1.3 Installing LixelStudio
LixelStudio converts your raw scan data into a point cloud. Getting the installation right (path, activation, project location, and storage) prevents the most common processing failures before they happen.
Current LixelStudio release: v4.0.0.0 (released May 6, 2026). v4.0 introduces a redesigned UI, improved colorization in low-light environments, leveling auto-correction (High-Precision Optimization toggle), enhanced filtering and mesh quality, GPS time on point measurements, 2D Drawing with AI-Extract, Volume Calculation tools, Profile Analysis, Horizontal/Vertical Slice, EPSG coordinate systems, and PPK support. Notable change: basic features are now available for free without activation; full features still require a license code tied to your device serial number. See Module 8 for the complete LixelStudio reference.
System Requirements
Verify your processing machine before downloading. Running LixelStudio on hardware below the minimum will cause mid-run failures, not slow processing. The failures are not always obvious; the software may appear to be working and then crash, losing the work done up to that point.
RAM minimum increased to 64 GB in v4.0. Earlier LixelStudio versions accepted 32 GB systems. v4.0 will not run reliably on 32 GB. If you are upgrading from v3.x and your machine has 32 GB, plan a memory upgrade before installing v4.0 in production.
AMD GPUs are not supported. This is not a compatibility issue that can be resolved with a driver update. LixelStudio requires NVIDIA GPU architecture. There is no workaround. If your processing machine has an AMD GPU, it cannot run LixelStudio. AMD CPUs are fully supported.
RAM is the tightest practical constraint. LixelStudio uses approximately 2 GB of RAM per minute of scan duration during SLAM optimization. A 64 GB machine supports scans of approximately 30 minutes. A 128 GB machine supports approximately 60 minutes. Scans longer than your RAM supports must be split and processed separately using Map Fusion.
LCC Studio v1.13 System Requirements
If you also process data in LCC Studio (for 3D Gaussian Splat output from L2 Pro, K2, or PortalCam), the hardware requirements are different from LixelStudio. Both can be installed on the same machine, but the machine must meet LCC Studio's requirements to run either pipeline without compromise. Do not run LCC Studio and LixelStudio processing jobs simultaneously on the same machine. Each application consumes significant GPU, RAM, and disk I/O during processing. Running both at the same time may cause processing failures or system crashes. Use two separate computers, or process one pipeline to completion before starting the other.
Map Fusion and Aerial-Ground Fusion workloads require dedicated hardware. Per LCC Studio Manual v1.13.0 Section 3.2.4, XGRIDS recommends an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (or equivalent 16-core processor), 64 GB DDR5 base RAM (96 to 128 GB for projects with total scan duration of 150 minutes or more), and an NVIDIA RTX 3090 minimum (RTX 4090 or RTX 4090D recommended). If RAM is insufficient for a large project, use Medium or Standard processing quality to reduce memory demand.
Capture duration to RAM correspondence (LCC Studio v1.13 Section 3.2.3): 64 GB stable to 30 min capture (more than 45 min risks failure). 128 GB stable to 60 min capture (more than 90 min risks failure). K2 maximum single-scene capture in LCC Studio v1.13 is capped at 90 minutes regardless of RAM.
The website-downloaded LCC Studio is the online version and requires a network connection for creating models, starting processing, uploading data, and creating share links. Viewing previously generated models in View mode does not require a network connection.
Installation Steps
Download the LixelStudio v4.0.0.0 installer from xgrids.com. Do not download from third-party sources.
Run the Installer as Administrator
Right-click the installer file and select "Run as administrator." Installing without administrator rights causes activation failures on some Windows configurations.
Choose Quick Install or Custom Path
Quick Install places the application on the C drive at the default path. Custom Install lets you select a different path and optionally add a desktop shortcut. A shorter custom path on a non-OS drive is preferred for performance, for example D:\LixelStudio.
Whatever path you choose, it must contain no spaces and no non-ASCII characters. A path like D:\LixelStudio is valid. A path like D:\My Software\Lixel Studio is not and will cause CUDA compilation failures and processing errors.
Complete Installation and Open the Software
Installation takes 3 to 5 minutes on an SSD. Click Finish when complete and double-click the desktop icon to open LixelStudio.
Choose Whether to Activate Now or Use Free Tier
v4.0 lets you use basic features for free without activation. If you only need basic processing, you can begin working immediately. To unlock full features (including all advanced processing options), see Section 3 below for the activation procedure.
License Activation
v4.0 supports a free tier and an activated full-feature tier. Basic features are available for free without entering a license code. Activation unlocks the full feature set and is tied to your device serial number. Each device serial number is entitled to 3 permanent activation codes. To obtain your codes, retrieve the full SN through the LixelGO app, then submit it at xgrids.com/intl/activationrequest. The 3 codes will be sent to the email registered to your XGRIDS account. Each code activates 1 machine and cannot be reused. Activation can be completed online (recommended) or offline.
Online Activation
Enter the license key in the activation dialog. The machine must be connected to the internet and have its system clock synchronized correctly. Activation failure with a valid key is almost always caused by an unsynchronized system clock or a network firewall blocking the activation server.
Offline Activation
For machines without internet access, generate a license file at xgrids.com/licensefile using the device serial number and machine fingerprint. Copy the license file to the processing machine and load it through the activation dialog's offline activation option.
Do not attempt to use a second activation key if the first one fails. You have 3 keys per device serial number. If a valid, unused key fails with an error, contact XGRIDS support before using another key. Common entry errors include confusing "0" (zero) with "O" (letter) and "1" (one) with "l" (letter). Do not use OCR or image-to-text tools to extract serial numbers from photos; they introduce errors that cannot be detected until the activation fails.
Common Activation Failures and Causes
- Device is a loan or demo unit; demo units do not qualify for license activation
- Software version and device region mismatch (a device sold in China attempting to activate with an overseas software version)
- Serial number is incomplete; retrieve the full serial number by connecting the device to LixelGO
- Activation code has already been used on another machine
- Temporary activation code has expired; contact XGRIDS support, do not use a second code
Project Path Configuration
The project path is where LixelStudio writes all processing output. This is one of the most important configuration decisions you will make. The wrong location causes processing failures and dramatically slows processing speed.
- Use an SSD. LixelStudio writes and reads large files continuously during processing. An HDD will slow processing significantly and may cause timeouts
- Do not use the C: drive (OS drive) for project files. Running low on space on the OS drive causes Windows to fail mid-process. Use a separate data SSD
- Keep the project path separate from the installation folder. Installing and running projects on the same drive fills it faster and creates unnecessary risk
- No spaces or non-ASCII characters in the project path, same restriction as the installation path
Set the project path in LixelStudio Settings before importing any data. Changing it after projects have been created does not move existing project files.
Storage Planning
Underestimating storage is one of the most reliable ways to cause a mid-processing failure. Plan storage before you scan, not after you transfer data.
Raw scan data from the L2 Pro or K2 generates approximately 60 to 80 GB per hour of scanning. That is before processing. The processing workspace requires additional space that scales with the workflow used.
The 465x multiplier for 1 mm enhancement is not a typo. If your map.las file is 10 GB, the 1 mm enhancement workflow requires approximately 4.65 TB of free space. Do not start 1 mm enhancement processing without confirming available space first. The process will fail mid-run if space runs out, and the partial output is not recoverable as a usable point cloud.
K1 legacy note. K1 raw data generation rates and storage multipliers match the L2 Pro and K2 values above. K1 customers continue to process through LixelStudio v4.0 with the same path, activation, and storage rules.
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