Select components
Choose vertices, edges, or faces to focus an edit. Selection alone changes no geometry.
Before you start
Select the mesh objects to edit. Each selected object must support mesh editing and be visible. Hidden objects, unsupported objects, and selections sharing the same geometry can prevent entering a combined edit session.
Use the operation
Limit a geometry change to the intended vertices, edges, or faces.
- Open Mesh Edit and choose Enter Edit Mode. The modeling workspace also supports Tab to enter or exit.
- Choose Vertex Select, Edge Select, or Face Select. The toolbar displays 1, 2, and 3 for these modes.
- Select the components and inspect the highlighted region. Use Select Through only when hidden components should participate.
- Perform the geometry operation, inspect its result, and exit edit mode when returning to object-level work.
Controls and choices
| Controls | What changes |
|---|---|
| Selection mode | Changes the component type addressed by subsequent commands and context menus. |
| Select Through | Allows selection through visible surfaces. Orbit the view before editing a selection made through the mesh. |
| Selected objects | Defines the meshes participating in the edit session. Object operations belong outside the session. |
See what changes
Before
The whole mesh
After
A selected face and boundary
Check the result
Selection should not change the mesh by itself. If a command is unavailable, check its required component type and the current selection before adding geometry. Avoid treating all highlighted components as one connected region when several meshes are being edited.
Practice in Show3D
Open the editor and follow the steps with your own scene.