New features and improvements:

A new set of paint-on features designed to give you more flexibility and control when preparing your prints:

Paint seams directly on your model to define where Cura places the z-seam, or block areas where seams should not appear. Paint extruder assignments for multi-material printing. Easily designate different regions of your model to different extruders with a simple brush workflow. These new painting tools make it easier than ever to fine-tune the look, feel, and performance of your parts.

Try it for yourself with this Painting Easel Test.

UltiMaker’s newest professional printers the UltiMaker S6 and UltiMaker S8 get even more powerful . Expanded print core support: slice with AA 0.25, AA 0.4, AA 0.8, CC 0.4, and CC 0.6 cores. Improved material quality: PLA, Tough PLA, ABS, and PETG profiles now produce smoother surfaces, stronger parts, and better dimensional accuracy. New draft intent profiles: faster printing options for common materials, optimized for productivity.

If you were not using the USB-Cable Printing in the previous (5.10) version of Cura, it is automatically disabled for them. In addition, an option is added to the Cura Preferences under General where user can easily Enable or Disable the USB-cable printing by checking, unchecking the setting and restarting Cura.

• Introduced a pop-up that appears if user have an extruder that they are not using, allowing them to disable it for better quality
• Updated the Release Notification so the team can share more information about what's in the new release.
• Updated the logic for storing Cura Back-ups to download instead of store Cura plugins when restoring a back-up.
• Updated the Splash Screen and Header to show the correct UltiMaker logo.
• Updated local connection to UltiMaker printers to allow for user verification.
• Significantly updated the ChangeAtZ Script, to support relative extrusion, firmware retraction. Added "layer range" as an option and Travel moves are separated so changes in print speed don't necessarily affect them, contributed by @GregValiant
• Introduced a Post Processing Script that allows user to use their printer for Annealing or Drying, contributed by @GregValiant
• Updated the DisplayInfoOnLCD plug-in so it now correctly displays the Remaining time, contributed by @GregValiant, resolves #18766
• Update Create Thumbnail Post Processing Plugin with an option Thumbnail Begin/End and Use '*' for size of image, contributed by @geekykayaker-anon
• Updated the Cooling Profile Post Processing Plug-in to include Build Volume Fan, and Idle Speed, contributed by @GregValiant
• Updated the Filament Change Post Processing Log-in to hide the "Z-Move" when in "use firmware configuration" mode, contributed by @GregValiant
• Enable more retraction settings to be set per-model, contributed by @jeremysalwen
• Updated Insert At Layerchange post processing plug-in to allow for lowercase commands, resolves #20441
• Introduced a Post Processing Script that allows for defining Z-Hop on Travel, contributed by @GregValiant

New Settings:

• Multi-material Precision, and Multi-material Deepness allow you to finetune your painted brush strokes
• Initial layer build fan speed, and build fan speed settings for more control over the build volume fan
• Retraction During Travel Move, Keep Retracting During Travel, and Prime During Travel Move allow you to tune the retractions during a travel move, to allow for more effective traveling. NOTE: If the printer has pressure advance or a filament flow sensor, please keep an eye on the print
• Initial layer build fan speed, and build fan speed settings for more control over the build volume fan

Bug fixes:

• Fixed a bug where Cura would not start if you have an extremely strict AntiVirus program installed on the same PC
• Fixed a bug on Mac where Pop Up Windows would hide behind the main window
• Fixed a bug where Overhang Wall Speeds were applied to Walls that were supposed to be bridging
• Fixed a bug where the Brim Gap would also apply to the support structures that don't need the brim gap
• Fixed a bug where you could not add a cloud connected printer if you were not already signed in by removing a campaign link
• Fixed a bug where the nozzle would wipe back on the top layer of a spiralized model
• Updated warning range for the Inside Travel Avoid Distance
• Updated Use Towers for Support from Expert to Basic Category
• Fixed a bug where translations would not show up in Recommended
• Gracefully supports if Printers, Projects, and Users are deactivated in Digital Factory if a subscription is downgraded
• Removed the None Corner Preference from the Sharpest Corner Z Seam Alignment
• Updated the Fine print profile for the FDM printer. It now defaults to a 0.1mm layer height, correcting the previous 0.2mm default setting due to missing value.
• Fixed a bug where Cura would fail randomly, if the printer was loaded before the MachineErrorChecker, contributed by @0xorial
• Cleaned up the Windows Start Menu entry after installing. It no longer is folderized and doesn't contain a link anymore, contributed by @RedBlackAka
• Removed NSIS uninstall shortcut left behind when uninstalling, contributed by @RedBlackAka, resolves #20446 / #20302
• Updated code quality of the PurgeLinesAndUnload Post Processing Plug-in, contributed by @HellAholic
• Fix race condition in TreeSupportBaseCircle which may sometimes cause a crash, contributed by @ThomasRahm

Printer definitions, profiles and materials:

• Significantly improved printed part quality for PLA, Tough PLA, ABS, and PETG on the UltiMaker S6 and S8.
• (Tree) Support is now less prone to falling over and easier to remove
• Bridging, Walls, and Top Surfaces now have fewer flow jumps
• Top details, especially around overhangs, look better because of the changes in cooling
• Dimensional accuracy has improved because of the updated wall printing strategy
• Seams are no longer printed on overhangs, improving the quality
• Added new draft intent profiles for PLA, Tough PLA, ABS, and PETG on UltiMaker S6 and S8
• Introduced support for Nylon material on UltiMaker Method and Method X
• Updated codequality of the UltiMaker S8 definition to allow for better support for Marketplace materials
• Updated settings to reduced ringing artifacts on the UltiMaker Factor 4
• Improve calculation for the Build Volume Temperature for the UltiMaker Factor 4
• Updated temperature settings for the UltiMaker Method and MethodXL to improve printing rafts with RapidRinse.
• Updated settings for UltiMaker Sketch Sprint to improve print quality for overhangs and bridges
• Improved the predicted printing time on the Makerbot Replicator+ to be closer to the actual printing time
• Introduced 2.85 mm Generic BVOH material profiles
• Introduced support for BAM materials on BB cores on UltiMaker S line printers
• Introduced Anycubic Kobra S1, contributed by @takanuva15
• Updated code quality for zyyx_pro and zyyx_plus definitions
• Introduced Anycubic Kobra 3 V2, and Anycubic Kobra 3 v2 ACE PRO, contributed by @SamBkamp
• Updated 100% infill settings for all printers, contributed by @Asterchades
• Significant speed improvements for the Voron profiles, contributed by @NerdyGriffin, @WCEngineer, and @magnetoxgarage
• Introduced Sovol SV08, contributed by @sesse
• Introduced Toybox Alpha One/Two, contributed by @lukbrew25
• Updated Hellbot Hidra and Hellbot Hidra Plus with bed image, contributed by @DevelopmentHellbot
• Updated Sovol SV01 definition to be titan style instead of Bowden, contributed by @JoGrob
• Introduced BIQU B2, contributed by @bjuraga
• Introduced Geetech M1 and Geetech M1S Profiles, and updated the Geetech Thunder Profiles, contributed by @whoseyoung

Known Issues:

• Painting can still be slow with very detailed models
• Prime tower area is not displayed nor considered when using multi-material via painting
• Painting does not work on models contained in a group
• Painting undo/redo/clear does not invalidate the slice result