# Blender 3D: HotKeys/3D View/Edit Mode

Keys on Numeric Keypad
* NUM. — zoom in on selection.
* CTRL+NUM. — (Blender 2.5) Centers the 3D View where the 3D cursor currently is.
* NUM/ — toggle in and out of local view (zoomed on selection and hiding everything else).
* NUM* — rotate view to selected object’s axes.
* NUM+ — zoom in.
* NUM- — zoom out.
* NUM0 — switch to/from camera view.
* ALT+NUM0 — restore original camera.
* ALT+CTRL+NUM0 — (Blender 2.5) align camera to active object.
* CTRL+NUM0 — set active object as camera (it must be a camera).
* SHIFT+NUM0 — set camera viewpoint to current view.
* NUM1 — view from negative Y-axis (“front” view).
* CTRL+NUM1 — view from positive Y-axis (“back” view).
* SHIFT+NUM1 — view from positive Y-axis (“back” view).
* NUM2 — rotate view downwards.
* CTRL+NUM2 — shift view downwards.
* SHIFT+NUM2 — shift view downwards.
* NUM3 — view from positive X-axis (“right side” view).
* CTRL+NUM3 — view from negative X-axis (“left side” view).
* SHIFT+NUM3 — view from negative X-axis (“left side” view).
* NUM4 — rotate view left.
* CTRL+NUM4 — shift view left.
* SHIFT+NUM4 — shift view left.
* NUM5 — toggle between perspective and orthographic views.
* NUM6 — rotate view right.
* CTRL+NUM6 — shift view right.
* SHIFT+NUM6 — shift view right.
* NUM7 — view from positive Z-axis (“top” view).
* CTRL+NUM7 — view from negative Z-axis (“bottom” view).
* SHIFT+NUM7 — view from negative Z-axis (“bottom” view).
* NUM8 — rotate view upwards.
* CTRL+NUM8 — shift view upwards.
* SHIFT+NUM8 — shift view upwards.
Numeric Keys on Main Keyboard
* 1KEY ... 9KEY — show only layer 1 ... 9
* 0KEY — show only layer 10
* ALT+1KEY ... ALT+9KEY — show only layer 11 .. 19
* ALT+0KEY — show only layer 20
* SHIFT+1KEY ... SHIFT+9KEY — add/remove layer 1 .. 9 to/from those visible
* SHIFT+0KEY — add/remove layer 10 to/from those visible
* ALT+SHIFT+1KEY ... ALT+SHIFT+9KEY — add/remove layer 11 .. 19 to/from those visible
* ALT+SHIFT+0KEY — add/remove layer 20 to/from those visible
* ~KEY — show all layers
* ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+3KEY — select all triangles.
* ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+4KEY — select all quads.
* ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+5KEY — select all non-triangle, non-quad faces.
SPACE
* SPACE — (Pre-Blender-2.5) brings up the toolbox.
* SPACE — (Blender 2.5) brings up searchable menu.
* CTRL+SPACE — toggles 3D manipulator.
* SHIFT+SPACE — toggles zooming active area to full-screen.
The Period Key
* .KEY (on the alphanumeric pad) - changes the pivot point to the 3D cursor. The pivot point is the point where all things meet when scaled to 0, and the point of 0 translation during a rotation transformation. See the menu on the 3D view header, located immediately to the right of the Viewport Shading menu.
* CTRL+.KEY - changes the pivot point to individual origins.
* ALT+.KEY - changes the pivot point to active element.
The Comma Key
* ,KEY - changes the pivot point to the bounding box center.
* CTRL+,KEY - changes the pivot point to median point.
* ALT+,KEY - toggles manipulation of centre points (object and pose mode only).
A
* AKEY — if nothing is selected, then selects everything; otherwise, deselects everything.
* ALT+AKEY - changes the current Blender window to Animation Playback mode. The cursor changes to a counter.
* ALT+SHIFT+AKEY - the current window, plus all 3DWindows go into Animation Playback mode.
* SHIFT+AKEY - brings up the toolbox.
B
* BKEY - Activates box-select tool.
* BKEY BKEY - (Pre-Blender-2.5) Circle Select. Use NUM+ to increase, NUM- to decrease, or MW to adjust the circle size. Drag over vertices/edges/faces with LMB to add them to selection, MMB to remove them from selection. Leave Circle Select with RMB or ESC.
* ALT+BKEY - Select portion of viewing area to only be visible.
* CTRL+BKEY — brings up Physics Baking menu.
C
* CKEY - (Pre-Blender-2.5) Centers the 3D View where the 3D cursor currently is.
* CKEY — (Blender 2.5) Circle Select. Use NUM+ to increase, NUM- to decrease, or MW to adjust the circle size. Drag over vertices/edges/faces with LMB to add them to selection, MMB to remove them from selection. Leave Circle Select with RMB or ESC.
