---
title: "Texture Painter Troubleshooting: Can't Paint, Slow, WebGL, AI Results"
description: "Fixes for common Texture Painter problems: you can't paint, the painter is slow, the 3D view doesn't start, the sign-in prompt, stretched textures and seams, AI results that miss, and credits."
source: https://docs.3daistudio.com/textures/texture-painter/troubleshooting
---

# Tips and Troubleshooting

Fixes for common Texture Painter problems: you can't paint, the painter is slow, the 3D view doesn't start, the sign-in prompt, stretched textures and seams, AI results that miss, and credits.

[Open the Texture Painter](https://www.3daistudio.com/TexturePainter/app)

This page collects the problems people run into most often, with the quickest fix for each. Find your symptom in the headings below.

## I can't paint

Work through these in order:

1. **Start the drag on the model.** A drag that starts on the background turns the view instead of painting.
2. **Check the shading.** You can only paint in **Textured** and **Unlit**. In **Clay** or **Normals**, the 3D view says so and offers **Switch to Unlit**.
3. **Check the selected layer.** The 3D view tells you what is wrong and offers a fix:
   - **The base texture can't be painted:** click **Paint layer** to add a layer to paint on.
   - **Pick a layer in the group to paint on it:** select a layer inside the group, or click **Paint layer**.
   - **"…" is hidden:** click **Show**.
   - **"…" is locked:** click **Unlock**.
4. **On an AI layer, the brush reveals instead of painting colour.** The options bar says **Reveals the AI layer**. Click **Paint colour** to add a paint layer for your colour.
5. **Check the opacity.** With a low **Opacity**, strokes are faint. Raise it or paint over the spot again.

![The wolf in Clay shading with a note to switch to Unlit for painting](https://docs.3daistudio.com/assets/images/docs/texture-painter/shading-clay.webp)

*In Clay shading, the 3D view explains that painting works in Textured and Unlit, with a Switch to Unlit link.*

## The painter is slow

- **Lower the texture size.** Click the size button in the top bar (for example **4K**) and pick **2K** or **1K**. Your layers are kept. 8K needs a strong graphics card.
- **Close other heavy tabs and apps** that use the graphics card, such as games, video editors and other 3D tools.
- **Turn on graphics acceleration** in your browser settings (see below).
- **On a laptop with two graphics chips,** make sure the browser uses the stronger one. If the painter shows **Graphics Adapter Detection** with **Likely using integrated GPU**, its **Open Windows Graphics Settings** button takes you to the right setting on Windows.
- **Large models** (many millions of triangles) load and save more slowly. A lighter version from [Remesh](https://docs.3daistudio.com/processing/remesh) paints faster.

## The 3D view doesn't start

If you see **3D view couldn't start**, your browser can't reach your graphics card right now.

1. **Restart your browser** completely (close all its windows). If that doesn't help, restart your computer.
2. **Check one browser setting:** in Chrome or Edge, open Settings, search for *acceleration*, turn on **Use graphics acceleration when available**, then click **Relaunch**.
3. Click **Check again**.

3D features are often unavailable over a remote desktop connection or in a virtual machine. Open the page directly on your own computer.

![The dialog 3D view couldn't start with steps to restart the browser and turn on graphics acceleration](https://docs.3daistudio.com/assets/images/docs/texture-painter/webgl-unavailable.webp)

*The 3D view couldn't start dialog with the two fixes, Continue anyway and Check again.*

## The app asks me to sign in

The Texture Painter needs a free 3D AI Studio account. Sign in or sign up in the **Log in or sign up** dialog, and the painter opens.

![The Log in or sign up dialog with Google, email and other sign-in options](https://docs.3daistudio.com/assets/images/docs/texture-painter/sign-in-prompt.webp)

*The sign-in dialog shown when you open the painter without being signed in.*

## Textures look stretched or have seams

How paint lands on a model depends on its **UVs**, the way the model's surface is unfolded flat. If the UVs are stretched, too small or missing, paint looks blurry, smeared or broken along seams.

- **Look at the Texture map** in the 2D view. Tiny or squashed pieces mean low detail there.
- **Use Normals shading** to spot seams on the model.
- **Raise the texture size** for more detail on small pieces.
- **Fix the UVs:** run [UV Unfold](https://docs.3daistudio.com/processing/uv-unfold) on the model, then paint it again.
- **Paint across seams slowly** with a soft brush, from a view that looks straight at the surface.

## AI results not as expected

- **Check what the AI sees.** Switch the 2D view to **What the AI sees**. The AI only repaints what is inside that square, in your current shading.
- **Frame one side straight on.** Snap to a front or side view with `Alt` + `Shift` + drag, and fill the square with the area you want to change.
- **Describe surfaces, not shapes.** Colours, materials and finishes work; adding or moving parts doesn't. See [Write prompts that work](https://docs.3daistudio.com/textures/texture-painter/ai-painting#write-prompts-that-work).
- **Say what to keep:** add *keep everything else the same*.
- **Leave Keep the shape and angle on** in More options, so the AI doesn't change the angle or shape.
- **Try another model or a higher quality.** Test ideas with **Qwen Edit Lightning**, then finish with a sharper model.
- **Use only the good parts.** AI layers start hidden: reveal with the brush only where the result works, or use **Apply with smooth edges** and lower **Coverage**.
- **Back and sides don't match?** Use **All sides (360°)** for changes that should look the same all around.

## Generate doesn't work

- **The button reads Upgrade to generate:** AI painting needs a paid plan.
- **The button is dimmed:** write a prompt first.
- **An error message appears:** for example when you are out of credits. No layer is added. Click the credit balance in the top bar to get more credits.

## Related

- [Painting tools](https://docs.3daistudio.com/textures/texture-painter/painting-tools)
- [AI painting](https://docs.3daistudio.com/textures/texture-painter/ai-painting)
- [Saving and sessions](https://docs.3daistudio.com/textures/texture-painter/sessions)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why does dragging turn the model instead of painting?

You started the drag on the background, or the shading is **Clay** or **Normals**. Start on the model, in **Textured** or **Unlit** shading.

### Does the Texture Painter work on integrated graphics?

Yes, at the default 4K texture size and below. If it feels slow, lower the texture size to 2K.

### Why is my paint blurry?

The texture size is too low for how close you look, or the model's UVs give that area little space. Raise the texture size, or improve the UVs with [UV Unfold](https://docs.3daistudio.com/processing/uv-unfold).

---

> Documentation index for AI agents: https://docs.3daistudio.com/llms.txt