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
May 28th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
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
July 26th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
thank’s for the tutorials.. more power…
November 10th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Knix - Caps lock mayhaps?
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:48 pm
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.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:42 am
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?
March 20th, 2010 at 8:53 am
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?
March 28th, 2010 at 6:04 am
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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August 17th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
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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