D
* DKEY - Brings up a Draw Type menu.
* SHIFT+DKEY - Duplicates an object
E
* EKEY - Extrude selection.
* EKEY XKEY — extrude along global X-axis
* EKEY XKEY XKEY — extrude along object’s X-axis
* EKEY YKEY — extrude along global Y-axis
* EKEY YKEY YKEY — extrude along object’s Y-axis
* EKEY ZKEY — extrude along global Z-axis
* EKEY ZKEY ZKEY — extrude along object’s Z-axis
* EKEY RKEY — extrude rotate
* EKEY RKEY XKEY — extrude rotate around global X-axis
* EKEY RKEY XKEY XKEY — extrude rotate around object’s X-axis
* EKEY RKEY YKEY — extrude rotate around global Y-axis
* EKEY RKEY YKEY YKEY — extrude rotate around object’s Y-axis
* EKEY RKEY ZKEY — extrude rotate around global Z-axis
* EKEY RKEY ZKEY ZKEY — extrude rotate around object’s Z-axis
* EKEY SKEY — extrude scale
* EKEY SKEY XKEY — extrude scale along global X-axis
* EKEY SKEY XKEY XKEY — extrude scale along object’s X-axis
* EKEY SKEY SHIFT+XKEY — extrude scale except along object’s X-axis
* EKEY SKEY YKEY — extrude scale along global Y-axis
* EKEY SKEY YKEY YKEY — extrude scale along object’s Y-axis
* EKEY SKEY SHIFT+YKEY — extrude scale except along object’s Y-axis
* EKEY SKEY ZKEY — extrude scale along global Z-axis
* EKEY SKEY ZKEY ZKEY — extrude scale along object’s Z-axis
* EKEY SKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — extrude scale except along object’s Z-axis
* CTRL+EKEY — edge specials
* SHIFT+EKEY — control creasing (sharpness of corners) of subsurf modifier
F
* FKEY - creates segment/edge/face. If two vertices are selected, create an edge connecting the two vertices. If three or four vertices are selected, or two edges are selected, create a face connecting the vertices or edges. If two co-planar faces are selected, join the faces to create an FGon, or dismantle a previously created FGon.
* ALT+FKEY - Beauty Fill. The edges of all the selected triangular faces are switched in such a way that equally sized faces are formed. This operation is 2D; various layers of polygons must be filled in succession. The Beauty Fill can be performed immediately after a Fill.
* CTRL+FKEY - (Pre-Blender-2.5) Flip faces, selected triangular faces are paired and common edge of each pair swapped.
* CTRL+FKEY - (Blender 2.5) Face specials.
* SHIFT+FKEY - Fill selected. All selected vertices that are bound by edges and form a closed polygon are filled with triangular faces. Holes are automatically taken into account. This operation is 2D; various layers of polygons must be filled in succession.
G
* GKEY - "Grabs" the current selection and allows you to move it around with the mouse. Hold down SHIFT while moving for finer control. Use LMB, ENTER, or SPACE to drop it in place. Use RMB or ESC to cancel the move.
* GKEY XKEY — move only along global X-axis
* GKEY XKEY XKEY — move only along object’s X-axis
* GKEY SHIFT+XKEY — move except along global X-axis
* GKEY YKEY — move only along global Y-axis
* GKEY YKEY YKEY — move only along object’s Y-axis
* GKEY SHIFT+YKEY — move except along global Y-axis
* GKEY ZKEY — move only along global Z-axis
* GKEY ZKEY ZKEY — move only along object’s Z-axis
* GKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — move except along global Z-axis
* GKEY XKEY SHIFT+XKEY — move except along object’s X-axis
* GKEY SHIFT+XKEY SHIFT+XKEY — move except along object’s X-axis
* GKEY YKEY SHIFT+YKEY — move except along object’s Y-axis
* GKEY SHIFT+YKEY SHIFT+YKEY — move except along object’s Y-axis
* GKEY ZKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — move except along object’s Z-axis
* GKEY SHIFT+ZKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — move except along object’s Z-axis
* CTRL+GKEY — brings up menu for performing Vertex Group operations on selected vertices.
H
* HKEY - Hides the currently selected vertices, edges and faces. They will be hidden only while in Edit Mode.
* ALT-HKEY - Unhides vertices, edges, and faces that were previously hidden. Vertices, edges, and faces that are unhidden will be added to the current selection.
* CTRL+HKEY — add/edit hooks.
