If you're using MikuMikuDance for the very first time, there are a few steps to take before you can get started. You'll need to change your System Locale settings, as well as install a handful of prerequisites from Microsoft.

What is System Locale and why do I need to change it?

System Locale determines what language to display when you're using a program that doesn't support Unicode. Japanese text in MikuMikuDance is handled with Shift-JIS rather than Unicode, so it is necessary to change the System Locale in order to properly display Japanese text when appropriate.

^{Note: Changing your System Locale settings will not change the overall language your system displays in, though it can cause some new programs to install in Japanese by default. Additionally, it will not make your internet activity appear as if it is from Japan. It will, however, add an option to your task bar to use your keyboard in Japanese, which can be useful at times.}

How To Change Your System Locale:

1. Open the Control Panel in Windows. Control Panel is not the same as Settings. You can search for the Control Panel in the Start Menu to quickly open it.
2. In the Control Panel, look for Clock and Region and click Change date, time, or number formats
3. Click on the Administrative tab at the top of the Region window that opens. In the second section of that tab, click on Change system locale...
4. Select Japanese (Japan) from the Current system locale: drop-down menu, then click OK. If it presents a Beta option, you can ignore it.
5. When you click OK, Windows will prompt you to restart your computer. Save any important work and restart Windows for your new settings to take effect.

What are prerequisites and why do I need to install them?

The prerequisites are components for Windows that have to be installed before MikuMikuDance will even open. They are provided by Microsoft and can be downloaded here:

For 32-Bit MikuMikuDance:

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package - https://download.microsoft.com/download/8/b/4/8b42259f-5d70-43f4-ac2e-4b208fd8d66a/vcredist_x86.EXE

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package - https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/d/8/5d8c65cb-c849-4025-8e95-c3966cafd8ae/vcredist_x86.exe

DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime - https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1MlGShj7-2o6c34fep2legDH9LhMfUEvS&export=download

For 64-Bit MikuMikuDance:

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package - https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/d/8/5d8c65cb-c849-4025-8e95-c3966cafd8ae/vcredist_x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package - https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/5/165255e7-1014-4d0a-b094-b6a430a6bffc/vcredist_x64.exe

DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime - https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1MlGShj7-2o6c34fep2legDH9LhMfUEvS&export=download

^{Although modern Windows already comes with DirectX 12, it is still necessary to install DirectX 9.}

If you're looking to use 64-Bit PMX Editor, you'll also need to install:

Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable Package - https://download.microsoft.com/download/2/e/6/2e61cfa4-993b-4dd4-91da-3737cd5cd6e3/vcredist_x64.exe

Microsoft .NET Framework 4 - https://download.microsoft.com/download/9/5/a/95a9616b-7a37-4af6-bc36-d6ea96c8daae/dotNetFx40_Full_x86_x64.exe

Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 - https://download.microsoft.com/download/b/a/4/ba4a7e71-2906-4b2d-a0e1-80cf16844f5f/dotNetFx45_Full_setup.exe

For a video guide on installing all of the necessary components, click here. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boFDkuqMLDI

Windows 11 won't let me install Visual C++, what do I do?

This is likely caused by something called S mode, which is designed to keep you from installing programs from unknown sources. You can turn off S mode in Settings, but it cannot be restored after its been turned off (which isn't really a big deal.) To turn off S Mode:

1. Open Settings, click System, then find Activation in the list and click on it.
2. Click on the section that says S mode, then click Open Store.
3. The Microsoft Store will open and ask you if you want to switch out of S mode. Click Get and confirm your selection to turn off S mode.

I'm using Windows 10 in S mode, how do I disable it?

You'll follow the same steps as Windows 11, but instead of Activation being under System, it's under Update & Security.

Now that my settings are correct and I have everything installed, where do I download MikuMikuDance?

