What tools are in Blender?

Updated October 2026 · How we answer

The main working areas

The 3D Viewport is where most work happens. The Toolbar on the left holds active tools, which change based on your mode. The Sidebar, opened with N, shows transforms and tool settings. The Properties editor controls materials, modifiers and render options.

Blender also uses an Outliner to list every object in the scene. Learning these panels early makes the rest of the interface easier to navigate.

• 3D Viewport: the main editing space
• Toolbar (T): active tools
• Sidebar (N): transforms and options
• Properties: materials, modifiers and settings

Tools for modeling and beyond

Modeling tools include extrude, inset, bevel, loop cut and knife. Sculpt tools push and pull the mesh with brushes. UV editing, shading, animation and compositing each have their own workspace with tools suited to that job.

Modifiers add effects non-destructively, such as Subdivision Surface or Mirror. Geometry Nodes build procedural setups using nodes rather than manual edits.

Finding what you need

Press F3 or use the search in the menu to find any command by name. Tool names and workspace layouts can shift slightly between releases, so the official manual is the best reference when something looks different.

You can customize keyboard shortcuts in the preferences if you want quicker access to frequently used tools.

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