* SHIFT+HKEY — hide unselected vertices/edges/faces.
I
* IKEY — inserts an animation keyframe.
* ALT+IKEY — deletes an animation keyframe.
* CTRL+IKEY — invert selection
J
* JKEY — toggles between image buffers in render window
* ALT+JKEY - converts triangular faces to quads.
K
* KKEY — loop/cut menu
* SHIFT+KKEY - knife tool.
L
* LKEY — select all vertices linked to current selection
* SHIFT+LKEY — deselect all vertices linked to one closest to mouse pointer
M
* MKEY - Brings up Mirror Axis menu.
* ALT+MKEY - Merge selected points.
* CTRL+MKEY — brings up Mirror Axis menu.
* ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+MKEY - Select unclosed edges / holes in mesh (Edge select mode).
N
* NKEY - (Pre-Blender-2.5) brings up a Transform Properties mini window.
* NKEY — (Blender 2.5) show/hide Properties.
* CTRL+NKEY — recalculate vertex normals to outside.
* CTRL+SHIFT+NKEY — recalculate vertex normals to inside.
O
* OKEY - toggles proportional edit mode
* CTRL+OKEY — Open Recent—shows menu of recently-opened documents to select from.
* SHIFT+OKEY — rotates among different kinds of falloff in proportional edit mode
P
* PKEY — separate selected vertices into a new object
* CTRL+PKEY — parent other selected objects to selected vertices of this one.
Q
* QKEY - does nothing (to avoid confusion with CTRL+QKEY)
* CTRL+QKEY - prompts if you would like to quit Blender
R
* RKEY - allows rotation of the selection. Move the mouse after pressing RKEY to rotate around the axis perpendicular to the view. Press RKEY a second time for free rotate, or press one of the axis-key sequences (below) to constrain rotation around that axis. Hold down SHIFT while moving for finer control. Press LMB, SPACE, or ENTER to confirm the rotation. Press ESC or RMB to cancel the rotation.
* RKEY XKEY — rotate only around global X-axis
* RKEY XKEY XKEY — rotate only around object’s X-axis
* RKEY SHIFT+XKEY — rotate except around global X-axis
* RKEY YKEY — rotate only around global Y-axis
* RKEY YKEY YKEY — rotate only around object’s Y-axis
* RKEY SHIFT+YKEY — rotate except around global Y-axis
* RKEY ZKEY — rotate only around global Z-axis
* RKEY ZKEY ZKEY — rotate only around object’s Z-axis
* RKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — rotate except around global Z-axis
* CTRL+RKEY — (editing mesh) loop cut: move mouse to choose orientation, LMB to proceed to position new loop: then PKEY to toggle percentage/proportional mode, FKEY to toggle opposite vertex marker (proportional mode only), LMB to accept, MMB to accept and position at halfway point, RMB to cancel. (Editing armature) roll bone
* SHIFT+RKEY — (Blender 2.5) repeats the last action.
S
* SKEY - begins scaling (resizing) of the selection. Move the mouse to scale larger or smaller. Hold down SHIFT while moving for finer control. Press LMB, ENTER, or SPACE to confirm the scaling. Press RMB or ESC to cancel the scaling.
* SKEY XKEY — scale only along global X-axis
* SKEY XKEY XKEY — scale only along object’s X-axis
* SKEY SHIFT+XKEY — scale except along global X-axis
* SKEY YKEY — scale only along global Y-axis
* SKEY YKEY YKEY — scale only along object’s Y-axis
* SKEY SHIFT+YKEY — scale except along global Y-axis
* SKEY ZKEY — scale only along global Z-axis
* SKEY ZKEY ZKEY — scale only along object’s Z-axis
* SKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — scale except along global Z-axis
* SKEY XKEY SHIFT+XKEY — scale except along object’s X-axis
* SKEY SHIFT+XKEY SHIFT+XKEY — scale except along object’s X-axis
* SKEY YKEY SHIFT+YKEY — scale except along object’s Y-axis
* SKEY SHIFT+YKEY SHIFT+YKEY — scale except along object’s Y-axis
* SKEY ZKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — scale except along object’s Z-axis
* SKEY SHIFT+ZKEY SHIFT+ZKEY — scale except along object’s Z-axis
* ALT+SKEY — (except bones) shrink/fatten (scale selected vertices along normals).
* ALT+CTRL+SKEY — B-bones: scale visual appearance of bone perpendicular to axis; envelope bones: scale envelope only.
* CTRL+SKEY — apply shear to selected vertices
* CTRL+SHIFT+SKEY — to sphere.
* SHIFT+SKEY — cursor/grid snap menu.
T
* TKEY — (Pre-Blender-2.5) tilt 3D curve.
