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Tool reference

Every Forge action includes contextual guidance in the app. This reference brings together the same practical information: what the action does, when to reach for it, and the important constraint to remember.

Native for macOS and iPadOS. Every tool documented here is part of the Forge workflow on both platforms.

Selection matters. If an action is unavailable or has no effect, switch to the component type named in its notes and make the required selection first.

Transform and shape​

Transform​

Move, size, or rotate selected objects, or move selected components.

Use it for: Use Transform as the default modeling gizmo: drag arrows to move, side handles to size object selections, and rotation handles to rotate object selections.

Notes: Component selections currently use the move handles; size and rotate handles are available for object selections.

Size​

Scale the selected object with grid-aware handles.

Use it for: Use Size to set the broad proportions of boxes, cylinders, and joined objects before doing detailed edits.

Notes: Size works on object selections. Use Details for exact X, Y, and Z scale values.

Rotate​

Rotate selected objects around X, Y, and Z.

Use it for: Use Rotate to aim repeated parts, turn cutters for CSG, or align a primitive before joining or subtracting it.

Notes: Rotation values stay within one full turn. World/local gizmo mode changes the handle orientation.

Flatten​

Project the current selection onto a flat plane.

Use it for: Use Flatten to clean warped polygons, align edge loops, or make selected vertices share an X, Y, Z, or calculated best-fit plane.

Notes: Angle mode uses a best-fit plane through the selected world-space points. Axis modes flatten to the selection center on that world axis.

Push/Pull​

Move selected faces along their face normal.

Use it for: Use Push/Pull for architectural massing: raise panels, recess walls, or pull a face outward without creating a separate object.

Notes: The tool previews the offset. Apply from the sidebar or drag the normal handle.

Extrude​

Create new connected geometry from selected faces.

Use it for: Use Extrude when you need a new volume that remains attached, like a ledge, pillar, handle, or branch.

Notes: Apply Extrude commits one extrusion and keeps Extrude active, so repeated clicks continue from the newly selected faces.

Inset​

Create a smaller region inside selected faces.

Use it for: Use Inset before pushing a panel inward, making frames, lips, borders, doors, windows, or recessed details.

Notes: Use Inset per face for separate panels, or turn it off to inset connected coplanar faces as one region.

Arc​

Round a selected quad face into a segmented arch.

Use it for: Use Arc for arched doorways, rounded tops, and simple curved silhouettes while staying low-poly.

Notes: Works best on a single quad face. Segment and height controls shape the curve.

Knife​

Draw a knife polygon on the selected face.

Use it for: Use Knife to place windows, holes, panels, and custom face regions before using Cut Through, Push/Pull, or Inset.

Notes: Place points on the face, move points if needed, then Apply Cut or Cancel Cut.

Lathe​

Revolve a drawn profile into a radial object.

Use it for: Use Lathe for barrels, columns, bowls, vases, wheels, and other shapes that come from a side profile.

Notes: Draw points on the vertical plane. Segments, subdivisions, and cap toggles control the generated mesh.

Cut Through​

Turn a selected cut face into a tunnel through the object.

Use it for: Use Cut Through after Cut to make real openings like windows, vents, archways, and intersecting passages.

Notes: The command builds tunnel side faces and can merge with existing through-cuts.

Bevel​

Chamfer selected objects, edges, or face borders.

Use it for: Use Bevel on selected faces to round the border of the face island, or on selected edges and objects for direct edge chamfers.

Notes: Use low segment counts for interactive work. Preview shows the affected chamfer area.

Solidify​

Add thickness to selected faces.

Use it for: Use Solidify to turn planes, panels, roofs, and shell surfaces into real volume.

Notes: Selected faces are replaced by an offset surface plus clean side faces.

Subdivide​

Split selected faces into smaller faces.

Use it for: Use Subdivide when you need more editable regions before painting, cutting, beveling, or shaping local detail.

Notes: Child faces remain selected so you can continue editing immediately.

Sub-D​

Preview a smooth subdivision surface while keeping the original object editable.

Use it for: Select one or more objects, or keep editing vertices, edges, or faces, then use the Sub-D popover to choose Off or preview levels one through three.

Notes: Sub-D preview can be toggled while editing the original cage. Freeze is still a separate object-mode step for turning the smoothed result into real mesh faces.

Freeze Sub-D​

Bake the current Sub-D preview into ordinary editable mesh geometry.

