Dissolve an edge
Remove selected mesh elements while reconnecting surrounding geometry where the topology permits.
Before you start
Enter Edit Mode and select internal edges, suitable vertices, or adjacent faces that can be simplified. Some boundary and branching selections cannot be dissolved.
Use the operation
Remove unnecessary divisions while retaining a continuous surface.
- For a simple example, select an internal edge shared by two faces on a flat patch.
- Choose Dissolve from the context menu or Delete menu. Ctrl/Cmd+X is the mesh-edit shortcut.
- Inspect the larger resulting face. Undo if the change alters the silhouette, shading, or topology needed for later edits.
Controls and choices
| Controls | What changes |
|---|---|
| Selection mode | Vertex, edge, and face selections produce different simplifications. Use the smallest selection that expresses the intended cleanup. |
| Planarity | Removing an edge between non-planar faces can change how the surface is triangulated and shaded. |
| Availability | A disabled command means the selected topology has no supported dissolve result. It is not a reason to replace the action with Delete. |
Try it in your scene
Dissolve the shared edge of two coplanar faces. Compare this with deleting the edge and inspect whether the surface remains closed.
Check the result
Confirm the surface remains closed and the removed divisions were unnecessary. Keep support loops needed for subdivision or deformation.
Practice in Show3D
Open the editor and follow the steps with your own scene.