3D Studio Max Hotkeys Quick Reference

Categories: Featured, Reference
Written By: Chris

When using 3D Studio Max, its always important to become more efficient the more you progress. A keyfactor in that is learning hotkeys. Autodesk will give you a handy dandy reference cube when you order 3D Studio Max 2009, with a bunch of common hotkeys and shortcuts on each one of the six sides. I have listed out a few of those hotkeys and shortcuts so you can use this as a quick reference while using 3ds Max.

Main UI

Angle Snap Toggle - A
Auto Key Mode Toggle - N
Camera View - C
Display as See-Through Toggle - Alt + X
Fetch - Alt + Ctrl + F
Hold - Ctrl + H
Grid Toggle - G
Material Editor Toggle - M
Maximize Viewport Toggle - Alt + W
Perspective User View - P
Render - Shift + Q
Redraw All View - Single Quote
Redo Scene Operation - Ctrl + Y
Redo Viewport Operation - Shift + Y
Set Keys - K
Show Edges - F4
Smooth + Highlights/Wireframe Toggle - F3
Transform Gizmo Toggle - X
Undo Scene Operation - Ctrl + Z
Undo Viewport Operation - Shift + Z
Zoom Extents All - Shift + Ctrl + Z
Zoom Extents All Selected - Z
Toggle SteeringWheels Feature (only for 2009) - Shift + W
Toggle ViewCube Visibility (only for 2009) - Alt + Ctrl + V

Edit/Editable Poly

Vertex Level - 1
Edge Level - 2
Border Level - 3
Polygon Level - 4
Element Level - 5
Bevel Mode - Shift + Ctrl + B
Chamfer Mode -  Shift + Ctrl + C
Extrude Mode - Shift + E
Target Weld Mode - Shift + Ctrl + W
Ignore Backfacing in Selections - Shift + Ctrl + I
Grow Selection - Ctrl + Page Up
Shrink Selection - Ctrl + Page Down
Hide Selection - Alt + H
Repeat Last Operation - semicolon
Select Edge Loop - Alt + L
Select Edge Ring - Alt + R
Unhide All - Alt + U

Track View

Add Keys - A
Move Keys - M
Zoom Horizontal Extents Keys - Alt + X
Zoom - Alt + Z

Unwrap UVW

Edit UVWs - Ctrl + E
Show Seams in Viewport - Alt + E
Unwrap Options - Ctrl + O
Update Map - Ctrl + U
Zoom Extents Selected - Z
Zoom Region - Ctrl + X
Zoom to Gizmo - Shift + Spacebar
Zoom - Alt + Z

Selection

Select All - Ctrl + A
Select Ancestor - Page Up
Select Child - Page Down
Select and Move - W
Select and Rotate - E
Select from Scene - H
Select and Scale - R
Select Invert - Ctrl + I
Select Toggle Lock - Spacebar
Subobject Level Cycle - Insert
Subobject Selection Toggle - Ctrl + B

Playback Controls

Backup Time One Unit - comma
Forward Time One Unit - period
Expert Toggle Mode - Ctrl + X
Go to End Frame - End
Go to Start Frame - Home
Play/Stop Animation - /
Show Safeframes Toggle - Shift + F
Show Statistics Toggle - 7
Scale Start of Timeline - Ctrl + Alt + click-drag
Scale End of Timeline - Ctrl + Alt + right-click-drag

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68 Responses to “3D Studio Max Hotkeys Quick Reference”

  1. Knix Says:

    Hey m8.
    When i tried to use the alt + x for the see-through option, nothing happens.
    seems like my UI has been reseted or something? any idea what it can be?
    pretty nice to have it working xD

    Knix

  2. bong Says:

    thank’s for the tutorials.. more power…

  3. Steve-E-Boy Says:

    Knix - Caps lock mayhaps?

  4. Pat Says:

    I hit some hot key by accident and i can not figure out how to undo what I did. If i try to move control points/lines/polys/etc it will only move across the surface of the object. It has made the program useless. If someone could please tell me what I did it would be greatly appreciated.

