30 SketchUp Tips Every Architect and Designer Should Know
By Hudson GrayLast reviewed
SketchUp is quick to start with and surprisingly deep once you've got the basics. These SketchUp tips will make you faster and keep your models easy to work with, from shortcuts and inference locking to components, tags and scenes. Menus can vary a little by version, so check your own copy if something looks different.
Modeling faster
1. Learn the core shortcuts first: L for Line, R for Rectangle, C for Circle, P for Push/Pull, M for Move, Q for Rotate, F for Offset, E for Eraser, B for Paint Bucket and T for Tape Measure. Spacebar returns you to Select.
2. Lock an inference by holding Shift while you draw, so your line stays on the axis or direction you've already found.
3. Lock to an axis with the arrow keys: right for red, left for green and up for blue.
4. Type exact sizes right after an action. Draw a rectangle, then type 12',16' and press Enter.
5. Double-click with Push/Pull to repeat your last distance on another face.
6. Hold Ctrl (Option on Mac) with Push/Pull to create a new face and keep the original.
7. Make arrays: Move-copy an object, then type x5 for five copies at that spacing, or /5 to divide the distance into five.
8. Use the Tape Measure to create guide lines, then model to them. You can remove them all later with Edit > Delete Guides.
9. Use Follow Me for moldings, gutters and roof edges by sweeping a profile along a path.
Selecting and organizing
10. Double-click a face to select it with its edges, and triple-click to select everything connected.
11. Drag left to right to select only what's fully inside the box, or right to left to select everything it touches.
12. Group anything that shouldn't stick to something else. Loose geometry is the most common cause of a frustrating model.
13. Use components for repeated items such as windows and furniture. Edit one, and every copy updates.
14. Open the Outliner to see and rename everything in your model.
15. Use tags (formerly layers) to control visibility, not to separate geometry. Keep raw edges and faces on Untagged.
16. Name your groups and components while you work, not at the end of the project.
Keeping files healthy
17. Run Purge Unused from Window > Model Info > Statistics to remove unused components and materials.
18. Be careful with high-polygon models from online libraries, because a single detailed chair can slow a whole project. Check its statistics first.
19. Keep large images under control, as big textures add up quickly.
20. Turn on View > Face Style > Monochrome to find reversed faces, then right-click and choose Reverse Faces.
21. Hide what you aren't using through tags, rather than deleting it or working around it.
22. Turn off shadows and profiles while modeling if your model starts to lag.
Better drawings and presentations
23. Save scenes for your key views, so that you can return to the same camera every time.
24. Use Section Planes to create plan and section views, and save them in scenes.
25. Use Parallel Projection for accurate plan and elevation views.
26. Use LayOut, where included in your plan, to turn scenes into scaled drawing sets that update with your model.
27. Use Styles to give your model a sketch or presentation look without changing its geometry.
28. Set your model's location to study realistic shadows with the Shadows panel.
Going further
29. Browse the Extension Warehouse, but install only what you need, as too many extensions can slow SketchUp down.
30. Bring your model into a dedicated renderer for finished images. See our guides to rendering software, free renderers and 3D models.
SketchUp Tips: Shortcuts Worth Memorizing
Single-key shortcuts save more time than any other habit. These are SketchUp's defaults, according to the SketchUp Help Center:
| Tool | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select | Spacebar |
| Line | L |
| Rectangle | R |
| Push/Pull | P |
| Move | M |
| Rotate | Q |
| Scale | S |
| Offset | F |
| Tape Measure | T |
| Paint Bucket | B |
| Eraser | E |
| Make Component | G |
| Orbit | O |
| Pan | H |
| Zoom Extents | Shift + Z |
Common Questions
Why is my SketchUp model so slow?
The most common causes are high-polygon imported models, large textures, and shadows or complicated styles left on. Check Model Info statistics and purge unused items.
What's the difference between a group and a component?
Both keep geometry separate. Editing a component updates every copy of it, while each group is treated as its own object.
Why are some of my faces blue-gray?
That's usually the back of a face. Right-click and choose Reverse Faces, since renderers can treat the two sides differently.
How do I make SketchUp faster?
Purge unused components and materials, avoid high-polygon imported models and very large textures, turn off shadows and complex styles while modeling, and use tags to hide what you don't need.
What are the most useful SketchUp shortcuts?
Spacebar for Select, P for Push/Pull, M for Move, Q for Rotate, F for Offset and T for Tape Measure. You can also assign your own shortcuts in the preferences.
Faster Models, Cleaner Drawings
A few habits make the biggest difference: learn the shortcuts, use components, keep files light, and organize with tags and scenes. Practice them on a real project and they'll stick.
Wondering whether SketchUp is still the right tool? Compare it with Revit.
Compare SketchUp vs. RevitHow we made this guide
This guide reflects general practice and may not match every software version, so check against your own. We leave out prices because they change often, so please confirm pricing, features and license terms with the vendor. Product names belong to their owners. Suggest a correction or a product, or learn about labeled sponsorships.