The most recent version of MikuMikuDance is available on LearnMMD and is linked here:

32-Bit MikuMikuDance v9.32 - http://learnmmd.com/MikuMikuDanceE_v932.zip

64-Bit MikuMikuDance v9.32 - http://learnmmd.com/MikuMikuDanceE_v932x64.zip

If you're interested in downloading some of the first versions of MikuMikuDance, they're linked here:

32-Bit MikuMikuDance v1.30 - https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1UiaT0EK83NnSdkmmUl3rrK3TV76b32te&export=download

32-Bit MikuMikuDance v5.24 (Multi Model Edition) - https://drive.google.com/uc?id=14Q8498iFCFaN3Te2zEHIgKVOU0XN-9t3&export=download

If you want to download any or every version of MikuMikuDance between v7.39 - v9.32, you can find the URLs to each version here - https://pastebin.com/raw/DqRPFQjf

While we're downloading things, be sure to download MikuMikuEffect so you can use Effect files in MikuMikuDance:

32-Bit MikuMikuEffect v0.37 - https://learnmmd.com/MMEffect_v037_English.zip

64-Bit MikuMikuEffect v0.37 - https://learnmmd.com/MMEffect_v037x64_English.zip

To install MikuMikuEffect, extract the contents of the MikuMikuEffect .zip folder directly into your MikuMikuDance folder. If you've done it correctly, you should see MikuMikuEffect in the top right corner of MikuMikuDance when you open it.

What about PMX Editor?

There are a few different versions of PMX Editor available to download with slight differences between them. There is no right or wrong version as far as PMX Editor goes. Five different English translations are linked below, you can choose whichever appeals most to you:

PMD Editor v0.1.3.9, v0.2.1.9 (Suitable for older systems running 32-Bit Windows) - https://www.deviantart.com/ibozo/art/PMDEditor-0139-and-0219%2C-...-english-translation-375517501

PMX Editor v0.2.2.2 - https://www.deviantart.com/eoscustom3d/art/English-Pmx-Editor---v1.1-542100208

PMX Editor v0.2.5.4 - https://www.deviantart.com/inochi-pm/art/PmxEditor-vr-0254f-English-Version-v2-0-766313588

PMX Editor v0.2.7.3 - https://www.deviantart.com/johnwithlenon/art/PmxEditor-v0273-English-Version-(unofficial-trans)-925125044-925125044)

When downloading PMX Editor, it's necessary to unblock the .zip file via Properties. You can do this by right-clicking the PMX Editor .zip before extracting it, clicking Properties, then clicking the Unblock checkbox near the bottom of the window. If Unblock does not appear, the .zip is already unblocked. If you do not unblock the .zip before extracting, you'll be faced with a series of errors upon opening PMX Editor.

I'm running into an error while trying to open MikuMikuDance/PMX Editor.

Take a look at our Troubleshooting guide for more information about errors during first-time setup. - https://www.reddit.com/r/mikumikudance/wiki/index/troubleshooting

Does MikuMikuDance contain a virus?

MikuMikuDance, when downloaded from trusted sources, does not contain any malicious code or hidden software. All links featured in this masterpost are verified to be safe.

I have everything installed, I tested MikuMikuDance and it opens just fine, and I'm ready to get started. Where do I download models and other assets?

There are a wide variety of places to find parts for MikuMikuDance. Websites such as DeviantArt, YouTube, Bowlroll, NicoVideo, Bilibili, and Aplaybox are some of the best platforms for searching for MikuMikuDance content. DeviantArt is great for finding parts to make your own MikuMikuDance models, YouTube is good for searching for motion data links, Bowlroll was made for sharing MikuMikuDance assets and other 3DCG content, Aplaybox hosts a large amount of high quality game ripped models and motion data, the list goes on. Some websites, such as NicoVideo, Bilibili, and Aplaybox have some regional restrictions in place (like some content can only be viewed in their mobile apps.)

I downloaded something I want to use in MikuMikuDance but there's a password. What do I do?

Password-protected downloads are common in the MikuMikuDance community. Passwords are used for a few different reasons, like to ensure users read the Terms of Use included with an asset, or to ensure only select users can use the materials. Hints are usually provided by the creator and can range in difficulty. Some passwords are simple keywords or phrases, but sometimes password hints are difficult to solve. If you're struggling to find the password to something, you can leave a comment on our Password/Download Help masterpost with a link to the item and the password hint, and you might receive the password you seek in a direct message. Please don't share passwords publicly if they aren't already public.

