# Navigation and layout

How to move the camera, use the view cube, switch views, and find the scene list and the inspector.

**Use this when:** you need to move around the canvas, find a lost model, or explain where a panel is.

**Don't use this for:** adding or combining shapes. Read Shapes and Goop, and Form and Mirror.

## The editor layout

![The Womp editor with a cube selected. The scene list is on the left, the canvas in the centre, the inspector on the right, and the Flow, Split and 3D Stage buttons at the bottom.](/docs/images/ui/navigation-layout.webp)

*The editor: scene list (left), canvas (centre), inspector (right) and view switcher (bottom).*

- **Scene list (left):** every object, light and camera in the project. The tabs at the top are `List` and `Health`. An `Imports` tab appears when the project has imported files. See [Scene list](https://womp.com/docs/make/scene-list.md).
- **Canvas (centre):** the 3D view of your model.
- **Inspector (right):** settings for what you selected. Its tabs are `Object`, `Camera`, `Scene` and `Spark`. The `Object` tab is available only when you select an object. Open or close the inspector with the `Show inspector` and `Hide inspector` button.
- **View switcher (bottom):** `Flow`, `Split` and `3D Stage`.

## Views

| View | What it shows | Shortcut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `Flow` | The node editor. See [Flow (Nodes)](https://womp.com/docs/make/flow.md). | `Alt/⌥ + 1` |
| `Split` | Flow and the 3D Stage side by side. | `Alt/⌥ + 2` |
| `3D Stage` | The 3D canvas only. | `Alt/⌥ + 3` |

## Move the camera with the mouse

| Action | Mouse |
| --- | --- |
| Rotate (orbit) | Hold the left button and drag. |
| Pan | Hold the right button and drag. You can also hold `Shift`, `Ctrl` or `⌘` and drag with the left button. |
| Zoom | Turn the scroll wheel, or hold the middle button and drag. |

On a touch screen, drag one finger to rotate. Use two fingers to zoom and pan.

## The view cube and its buttons

The view cube shows the direction you look from. It sits on the right side of the editor.

![The view cube with arrow buttons around it, the Perspective and Orthographic buttons on its left, and the Center and Magnet buttons on its right.](/docs/images/ui/navigation-view-cube.webp#narrow)

*The view cube with its arrow, projection, `Center` and `Magnet` buttons.*

- **Snap to a side:** click a face of the cube to look straight at that side.
- **Step around:** use the arrow buttons `Rotate left`, `Rotate right`, `Rotate up` and `Rotate down`.
- **Projection:** choose `Perspective` (things far away look smaller) or `Orthographic` (no perspective, easier to line things up). This changes only the view, not the model.
- **`Center`:** frames the view again. The shortcut is `C`.
- **`Magnet`:** turns snapping on or off. The shortcut is `⌘/Ctrl + '`.

You can also step the view with the keyboard: `Shift + 3` (left), `Shift + 4` (right), `Shift + 5` (top) and `Shift + 6` (bottom). `Shift + G` shows or hides the grid.

## Select objects

- Click an object on the canvas or in the scene list to select it.
- Hold `Shift`, `Ctrl` or `⌘` and click to add more objects to the selection.
- `⌘/Ctrl + A` selects all objects.

## Use instead

- **Wrong move:** rotating and zooming to search for a model that went out of view. **Why:** the camera can drift far from the model. **Right move:** press `C` (`Center`), or click a face of the view cube.
- **Wrong move:** lining up parts in `Perspective`. **Why:** perspective makes far parts look smaller, so edges that look level may not be. **Right move:** switch to `Orthographic` and look from one side of the view cube.
- **Wrong move:** looking for the `Object` tab with nothing selected. **Why:** the tab is available only when an object is selected. **Right move:** select an object first, then open `Object` in the inspector.

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Last checked: 2026-11-10. Womp version: Womp web app, November 2026.