Rhinoceros 9 is now in public beta, with McNeel releasing regular builds to Rhino 8 licence holders. Known internally as the Serengeti project, the beta gives users early access to features being developed for the next major release. Here’s a comprehensive look at what’s confirmed so far.

What Is the Rhino Beta?

The Rhino public beta is McNeel’s way of involving the community in the development of the next version. If you hold a current Rhino 8 commercial or educational licence, you can download and test the beta for free. Builds are released on a rolling basis, with new features, fixes, and improvements landing regularly. Because it’s a pre-release build, expect occasional bugs and crashes — McNeel advises saving frequently and keeping Rhino 8 backups of any important work.

Modelling and Editing Improvements

• FilletEdge, BlendEdge, and ChamferEdge Improvements — corner handling and edge blending have been significantly refined, addressing long-standing pain points with complex geometry.
• FilletSrf and ChamferSrf Improvements — surface-level filleting and chamfering have been overhauled for more predictable results.
• InflateCurves — a new command allowing users to create inflated, volumetric forms directly from curves.
• ShapeMap — enables complex deformation workflows within Grasshopper 1, opening up new parametric design possibilities.
• Selection Undo Stack — a highly requested feature that allows users to step backwards through selection history.
• Boolean Improvements — more reliable Boolean operations across complex intersecting geometry.
• SubD Knife — a new SubD-specific cutting tool for more intuitive topology editing.
• SubDMatch — match SubD objects to other Rhino geometry, bridging the gap between freeform and precise modelling.
• Improved Rebuild Command — a new algorithm for smoother, more accurate curve and surface rebuilds.
• Point Cloud Splitting — split point cloud data directly within Rhino, useful for scan-to-model workflows.

User Interface Enhancements

• Gumball Improvements — further refinements for more precise and intuitive object manipulation.
• UVN Gumball — a new gumball mode aligned to the U, V, and N directions of a surface.
• Global Edge Continuity UI — manage edge continuity across an entire model rather than edge by edge.
• Multi-Surface PushPull — extend or push multiple surfaces simultaneously.
• SoftTransform — enhanced soft transform tools for smooth, organic object deformation.
• Surface Direction Indicators — clearer visual feedback on surface normals and direction within the viewport.
• ArrayCrv — improved array-along-curve with better controls and preview.
• ScaleEach — scale multiple selected objects individually about their own centres.

Drafting and Documentation

• Markups — a brand-new HUD-based annotation system for redlining and review directly within the 3D environment.
• GD&T Symbols — full Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing symbol support for engineering workflows.
• Non-Rectangular Details — layout details are no longer restricted to rectangles.
• Layout Groups — group multiple layouts for more structured documentation management.
• Custom Hatch Patterns — create new hatch patterns in Rhino or via Grasshopper, plus an expanded built-in library.
• Section Style Table — manage section styles as a document-wide resource.
• Improved DWG Import/Export — better round-tripping with AutoCAD files.
• Drafting Symbols and Guides — improved guide management and a new drafting symbols library.
• Text Masks — additional callout and mask shapes for annotation text.

Performance and Display

Under the hood, Rhino 9 is targeting significant performance gains. Large file handling is faster, display pipelines have been optimised, and SubD display quality has been noticeably improved for smoother viewport performance. SpaceMouse support has also been enhanced for users with 3Dconnexion devices.

How to Access the Rhino 9 Beta

If you hold a valid Rhino 8 commercial or educational licence, you can download the latest beta build directly from the McNeel website at rhino3d.com. You can also participate in the development discussion and submit feedback via the McNeel Forum at discourse.mcneel.com.

Rhino 9 is shaping up to be a genuinely substantial upgrade, particularly for users who rely on precise modelling, technical documentation, and parametric design. We’ll continue to cover new features as they’re confirmed.

Related Reading

• Rhino 8 vs Rhino 9: What's New and What's Changed
• Should I Wait for Rhino 9?
• Rhino 9 Upgrade Guide: What Existing Rhino Users Need to Know

View Rhino 3D V8 upgrade licence details.