Interface and Navigation
Find tools, use the Actions Panel, and navigate with the default controls.
Updated
Explore the Clean, Intuitive UI feature overview →
The viewport is the center of the modeling workflow. Tool controls change with the active shape, object, or workspace.
Find the controls
| Area | Use |
|---|---|
| Shapes | Start a primitive or a drawn shape. |
| Tools | Open deformation and utility tools. |
| Brushes | Sculpt and mask a selected object. |
| Actions Panel | Choose operations and settings for the current context. |
| Outliner | Select scene objects and manage sketches. |
| Properties | Edit parameters for the selected item or active tool. |
| Assets | Find and place reusable parts. |
Press Q to bring the contextual Actions Panel forward. If the panel shows unexpected controls, check whether you are editing a shape preview, a scene object, a brush, or a specialized tool.
Navigate the view
With the HardCuts Default navigation preset:
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Middle mouse drag | Orbit. |
| Shift + middle mouse drag | Pan. |
| Alt + middle mouse drag | Snap orbit. |
| Mouse wheel | Zoom. |
| F in object context | Frame the selected object or active shape. |
Use the orientation gizmo to inspect the model from principal directions. The View > Orientation Gizmo option controls its visibility.
Essential shortcuts
| Input | Context and action |
|---|---|
| W / E / R | Move / Rotate / Scale in object and shape contexts. |
| Q | Show the Actions Panel. |
| Ctrl+Tab | Cycle the object workspace's Shapes, Tools, and Brushes categories. |
| M | Cycle the active shape operation in the applicable shape context. |
| Escape | Cancel or close the active tool or overlay. |
| Delete | Delete the current selection or close an active shape, depending on context. |
| Ctrl+S | Save the project. |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo. |
Shortcuts are context-sensitive. For example, F controls brush size during sculpting, and several letter keys activate sketch tools while editing a sketch. Use the viewport's instruction text for the active gesture.
Customize navigation and keys
Open Edit > Preferences.... Navigation presets include HardCuts Default, Blender-like, Maya-like, ZBrush-like, and Custom. You can also adjust sensitivities and keyboard bindings.
The help pages use default bindings. If you have customized them, use your configured keys or the corresponding UI controls.