In the new version of 3ds Max, the Autodesk Retopology Tools have been updated to improve performance. These tools for retopology were introduced in 3ds Max 2021.3.

According to the release notes, changes to the ReForm algorithm, which is the foundation of Autodesk Retopology Tools 1.5, allow for processing acceleration "of up to 8%". Additionally, pre-processing and remeshing of OpenVDB are now available as separate processes. While there were no significant new features added to the rigging and animation toolsets in 3ds Max, "long-standing issues" in CAT (Character Animation Toolkit), the plugin for 3ds Max, have been addressed.

In particular, CAT should now operate more reliably when loading and saving data, deleting CAT objects, or using the layer manager, and copying/pasting layers should function correctly in unpacking mode. The OpenColorIO (OCIO) color management system, introduced in 3ds Max 2024 as a technical preview, is now becoming the default color management mode for color management in new scenes. Additionally, the VertexPaint tool now respects color management, and Baking to Texture allows users to choose the output color space.

Workflow improvements include a new menu editor for customizing the 3ds Max menus, including the quad menu. With it, users can add, remove, reorder, or rename menu items, as well as create new separators and submenus; custom configurations will be compatible with future versions of 3ds Max. The global search system has also been revamped: an expanded list of commands appears as the user types, as shown above. The search results now display the last five used commands, making it easier to repeat actions; additionally, you can now double-click in the search results to execute actions.
The search panel can be resized or turned into a dockable window. In addition to the main application, the USD plugin for 3ds Max has been updated: in USD for 3ds Max 0.7, the ability to manipulate USD prims by selecting them directly in the viewport has been added.

Users can also import USD camera and light animations, as well as import USD blend shapes as morph targets. Blend shape export was added to USD for 3ds Max 0.5 last year. Multi/Sub-Object materials in 3ds Max are now supported when exporting USD files.

The Autodesk Arnold integration plugin for 3ds Max has also been updated: MAXtoA 5.7.0.0 supports the new features of Arnold 7.2.5 and 7.3. This significant change rewrites "much of" the Arnold GPU rendering engine to use OptiX 8, making rendering "considerably" faster and improving performance scaling on multiple GPUs. The GPU engine now also supports multiple rendering sessions. The update also introduces support for smoothed samples in progressive and adaptive rendering, generating "more pleasing noise distribution" with fewer AA samples. Among other changes are support for global light sampling in volumes, AOV support for point light groups, and a new Overlay visualizer for printing text over rendered images.

3ds Max 2025 is compatible with Windows 10 and above. The subscription cost is $235 per month or $1875 per year. In many countries, artists earning less than $100,000 per year and working on projects worth less than $100,000 per year are eligible for an Indie subscription, which now costs $305 per year.