Use it for: Use Freeze Sub-D after the preview level looks right and before exporting or doing detailed mesh edits on the smoothed result.

Notes: Freeze is undoable, but the generated mesh can be much denser than the original cage.

Ruler​

Measure the point-to-point distance between two selected vertices.

Use it for: Switch to vertex mode, select exactly two vertices, then click Ruler to show their world-space distance.

Notes: The viewport HUD formats the measurement using the unit preference in Preferences.

Selection and visibility​

Select Loop​

Extend two adjacent components into a loop.

Use it for: Select two neighboring vertices, edges, or faces, then use Select Loop before beveling, sliding, deleting, or transforming a continuous belt.

Notes: Most useful on quad-based topology. Face loops follow the strip through opposite quad edges.

Select Edge Ring​

Select opposite edges across a quad strip.

Use it for: Use Select Edge Ring to prepare a Loop Cut or to inspect evenly spaced structure through a mesh.

Notes: Works best on connected quad strips.

Select Boundary​

Select the boundary around selected faces.

Use it for: Use Select Boundary before filling, beveling a face perimeter, or inspecting the outline of a region.

Notes: Face mode converts to edge selection around the selected region.

Select Connected​

Select the connected island for the current component type.

Use it for: Use Select Connected to grab one detached part of a mesh without manually picking every face or edge.

Notes: Works in vertex, edge, and face modes.

Select Coplanar​

Select faces on the same plane as the current face.

Use it for: Use Select Coplanar to grab flat walls, floors, caps, and panels for material assignment or cleanup.

Notes: The command compares face planes, so curved or angled surfaces are excluded.

Select Hard Edges​

Select edges between sharply angled faces.

Use it for: Use Select Hard Edges to find bevel candidates or check where the model has strong silhouette breaks.

Notes: Requires edge mode and visible mesh topology.

Select Open Edges​

Select naked boundary edges.

Use it for: Use Select Open Edges to find holes, unfinished surfaces, and areas that may need Fill Holes.

Notes: Open edges are also highlighted by mesh-health overlays.

Grow Selection​

Expand the current component selection outward.

Use it for: Use Grow when your face, edge, or vertex selection is almost right and needs one more neighboring ring.

Notes: Works on component selections.

Shrink Selection​

Contract the current component selection inward.

Use it for: Use Shrink to remove the outer border from a selected region before applying a command.

Notes: Works on component selections.

Hide Faces​

Hide selected faces without deleting them.

Use it for: Use Hide Faces to clear obstructing polygons from the viewport while editing interior or back-side details.

Notes: Hidden faces remain part of the object and can be restored with Unhide Faces.

Unhide Faces​

Show hidden faces on the selected object.

Use it for: Use Unhide Faces after finishing the temporary edit that needed a clearer view.

Notes: The command is available in face mode when a selected object has hidden faces.

Topology and repair​

Split Edge​

Insert midpoint vertices on selected edges.

Use it for: Use Split Edge to add control points before filling, reshaping, or creating cleaner manual topology.

Notes: Works on edge selections and keeps the inserted vertices selected.

Merge​

Merge selected vertices, edges, or faces.

Use it for: Use Merge to collapse vertices, dissolve internal edges, or turn connected face groups into a larger n-gon.

Notes: The viewport previews mergeable selections before commit.

Connect​

Connect two selected vertices with a new edge path.

Use it for: Use Connect in vertex mode to draw topology across one face or a simple strip of faces.

Notes: Connect needs exactly two vertices on the same object and refuses ambiguous paths.

Fill​

Create a face from selected boundary vertices or edges.

Use it for: Use Fill after deleting faces, opening a mesh, or selecting one edge of an open boundary you want to cap.

Notes: When an open boundary edge is selected, Fill caps the whole boundary loop that contains it.

Bridge​

Create bridge faces between two compatible selections.

Use it for: Use Bridge on two edges to patch a gap, or on two matching faces to turn them into a connected tunnel.

Notes: Face bridges need two selected faces with the same vertex count.

Loop Cut​

Cut a quad strip through selected edges or adjacent faces.

Use it for: Use Loop Cut to add support edges, panel divisions, or places where Edge Slide can shape thickness.

Notes: Select edges, or select two adjacent quad faces to define direction. Use the Position slider before applying.

Edge Slide​

Slide selected edges along adjacent faces.

