Installing SU Podium for the first time

Follow this guide if you are installing SU Podium V2.6 for the first time ever on a device.

This guide also applies if you just updated to a new version of SketchUp (updated from SU 2018 to 2019, for example) and are installing SU Podium for the first time in the new SketchUp version.

What is your operating system?


 Installing SU Podium V2.6 for Windows

1. Download SU Podium V2.6 for SketchUp 2017, 2018, or 2019

Download the SU Podium installer that matches your operating system and SketchUp version from the SU Podium download page.

2. Close SketchUp before running the installer

3. Run the installer

Do not attempt to install SU Podium from the SketchUp extension manager. Find the installation file wherever you saved it and double click it to start the installation.

 Windows: If you see a SmartScreen notification, click 'More Info' and choose 'Run Anyway'.

4. Accept the license aggreement and install location

Do NOT change the install location or SU Podium will not work. The correct path will automatically be chosen by the installer:

 Correct Windows install location:

C:\ProgramData\SketchUp\SketchUp 201x\SketchUp\Plugins\

5. Finish installation and open SketchUp

SU Podium should now be listed in the Extensions drop-down menu, and the SU Podium toolbar should appear somewhere in the SketchUp viewport.

If the toolbar does not appear, go to View > Toolbars, and make sure SU Podium is checked.

6. Activate your SU Podium license

Open the license manager from the extensions drop-down menu.

Extensions > SU Podium V2.6 > License

Enter your license key and click activate. SU Podium V2.6 licenses start with 'PD' followed by 16 letters and numbers.

7. Restart SketchUp to finalize activation

SU Podium V2.6 can be installed and activated on up to two computers simultaneously.

You're all set! If you're new to Podium check out the  getting started series next  

 Installing SU Podium V2.6 for Mac

1. Download SU Podium V2.6 for SketchUp 2018, or 2019

Download the SU Podium installer that matches your operating system and SketchUp version from the SU Podium download page.

Two requirements:

  1. SketchUp 2017 Mac users must use SU Podium V2.5 — V2.6 is not currently supported
  2. SU Podium V2.6 for Mac only supports High Sierra, Mojave, and Catalina. If you have an earlier Mac version, please use SU Podium V2.5.

2. Close SketchUp before running the installer

3. Run the installer

SU Podium's .pkg installers do not run automatically. You must find the file wherever you downloaded it and start the installation process by double clicking the file.

Do not attempt to install SU Podium from the SketchUp extension manager.

 Mac Catalina installation - "Apple can not check for malicious software."
Read here for solution.

4. Accept the license aggreement and install location

Do NOT change the install location or SU Podium will not work. The correct path will automatically be chosen by the installer:

 Correct Mac install location:

Macintosh HD\Library\Application Support\SketchUp 201x\SketchUp\Plugins\

5. Finish installation and open SketchUp

SU Podium should now be listed in the Extensions drop-down menu, and the SU Podium toolbar should appear somewhere in the SketchUp viewport.

If the toolbar does not appear, go to View > Toolbars, and make sure SU Podium is checked.

6. Activate your SU Podium license

Open the license manager from the extensions drop-down menu.

Extensions > SU Podium V2.6 > License

Enter your license key and click activate. SU Podium V2.6 licenses start with 'PD' followed by 16 letters and numbers.

7. Restart SketchUp to finalize activation

SU Podium V2.6 can be installed and activated on up to two computers simultaneously.

You're all set! If you're new to Podium check out the getting started series next  

Related pages and articles:

SU Podium written tutorials

Tutorials Page - Written Podium tutorials and other documentation.

SU Podium video tutorials

Additional videos - Videos that aren't part of the getting started series.

Upgrade to SU Podium V2.6

Upgrading to V2.6 - What's new in V2.6? Download the update here.

Exterior residential render

Intro to Rendering - A written introduction to Podium rendering, with step by step images.

Podium troubleshooting thumbnail

Support hub - Click here if you are having trouble getting started