The 3D Viewport is used to interact with the 3D scene for a variety of purposes, such as modeling, animating, texture painting, etc.
Header Region
Object Mode header.
The header contains various menus and controls based on
the current :doc:mode </editors/3dview/modes>.
Its items are split into three groups:
Mode & Menus
Mode :kbd:Ctrl-Tab
The 3D Viewport has several :doc:modes </editors/3dview/modes>
used for editing different kinds of data. For example, the default Object Mode
would let you place a character in the scene, while Pose Mode would allow
you to pose it.
The shortcut :kbd:Ctrl-Tab brings up a pie menu for quick mode switching.
If you have an :doc:Armature </animation/armatures/introduction> selected,
it'll instead switch between Object Mode and Pose Mode.
Pressing :kbd:Tab will switch between Object Mode and Edit Mode for objects
that support it.
View
This menu offers tools for :doc:navigating </editors/3dview/navigate/introduction> in 3D space.
The other menus depend on the current mode, Object Mode menus listed below:
Select
Contains tools for :ref:selecting <object-select-menu> objects.
Add :kbd:Shift-A
Contains a list of different :ref:objects types <objects-types> that can be added to the scene.
Object
Contains tools for operating on :doc:objects </scene_layout/object/editing/transform/introduction>,
such as duplicating them. A subset of these tools can also be accessed by right-clicking
in the 3D Viewport.
Transform Controls
Transform Orientation :kbd:Comma
Used to change the :doc:Transform Orientation </editors/3dview/controls/orientation>,
which affects the rotation of the transform gizmo.
Pivot Point :kbd:Period
Used to change the :doc:Pivot Point </editors/3dview/controls/pivot_point/index>,
which affects the location of the transform gizmo.
Snapping :kbd:Shift-Tab
Offers options for :doc:snapping </editors/3dview/controls/snapping> items
to others that are nearby. You can hold :kbd:Ctrl to toggle snapping on/off temporarily
(as long as the key is held).
Proportional Editing :kbd:O
Used to smoothly transform unselected items that are near the selected ones.
See :doc:/editors/3dview/controls/proportional_editing.
Display & Shading
Object Type Visibility
Change which types of objects are visible/selectable in the 3D Viewport.
See :doc:Object Type Visibility </editors/3dview/display/visibility>.
Viewport Gizmos
Change how :doc:gizmos </editors/3dview/display/gizmo> are
displayed in the 3D Viewport.
Viewport Overlays
Change how :doc:overlays </editors/3dview/display/overlays> are
displayed in the 3D Viewport.
.. _bpy.ops.view3d.toggle_xray:
Toggle X-Ray :kbd:Alt-Z
Make the whole scene transparent, allowing you to see and select items that would otherwise be occluded.
This is a shortcut to the :ref:X-Ray <bpy.types.View3DShading.show_xray>
option which can be found inside the Viewport Shading popover (see below).
In Pose Mode, this same button controls a different setting with its own separate on/off state. Rather than making the scene transparent, it shows the armature in front of any geometry.
Viewport Shading
Change the :doc:shading </editors/3dview/display/shading> of the 3D Viewport.
Toolbar Region
The Toolbar contains tools depending on the current mode (for example, modeling tools in Edit Mode, brush tools in Sculpt Mode...).
See :doc:Tools </editors/3dview/toolbar/index> for more information.
Sidebar Region
The Sidebar region contains properties of the active object and tool, as well as of the viewport itself.
See :doc:Sidebar </editors/3dview/sidebar> for more information.
Asset Shelf Region
Depending on the current mode, the asset shelf may be available, providing quick access to assets for this specific mode (for example pose assets in Pose Mode, brush assets in Sculpt Mode).
See :ref:ui-region-asset_shelf for more information.