Blender Keyboard Shortcuts

It's often stated that the golden rule of Blender is to keep one hand on the keyboard while you use the other hand to control the mouse. Here is a summary of what I think are the most important hotkeys and mouse gestures. You may want to print this page for reference. When you become more proficient in Blender you will want a fuller list of hotkeys - you will find this easily on the net. Note that 'LMB' means left mouse button etc. Many of these manipulations need to be followed by a LMB-click to confirm (use RMB-click or ESC to cancel). If you are not sure how to do something try pressing the spacebar and doing a search e.g. for 'extrude'.

Views

  • Numpad 7 = top view
  • Numpad 1 = front view
  • Numpad 3 = side view
  • Use Ctrl with the above to get the opposite view e.g. Ctrl+Numpad 7 = bottom view
  • Numpad 0 = switch to / from camera view
  • Numpad 5 = toggle between perspective and ortho views


Navigating

  • LMB-click = Place 3D cursor (where new objects will be placed)
  • MMB + drag (in 3D window) = orbit
  • MMB roll wheel = 'zoom view' (actually it really means moving eye forward or back for a zoom would imply a changing angle of view with eye in fixed position)
  • Shift+MMB drag = pan

Selecting

  • RMB-click = Select
  • Shift RMB-Click = add to /subtract from selection
  • B = Box select (everything inside the box and everything the box touches will be selected)
  • BB = paint select (try it!)
  • Ctrl+LMB drag = lasso select (rarely used?)
  • G, R, S (note that you can also use the 3D manipulator for these)
  • G = 'grab and move' (should really be called 'translate'
  • GX (etc) = grab and move along X axis
  • G then MMB = grab and move constrained to closest axis
  • Ctrl+G = jump in steps equal to the width of the smallest grid squares you saw when starting the operation (you can zoom during), shift for more precision, ctrl+shift to snap to tenths of grid boxes
  • R = rotate (RX = rotate around X axis etc) R with MMB = rotate constrained to one axis
  • S = Scale (can use number, so SX5 would scale times 5 along x axis)
  • (avoid this, unconventional)) RMB-drag (in 3D window)= same as G
  • (avoid this, unconventional) RMB-drag in curve (in 3D window)= same as R


Other

  • A = unselect all / select all
  • E = extrude
  • F = Make Edge / face
  • I = insert Keyframe
  • K = cut
  • M (in Object mode) = move to new layer
  • M (in Edit mode) or Ctrl+M (in Object mode) = Mirror e.g. MX = mirror along X axis. This just flips the object - it is not the same as using the mirror modifier.
  • N = show/hide transform properties window
  • P (in Edit mode) make the selected faces into a separate object.
  • T = hide/show toolbox
  • W = ‘Specials’ menu (subdivide etc) or Boolean tools
  • X or Delete = delete
  • Z = toggle wireframe view
  • Shift+RMB =add to selection/make active/remove from selection
  • Shift+A = add something (same as using Add menu)
  • Shift+D = Duplicate
  • Alt+D (in object mode) = Link-duplicated. Objects that are link-duplicated are like instances of the same component in Sketchup. When you modify one object in edit mode the linked object(s) is/are modified in the same way.
  • Shift+S = snap selection or cursor to grid/cursor/centre
  • Ctrl+A = clean the mesh??
  • Ctrl+G = add to group
  • Ctrl+N = recalculate bone roll
  • Ctrl+P = make parent
  • Ctrl+W = Ctrl+S = Save over – won’t actually save until and unless you confirm the overwrite
  • Ctrl+Up Arrow = toggle between expanded window and tiled windows
  • Alt+A = play animation
  • Alt+D = Make linked duplicate (a bit like components in Sketchup - when you modify one the other(s) get modified in the same way). Compare with Shift+S which makes an unlinked duplicate.
  • Alt+G, Alt+R, Alt+S = clear the translation, rotation, or scaling of the selection
  • Tab = toggle Edit mode on/off (this is sometimes the only way to leave edit mode i.e. Mode menu does not work)
  • F12 = render still image
  • F3 = save the rendered still image
  • Ctrl+F12 = render animation (always saves to hard disk)
  • F11 = hide/show render window
  • Ctrl+F11 = play rendered animation