Is there a way in SketchUp 2025 to revert to the original material library? The new materials are quite distracting—many of them feature square patterns with sharp corners that face directly at the viewer. Additionally, several key materials like grass, water, and others seem to be missing.
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hello
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Another easy way:
- Go to c:\programdata\sketchup\sketchup 2024\sketchup\materials
- Right click on the materials folder and then click on copy
- Now go to c:\programdata\sketchup\sketchup 2025\sketchup\materials and right click and then click on paste
- Now rename the folder you just passed in to something like Legacy Materials
Now when you are in SketchUp 2025 and you go to the Materials Tray you can click on the Dow arrow and select the Legacy Materials folder and you will see the list of folders from your older version of SketchUp
Hope this helps you. 
it is the exact same thing ?
Maybe so, except you do not have to have two version of the file folders open at the same time (which I was not able to do). 
Thanks so much for sharing this fix—really helpful. I actually found an even easier way: just delete the 2025 materials folder and drop in the 2024 one. Quick, clean, and it works.
But honestly? I was stunned by this change. You open the new version, and boom—most of the materials are gone, and what’s left are these sharp, aggressive thumbnails pointing right at you. It’s like someone broke into your workshop, stole your tools, and left a note that says, “Good luck!”
It didn’t feel like an upgrade—it felt like a warning shot. But hey, big thanks to the community for fixing what Trimble messed up.
Let’s fix SketchUp and make it usable again.
While I like the PBR materials, we should be able to use something like just plain colors for some options. Since you cannot edit the PBR materials in SketchUp how do we model things like these?
If I’m understanding you correctly. My top two images were rendered in Twilight. The material effects were set up in Twlight’s material editor. If memory serves me correct the image of the rings modeled by Box were also rendered in Twilight. I assume he used several of Twilight’s metal material setups for the render.
we are able to use plain colours. actually, to use plain materials. don’t use the PBR style and the PBR maps won’t be used.
you can also edit your material and turn all the maps off.
double click on your material (in model) or select it and click on the edit tab, just like before.
How do I apply materials that are not PBR with the native 2025?
create materials the old way, importing an image for example. or by clicking the + in the material panel.
simply don’t activate metalics, roughness, normal or AO.
PBR all work the same. you have one map that is the actual image. then you add maps for various parameters.
if you don’t have a map, then the parameter will apply everywhere.
if you turn off all the parameters and have no maps, then… all you have is the initial picture. just like previous sketchup versions.
in the preference panel, under graphics, there is an option to automatically convert to PBR the materials. but you can turn it off, meaning new materials you create (and old ones from previous projects) will not have the PBR stuff.