  5. doobz Says:

    im stuck. i can’t seen to find my xyz axis. lots of people have the same
    problem. when i move i just move it along the grid. rather than options of x axis y axis and z axis. i aint able to move things up either.

    i have the 2010 version of 3ds max? pressing X just turns invisibility on.

    any idea’s?

  6. adrian Says:

    When i press shift+w, the steering wheel is not showing, i still have to go
    to the “views” option to toggle and show the steering wheel.

    I think i accidentally pressed a key, any input on how
    to get shift+w (steering wheel) to get working/show again?

  7. Arnfinn Says:

    I have the same problem - it worked for a while and one day it suddenly stopped working. Would also appreciate some adwise on what to do.

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    Hi,Excellent blog dude! i am Tired of using RSS feeds and do you use twitter?so i can follow you there:D.
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    When using 3D Studio Max, its always important to become more efficient the more you progress. A keyfactor in that is learning hotkeys. Autodesk will give you a handy dandy reference cube when you order 3D Studio Max 2009, with a bunch of common hotkeys and shortcuts on each one of the six sides. I have listed out a few of those hotkeys and shortcuts so you can use this as a quick reference while using 3ds Max.
    Main UI

    Angle Snap Toggle - A
    Auto Key Mode Toggle - N
    Camera View - C
    Display as See-Through Toggle - Alt + X
    Fetch - Alt + Ctrl + F
    Hold - Ctrl + H
    Grid Toggle - G
    Material Editor Toggle - M
    Maximize Viewport Toggle - Alt + W
    Perspective User View - P
    Render - Shift + Q
    Redraw All View - Single Quote
    Redo Scene Operation - Ctrl + Y
    Redo Viewport Operation - Shift + Y
    Set Keys - K
    Show Edges - F4
    Smooth + Highlights/Wireframe Toggle - F3
    Transform Gizmo Toggle - X
    Undo Scene Operation - Ctrl + Z
    Undo Viewport Operation - Shift + Z
    Zoom Extents All - Shift + Ctrl + Z
    Zoom Extents All Selected - Z
    Toggle SteeringWheels Feature (only for 2009) - Shift + W
    Toggle ViewCube Visibility (only for 2009) - Alt + Ctrl + V
    Edit/Editable Poly

    Vertex Level - 1
    Edge Level - 2
    Border Level - 3
    Polygon Level - 4
    Element Level - 5
    Bevel Mode - Shift + Ctrl + B
    Chamfer Mode - Shift + Ctrl + C
    Extrude Mode - Shift + E
    Target Weld Mode - Shift + Ctrl + W
    Ignore Backfacing in Selections - Shift + Ctrl + I
    Grow Selection - Ctrl + Page Up
    Shrink Selection - Ctrl + Page Down
    Hide Selection - Alt + H
    Repeat Last Operation - semicolon
    Select Edge Loop - Alt + L
    Select Edge Ring - Alt + R
    Unhide All - Alt + U
    Track View

    Add Keys - A
    Move Keys - M
    Zoom Horizontal Extents Keys - Alt + X
    Zoom - Alt + Z
    Unwrap UVW

    Edit UVWs - Ctrl + E
    Show Seams in Viewport - Alt + E
    Unwrap Options - Ctrl + O
    Update Map - Ctrl + U
    Zoom Extents Selected - Z
    Zoom Region - Ctrl + X
    Zoom to Gizmo - Shift + Spacebar
    Zoom - Alt + Z
    Selection

    Select All - Ctrl + A
    Select Ancestor - Page Up
    Select Child - Page Down
    Select and Move - W
    Select and Rotate - E
    Select from Scene - H
    Select and Scale - R
    Select Invert - Ctrl + I
    Select Toggle Lock - Spacebar
    Subobject Level Cycle - Insert
    Subobject Selection Toggle - Ctrl + B
    Playback Controls

    Backup Time One Unit - comma
    Forward Time One Unit - period
    Expert Toggle Mode - Ctrl + X
    Go to End Frame - End
    Go to Start Frame - Home
    Play/Stop Animation - /
    Show Safeframes Toggle - Shift + F
    Show Statistics Toggle - 7
    Scale Start of Timeline - Ctrl + Alt + click-drag
    Scale End of Timeline - Ctrl + Alt + right-click-drag

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