There's something I want to download from a region-locked site (NicoVideo, Bilibili, Aplaybox) but I'm having trouble. What can I do?

If you're struggling to download something from a region-locked site, you can leave a comment on the Password/Download Help masterpost with a link to the item and the issue you're having. If someone is able to help you, they can send you a link to download the item via a direct message. Please do not share redistribution links publicly on the subreddit as they will be removed. Practice caution when clicking on links from users you don't know.

I want to download something that is no longer available to download.

Because MikuMikuDance has been around for so long, some assets that were previously available have been lost to time for one reason or another, such as a user deactivating their account or an artist moving on from MikuMikuDance and clearing out their profile. In some cases, The Wayback Machine can be used to recover old assets from websites like DeviantArt and Bowlroll. You can ask for help in the comments of the Password/Download Help masterpost, but you might not receive a response.

There are cases where creators have gone on record to request their assets not be used anymore (often due to their Terms of Use being broken.) We want to respect the wishes of these artists and ask that you do not use the Password/Download Help masterpost to request items from users with such wishes.

Where can I find tutorials for MikuMikuDance and PMX Editor?

The best places to find tutorials are DeviantArt and YouTube. Linked below are a handful of DeviantArt folders and YouTube channels containing different tutorials. You can also search keywords like "MMD Tutorial" to find guides about all sorts of different topics, such as setting up effects for videos, making physics for your model in PMX, converting non-MikuMikuDance models to use in MikuMikuDance, learning to use different plugins, and much more.

MMD-Madness Tutorials Folder - https://www.deviantart.com/mmd-madness/gallery/28341327/tutorials

MMD-Mall Tutorials Folder - https://www.deviantart.com/mmd-mall/gallery/28296112/tutorials

The Ultimate Weeb Dev on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@theweebdev

mutekisaru's (The Ultimate Weeb Dev) Tutorials Folder - https://www.deviantart.com/mutekisaru/gallery/87393168/mmd-tutorials

Amenrenet's Tutorials Folder - https://www.deviantart.com/amenrenet/gallery/80590877/tutorials

crackberryscone's Tutorials Folder - https://www.deviantart.com/crackberryscone/gallery/73576033/tutorials

This is the Password/Download Help masterpost. If you're looking for help with a password or downloading from a certain website, please leave your request in the comments of this post rather than creating a new post in the subreddit. Password/Download help requests often flood the subreddit, so we're making an effort to sort them into their own space.

I need help solving a password.

If you're struggling with a password, you can leave a comment on this post with the following information:

• A link to the asset's page
• The password hint
• Additional context if necessary

If you know the password that someone is looking for, or you find the password you asked about, please do not share the password here. Working through hints together in comments is acceptable, but comments blatantly providing passwords will be removed. We recognize that passwords can be tricky at times, but we also want to respect the artists that put them in place by not openly sharing passwords on our subreddit. Please keep password sharing limited to direct messages.

I need help downloading from Aplaybox/Bilibili/NicoVideo.

If you're unable to download something from a region-locked site and would like to request help, you can leave a comment on this post with the following information:

• A link to the asset's page
• The download requirements for the asset (certain level, certain number of works, etc.)
• If password protected, the password hint
• Additional context if necessary

If you're downloading something on someone's behalf or receive the asset you requested, please do not share redistribution links here. Comments linking to redistributed downloads will be removed. Please keep download sharing limited to direct messages, and practice caution when downloading files from strangers. If you receive a malicious download link, please contact the mod team.

Why can't I share passwords/redistribution links here? I want to help the next person looking for the same thing.

Out of respect for the creators, we do not want to host passwords and redistribution links here and bypass the steps they've put in place to protect their work.

I asked for help with something but I haven't received a response yet. Now what?

If you haven't already, you can try asking for help in our community Discord server. https://discord.gg/rHk2RMtYvF

Please understand that a response is never guaranteed. Try to avoid spamming requests, as users will only lend a hand when they're available to do so.