* TKEY — (Blender 2.5) show/hide Tool Shelf.
U
* UKEY - Opens UV Unwrap Menu
* ALT+UKEY — Undo menu; brings up a menu of last-performed edit-mode operations, select one to revert back to that state (undoing following ones). You can bring up the menu again and select a later operation to redo up to that state.
* CTRL+UKEY — saves the current document as the default state that will be reloaded with CTRL+XKEY.
* SHIFT+UKEY — Blender’s internal help says “Edit Mode: Redo Menu”, but doesn’t seem to do anything.
V
* VKEY - Rip - for example, select one edge of a cube, and press VKEY to separate and drag it away from the edges it's attached to.
* CTRL+VKEY — (Blender 2.5) vertex specials
* SHIFT+VKEY — align view to selected vertices.
W
* WKEY — Specials Menu: functions for subdividing and smoothing mesh, removing doubled points, beveling etc
* CTRL+WKEY — save current document.
X
* XKEY - delete the selection.
* CTRL+XKEY — (Pre-Blender-2.5) forget current document from memory and create a new document from default settings.
Y
* YKEY — split off selected vertices
* CTRL+YKEY - redo previously undone edit
Z
* ZKEY - Toggles between drawing the scene in wireframe and solid mode.
* ALT+ZKEY — toggles between drawing the scene in solid and textured mode.
* SHIFT+ZKEY — toggles between drawing the scene in shaded and wireframe mode.
* CTRL+ZKEY — undo last operation
* CTRL+SHIFT+ZKEY — redo last undone operation
TAB
* TAB - toggles in and out of Edit Mode of the selected, active object.
* CTRL+TAB — brings up Select Mode menu.
* SHIFT+TAB — toggle snap-to-mesh mode.
Function Keys
* F1 — bring up open-document dialog.
* SHIFT+F1 — (Blender 2.5) bring up Link/Append From Library dialog.
* F2 — bring up save-document-as dialog.
* SHIFT+F2 — (Blender 2.5) switch to Logic Editor.
* F3 — (Pre-Blender-2.5) bring up save-rendered-image dialog.
* SHIFT+F3 — (Blender 2.5) switch to Node Editor.
* F4 — switch Buttons Window to Logic Context.
* SHIFT+F4 — (Pre-Blender-2.5) bring up object database browser.
* SHIFT+F4 — (Blender 2.5) bring up console.
* F5 — switch Buttons Window to Shading Context, Material Subcontext.
* SHIFT+F5 — (Blender 2.5) switch to 3D View.
* F7 — switch Buttons Window to Object Context.
* SHIFT+F7 — (Blender 2.5) switch to Properties Window.
* F8 — switch Buttons Window to Shading Context, World Subcontext.
* SHIFT+F8 — (Blender 2.5) switch to Video Sequence Editor.
* F9 — switch Buttons Window to Editing Context.
* SHIFT+F9 — (Blender 2.5) switch to Outliner.
* F10 — switch Buttons Window to Scene Context.
* SHIFT+F10 — (Blender 2.5) switch to UV/Image Editor.
* F11 - shows render window.
* SHIFT+F11 — (Blender 2.5) switch to Text Editor.
* F12 - begins a single frame render based on the Scene settings in the Buttons Window.
* SHIFT+F12 — (Blender 2.5) switch to DopeSheet.
Mouse Buttons
* LMB - places 3D cursor where you click
* CTRL+LMB — drag to lasso-select (add to selection). Alternatively, click to perform one of the following actions:
** if nothing is selected, a new unconnected vertex is added to the current mesh.
** if a single vertex is selected or vertexes on a non-enclosed object are selected, a copy will be created and will be joined to any previously selected vertices by an edge, or edges.
** if an enclosed mesh (a cube, etc.) is selected, an unconnected copy will be created under the cursor.
* CTRL+SHIFT+LMB — drag to lasso-deselect (remove from selection).
* MMB — drag to rotate view
* CTRL+MMB — drag to zoom view in/out.
* SHIFT+MMB — drag to shift view left/right/up/down
* RMB - selects vertex, edge or face, depending on select mode.
* SHIFT+RMB — add/remove vertex/edge/face to/from selection.
* MW — zoom view in/out.
* CTRL+MW — shift view left/right.
* SHIFT+MW — shift view up/down.

# Object-Specific Submodes

The following keys only come into effect when editing objects of the specified types.

## Curves

* CKEY — toggle cyclic.
* FKEY — make segment (join two curves).
* HKEY — toggle handle between “free” and “aligned”.
* SHIFT+HKEY — set handle type to “automatic”.
* VKEY — set handle type to “vector”.

## Retopo Paint

* HKEY — toggle hotspot mode.