. Install the Lumion plug-in for SketchUp**

1.1: Please follow the instructions below to download and install the plug-in for SketchUp 2017 to 2023:

Download Link: Download Lumion LiveSync for SketchUp

2. The best import method for your version of SketchUp and Lumion

SketchUp version	Import method
SketchUp 2023	*Lumion 2023.0 or newer: LiveSync* or import .SKP file** Lumion 12.0 - 12.5: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 11.0.1 or newer: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 11.0: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 10.3 - 10.5: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 9.3 - 10.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2019 format) Lumion 8.3 - 9.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2018 format) Lumion 7.0 - 8.0: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2017 format) Lumion 6.0.1 - 6.5.1: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2016 format) Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2022	*Lumion 12.0 or newer: LiveSync* or import .SKP file Lumion 11.0.1 or newer:** LiveSync or import .SKP file Lumion 11.0: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 10.3 - 10.5: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 9.3 - 10.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2019 format) Lumion 8.3 - 9.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2018 format) Lumion 7.0 - 8.0: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2017 format) Lumion 6.0.1 - 6.5.1: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2016 format) Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2021	*Lumion 12.0 or newer: LiveSync* or import .SKP file Lumion 11.0.1 or newer:** LiveSync or import .SKP file Lumion 11.0: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 10.3 - 10.5: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2020 format) Lumion 9.3 - 10.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2019 format) Lumion 8.3 - 9.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2018 format) Lumion 7.0 - 8.0: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2017 format) Lumion 6.0.1 - 6.5.1: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2016 format) Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2020	Lumion 10.3 - 11.0.1 or newer: LiveSync or import .SKP file Lumion 9.3 - 10.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2019 format) Lumion 8.3 - 9.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2018 format) Lumion 7.0 - 8.0: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2017 format) Lumion 6.0.1 - 6.5.1: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2016 format) Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2019	Lumion 9.3 - 11.0.1 or newer: LiveSync or import .SKP file Lumion 8.3 - 9.0.2: LiveSync or import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2018 format) Lumion 7.0 - 8.0: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2017 format) Lumion 6.0.1 - 6.5.1: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2016 format) Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2018	Lumion 8.3 - 11.0.1 or newer: LiveSync or import .SKP file Lumion 7.0 - 8.0: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2017 format) Lumion 6.0.1 - 6.5.1: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2016 format) Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2017	Lumion 8.3 - 11.0.1 or newer: LiveSync or import .SKP file Lumion 7.0 - 8.0: Import .SKP file Lumion 6.0.1 - 6.5.1: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2016 format) Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2016	Lumion 6.0 - 11.0.1 or newer: Import .SKP file Lumion 5.3 - 5.7.2: Import .SKP file (File -> Save as -> SketchUp 2015 format) Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2015	Lumion 5.3 - 11.0.1 or newer: Import .SKP file Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
SketchUp 2014	Lumion 5.3 - 11.0.1 or newer: Import .SKP file Lumion 1.0 - 5.0: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)
Older than 2014	Lumion 1.0-11.0.1 or newer: Import .DAE file (File -> Save as -> .DAE format)

3. Tips & Troubleshooting

3.1: If you are not sure how to import a model then see this tutorial:

Video Tutorial: Lumion 12: Import Your Design Model

3.2: How do you import edges from SketchUp?

Version 9.0 and newer: Simply Import the model and click the On button for the Import edges option:

Lumion 9.0 and older: You can import edges if you tick the Export Edges tickbox in the Collada (.DAE) export options in SketchUp.
If you already have a SketchUp model in Lumion and you want to add edges to it, select all surfaces in the SketchUp scene and assign a material to it (call the material "MakeThisInvisibleInLumion"). Import this model as a separate .DAE file (with Export edges turned on) and assign an Invisible Material to the material so that only the edges show up. Then position the .DAE model at the same location as the .SKP model (click here to see how).

3.3: Why can't you see the model after importing and placing it in your Project?

Check the scale of your model and make sure that it is placed near 0,0,0 in SketchUp before importing it in Lumion.
If your model is close to the XYZ axes in SketchUp but still far away from the Object Icon in Lumion, you might have moved the coordinate system origin point. In SketchUp, please right-click on the blue axis and select Reset. Doing so will reveal the true position of the model in relation to the world coordinate system. Then move the model closer to the XYZ axes before re-importing the model in Lumion.

3.4: Why are some of the surfaces of your model flipped or invisible in Lumion?

If you have a problem with flipped or invisible faces in Lumion, try to explode your scene in SketchUp just before exporting it using CTRL + A -> Right-click -> Explode. Keep 'exploding' the selected models until the Explode option is grayed out.

3.5: Why can't you assign a Lumion material to individual surfaces?

Lumion will always combine surfaces that use the same material in SketchUp. If you want to assign a Lumion material to a specific surface, you must assign a unique material to that surface in SketchUp before Importing or Re-Importing the model.

Knowledge Base: Why can't I select just a part of the imported model?

3.6: How do you reduce the detail level of SketchUp models?

Knowledge Base: How do you reduce the complexity of a model before importing it in Lumion?

3.7: Why is Lumion 8.0 (and older versions) suddenly very slow after importing a SketchUp model?

Knowledge Base: Why is Lumion 8.0 (and older versions) suddenly very slow after importing a SketchUp model?

3.8: What do you do if your Lumion Materials go missing after re-importing a model?

Knowledge Base: Why are your Lumion materials missing after re-importing your model?

3.9: How do you replace imported objects with Library objects?

Knowledge Base: How do you replace imported 'proxy' objects with Library objects?

3.10: Why are some materials automatically converted to water and glass in Lumion?

If your SketchUp material name begins with one of the words in the table below and is followed by a space, it will be converted to special glass or water materials in Lumion when using LiveSync (or .SKP file format when using Lumion 10 or newer) to export the model. Please note that the materials assigned in the 3D model to glass or water surfaces must have an opacity lower or equal to 99% for the conversion to take place.

The automatic conversion only takes place when you start the LiveSync function (or when you import the .SKP file in Lumion 10 or newer).

Language	Water	Glass
Chinese	水	玻璃
English	Water	Glass
French	Eau	Verre
German	Wasser	Glas
Italian	Acqua	Vetro
Japanese	水	ガラス
Korean	물	유리
Polish	Woda	Szkło
Portuguese	Agua	Vidro
Russian	вода	стекло
Spanish	Agua	Vidrio
Swedish	Vatten	Glas

3.11: How do you update a model in LiveSync when the file name or folder location of the SketchUp file has changed?

Knowledge Base: How does LiveSync 3 work with existing imported models in Lumion Projects?

3.12: Why might some part of your model in SketchUp not show in Lumion?

Sketchup made a change to its API for SketchUp 2021 and newer. That change made it possible to load a newer SketchUp version file than the API supports. The API, that Lumion uses for importing, will skip unknown/newer features without throwing any exceptions.

The result could be that any newer feature or object that you see in SketchUp is not shown in Lumion. This could then be a version compatibility issue between the newer version of SketchUp you are using and your version of Lumion, being released at a time when the newer SketchUp version, was not yet available.

Applies to direct import using Lumion and not LiveSync.

How can we help?

**1. Install the Lumion plug-in for SketchUp**

2. The best import method for your version of SketchUp and Lumion

3. Tips & Troubleshooting

See also:

Comments

How can we help?

1. Install the Lumion plug-in for SketchUp

2. The best import method for your version of SketchUp and Lumion

3. Tips & Troubleshooting

See also:

Related articles

**1. Install the Lumion plug-in for SketchUp**