Anycubic Photon Workshop

Anycubic Photon Workshop is Anycubic’s free slicer for its own resin 3D printers, such as the Photon Mono M7, Mono 4 and Photon P1 series. It imports STL or OBJ models, lets you scale, hollow and support them, and saves a slice file that the printer reads. It can also send jobs to connected printers remotely. Dental technicians and clinics with an Anycubic printer use it to print study models, thermoforming models and other lab parts from scan data. If you are looking for a “Photon Workshop download”, it is free from Anycubic for Windows and macOS.

The program is free to download and use, with no paid edition. It is built for Anycubic printers only, and Anycubic does not offer a Linux version.

Anycubic Photon Workshop at a glance

What it does

• Automatic supports with Light, Medium and Heavy presets and custom support scripts. It also has manual supports. Since V4.2.0 you can draw supports along straight lines and free curves.
• An island check in the slice preview colours each layer. Green needs no support, yellow may need more, and red must be supported.
• Shell (hollow) and punch (drain hole) tools. Auto-supports can also be generated inside the cavity of a hollowed model.
• Machine and resin configuration with Anycubic’s default profiles. Recent versions added profiles for Anycubic resins on the M7, Mono 4 and P1 series.
• Remote printing to connected Anycubic printers, with video monitoring on supported models.
• Print time estimates based on the printer configuration (V4.1.8), and export of selected models as STL.
• Keyboard shortcuts for the main tools, and highlighting of overhanging areas in support mode (V4.1.4).

How dental teams use it

Print a study or thermoforming model

1. Export the based model as STL from your scanner or model software, for example Medit Link. Photon Workshop does not add bases to scans.
2. Click “Import Model”, or drag the file in. Under “Machine” select your printer, and under “Resin” select or edit the resin profile (layer thickness, exposure).
3. If you want to save resin, shell the model and punch drain holes near the base.
4. Tilt the model if needed and generate supports with the Medium script. Anycubic’s guide suggests rotating models 10–45 degrees rather than printing flat against the platform. A model with a flat base designed for direct platform printing is an exception.
5. Check islands in the slice preview, then save the slice file or send it to the printer remotely.

Batch several arches

Import several models, select them all in the object list and generate supports at once. Recent versions added box selection and shortcuts to speed this up.

Photon Workshop has no dental or medical features, and Anycubic makes no medical claims for it. If you print anything that goes in the mouth, use a resin validated for that use and follow its maker’s printer and post-curing instructions.

Install and first run

• Windows: 64-bit Windows 10 version 1803 or later is required.
• macOS: macOS 11.3 or later is required. V4.2.1 fixed a problem where automatic updates failed to download on macOS.
• Linux: there is no Linux version. In June 2026 an Anycubic staff reply on the official wiki said there are no plans for one.

The software tells you about new versions when it starts, or you can check under Help. Anycubic’s wiki keeps a list of older versions. This matters for older printers: users with some older models (for example a Photon Mono 4K or Photon Mono X) reported that a new version did not list their printer or wrote files the printer would not read. Anycubic’s advice was to use a previous version or open a support ticket. If 3D rendering fails, install the latest version: V4.2.1 fixed 3D rendering failures on some computers.

Limitations

• It is designed for Anycubic printers. Other brands need their own slicer.
• There is no Linux build.
• Support for older printers can lag behind in new versions, so you may need an older release.
• It has no dental presets or automatic dental orientation. Dental setup is manual.
• Remote printing and video monitoring only work with supported Anycubic printers.

Anycubic Photon Workshop vs alternatives

CHITUBOX and Lychee Slicer support many Anycubic printers as well as other brands. They have more advanced support and hollowing tools, but their best features are paid. CHITUBOX also has a paid dental mode. PrusaSlicer, which is free and open source, includes resin profiles for the Anycubic Photon Mono, Mono X, Mono X 6K and Mono SE. Photon Workshop’s advantages are that it costs nothing, has Anycubic’s official resin profiles and prints remotely to Anycubic machines.

FAQ

Is Photon Workshop free?

Yes. Anycubic describes Photon Workshop as free slicing software for resin printing. There is no paid edition.

Is there Anycubic Photon Workshop for Mac?

Yes. It runs on macOS 11.3 or later, and each version on the Anycubic wiki has a Mac build.

Is there Photon Workshop for Linux?

No. Anycubic offers Windows and macOS versions only.

Photon Workshop vs Lychee: which is better?

Photon Workshop is free and made for Anycubic printers. Lychee supports many brands and has stronger support and hollowing tools, several of them in its paid Plus edition.

Photon Workshop vs CHITUBOX?

Both slice for Anycubic printers. CHITUBOX has more tools and a paid dental mode. Photon Workshop is fully free and adds Anycubic’s remote printing.

My printer is not listed in the new version. What should I do?

Install a previous version from the list on Anycubic’s wiki, or open a ticket with Anycubic support.

Photon Workshop keeps crashing. What can I try?

Update to the latest version, since V4.2.0 and V4.2.1 fixed several crashes and rendering problems. If it still crashes, record a video of the problem and open a ticket with Anycubic support, as Anycubic recommends on its wiki.

Last checked against official sources: 28 September 2026 (developer website: anycubic.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in a clinic.