Use it for: Use Edge Slide to reposition a loop or support edge without changing the surrounding surface shape too much.

Notes: Best on edges with clear neighboring faces.

Triangulate​

Convert selected faces into triangles.

Use it for: Use Triangulate when exporting, debugging a troublesome n-gon, or preparing a face for simpler rendering.

Notes: Paint and UV information is carried onto the generated triangles.

Flip Normals​

Reverse selected face winding.

Use it for: Use Flip Normals when a face appears inside-out or renders from the wrong side.

Notes: Only selected faces are affected.

Recalculate Normals​

Orient face winding outward.

Use it for: Use Recalculate Normals after heavy edits, CSG, joins, or imported/handmade geometry cleanup.

Notes: Works on selected faces or selected objects.

Weld​

Merge vertices that occupy the same position.

Use it for: Use Weld after joins, mirror operations, or manual edits that leave overlapping vertices.

Notes: Object mode welds across selected objects; vertex mode welds the selected vertices.

Remove Degenerates​

Delete collapsed or invalid faces.

Use it for: Use Remove Degenerates when a mesh health warning points to tiny, repeated, or broken faces.

Notes: Useful after aggressive CSG or bevel experiments.

Fill Holes​

Fill simple open boundary loops.

Use it for: Use Fill Holes to repair accidental openings, cap simple deleted regions, or fill the open loop containing a selected boundary edge.

Notes: Complex or self-crossing holes may need manual cleanup first.

Cleanup Mesh​

Run a basic repair pass on selected objects.

Use it for: Use Cleanup Mesh after several topology operations to weld overlaps, remove degenerates, and recalculate normals.

Notes: This is a broad repair command, not a modeling replacement for deliberate topology work.

Separate​

Move selected faces into a new object.

Use it for: Use Separate when a detail should become its own object for transform, material, or CSG work.

Notes: The new object is selected after the command.

Join​

Join selected objects into the active object's mesh.

Use it for: Use Join to combine pieces after arranging modular parts or primitives.

Notes: Transforms are baked into the active object's local mesh.

Symmetry and object operations​

Mirror X​

Mirror selected object meshes across local X.

Use it for: Use Mirror X for symmetrical modeling around the object's local X axis.

Notes: Mirroring changes mesh geometry, not just object scale.

Mirror Y​

Mirror selected object meshes across local Y.

Use it for: Use Mirror Y to flip vertical forms or create matched top/bottom variants.

Notes: Mirroring changes mesh geometry, not just object scale.

Mirror Z​

Mirror selected object meshes across local Z.

Use it for: Use Mirror Z for front/back symmetry and mirrored cutters.

Notes: Mirroring changes mesh geometry, not just object scale.

Sym +X​

Force local X symmetry from the positive side.

Use it for: Use Symmetrize X after shaping one half of a model; it deletes the local -X half and mirrors local +X across the center plane.

Notes: Faces that cross the center plane are kept from the positive side and welded at the center.

Sym -X​

Force local X symmetry from the negative side.

Use it for: Use Sym -X when the modeled half is on local -X; it deletes the local +X half and mirrors local -X across the center plane.

Notes: Faces that cross the center plane are kept from the negative side and welded at the center.

Sym +Y​

Force local Y symmetry from the positive side.

Use it for: Use Symmetrize Y for top/bottom mirrored forms after modeling the upper half.

Notes: Faces that cross the center plane are kept from the positive side and welded at the center.

Sym -Y​

Force local Y symmetry from the negative side.

Use it for: Use Sym -Y when the modeled half is on local -Y; it deletes the local +Y half and mirrors local -Y across the center plane.

Notes: Faces that cross the center plane are kept from the negative side and welded at the center.

Sym +Z​

Force local Z symmetry from the positive side.

Use it for: Use Symmetrize Z for front/back mirrored forms after modeling the front half.

Notes: Faces that cross the center plane are kept from the positive side and welded at the center.

Sym -Z​

Force local Z symmetry from the negative side.

Use it for: Use Sym -Z when the modeled half is on local -Z; it deletes the local +Z half and mirrors local -Z across the center plane.

Notes: Faces that cross the center plane are kept from the negative side and welded at the center.

Duplicate​

Duplicate selected objects or faces.

Use it for: Use Duplicate for repeated parts like beams, planks, bolts, panels, and selected face details.

Notes: Object duplicates stay in place with new mesh IDs. Face duplicates become a separate object without removing the original faces.

Array​

Create repeated object or face copies.

Use it for: Use Array for evenly spaced parts like fence posts and grille slats, or radial wheel and hub details around a center.

Notes: Generated array copies are placed in one Array group in the Outliner so they stay organized while remaining editable.

CSG Subtract​

Subtract one selected object from the active object.

Use it for: Use CSG Subtract for object-shaped cutouts, holes, sockets, and large boolean edits before refining the result.

Notes: Select two objects. The active object is the target; the other object is removed as the cutter.

Delete​

Delete the current selection.

Use it for: Use Delete to remove objects or faces; in edge mode, use it to dissolve clean internal edges during retopology.

Notes: Boundary edges delete connected faces or refuse cleanly when a safe dissolve is not possible.

Rotate X 90​

Rotate selected objects 90 degrees around X.

Use it for: Use quick axis rotations to orient primitives and cutters without dragging the rotate gizmo.

Notes: Works in object mode.

Rotate Y 90​

Rotate selected objects 90 degrees around Y.

Use it for: Use quick axis rotations to turn repeated wall, cylinder, or cutter pieces into place.

Notes: Works in object mode.

Rotate Z 90​

Rotate selected objects 90 degrees around Z.

Use it for: Use quick axis rotations for top-down layout changes and sideways primitive alignment.

Notes: Works in object mode.

Materials and UVs​

Apply Material​

Assign the active material to selected objects or faces.

Use it for: Use Apply Material after picking a palette color/material, especially for face-level accents or whole-object coloring.

Notes: In object mode it affects all faces on selected objects.

Clear Material​

Remove material overrides from selected objects or faces.

Use it for: Use Clear Material to return a region to the default material behavior before repainting or exporting.

Notes: This does not delete materials from the palette.

Clear Paint​

Remove brush paint grids from selected objects or faces.

Use it for: Use Clear Paint when a face-level paint pattern should be reset without changing the mesh.

Notes: Material overrides remain unless you also use Clear Material.

Clear All​

Remove material overrides and brush paint grids from selected objects or faces.

Use it for: Use Clear All when the selection should return to the default unpainted look.

Notes: This does not delete materials from the palette.

Rotate UV 90​

Rotate selected face UVs by 90 degrees.

Use it for: Use Rotate UV 90 to align checker or painted patterns across neighboring faces.

Notes: The viewport UV overlay shows the mapping direction.

Flip U​

Mirror selected face UVs horizontally.

Use it for: Use Flip U when a painted pattern is reversed left-to-right on a face.

Notes: Works on selected faces in Face or Paint mode.

Flip V​

Mirror selected face UVs vertically.

Use it for: Use Flip V when a painted pattern is upside down on a face.

Notes: Works on selected faces in Face or Paint mode.

Reset UV​

Reset selected face UVs to the default polygon layout.

Use it for: Use Reset UV when manual UV edits become confusing and you want a clean baseline.

Notes: After resetting, use Fit UV To Face for a projection matched to the face shape.

Fit UV To Face​

Fit selected face UVs to the face projection.

Use it for: Use Fit UV To Face after cutting, beveling, or CSG when a face needs a stable projected paint layout.

Notes: This is the general-purpose repair for most skewed face paint mapping.

Copy UV​

Copy UVs from the first selected face.

Use it for: Use Copy UV when one face has the correct texture orientation and you want to reuse it.

Notes: Paste requires target faces with the same vertex count.

Paste UV​

Paste copied UVs onto matching selected faces.

Use it for: Use Paste UV to quickly align repeated planks, panels, caps, or matching sides.

Notes: Only faces with the same vertex count receive the pasted UVs.

Primitives​

Create Box​

Add a new box primitive.

Use it for: Use boxes for blockouts, walls, floors, crates, and simple hard-surface forms.

Notes: New objects are selected immediately.

Create Cylinder​

Add a cylinder using the project cylinder resolution.

Use it for: Use cylinders for posts, wheels, barrels, pipes, and radial cutters.

Notes: Set the cylinder segment count from the primitive toolbar menu; it is independent from snap grid subdivision.

Create Sphere​

Add a sphere using the project sphere resolution.

Use it for: Use spheres for round parts or as CSG cutters for rounded cavities.

Notes: Set the sphere segment count from the primitive toolbar menu; it is independent from snap grid subdivision.