Getting started with Blender? Watch our Blender Basics, the most popular tutorial series for getting started with 3D creation. Less than 60 minutes runtime, over 1 million views from Blender artists like you.
Blender Right Click is dead, long live the Left Click?
Now that Blender 2.80 has arrived, the default selection mode for Blender has changed from right click to *drumroll*...left click. (Though there are more new features: read about the top 5 game changers that Blender 2.8 brings).
Having been a savvy right clicker for more than 15 years, Iâll admit that this decision brought a little sadness to my heart. Now, being a right-clicker feels like Iâm in on a secret that only a few people know about.
Why has the Default Setting Changed?
Itâs simple: to make things easier for new users.
When you are new to software, any hurdle that can be lowered to make the learning easier makes sense.Â
You can now select things by default, which is the intuitive way for a new user and solves one of the biggest newbie hurdles.
However, there is an invisible downside to this âindustry standardâ way of doing things. Â
Watch:Â 30+ free tutorials with awesome Blender tips
The (Not so) Secret History of Blender Right-Click Select
Back in the 90âs, the unconventional decision was made to separate âselectionâ from âactionâ in Blender. Â Why? Speed and precision.
Switching the selection to right-click makes for much faster workflow. It reduces the amount of time the user spends trying to select the correct thing and avoids accidentally selecting an object when they are trying to complete an action instead.
In fact, urban legend has it that by spreading the number of clicks over left and right can aid in repetitive strain injury recovery and also keeps your mouse alive a little longer. Anecdotal evidence seems to support it...though the jury is still out.
Is "Industry Standard" the Holy Grail of Software?
But there's the thing: just because something is âindustry standardâ, it doesnât mean it's better. Did you know that you can launch the âindustry standardâ software and have enough time to make a cup of tea before it actually opens?
Having a variety is crucial. If everyone is thinking the same thing, then some people arenât thinking - and that ainât good.
When I started learning Blender there wasnât a way to switch left-click and right-click; I was essentially forced to learn the right-click method. After so many years, Iâm glad I did.
It wasnât until later that I also started animating using the âindustry standardâ software and that is when I saw how detrimental not separating selection from action was.
I spent most of my time trying to select the correct control or temporarily changing the tool just so I can select what I wanted. To me, the âindustry standardâ way of doing things turned into wasted time and it prevented me from getting into a flow state.
Bottom line: once you have experienced the speed and precision of right-click select, any other way seems too cumbersome.
Iâm a Right Clicker - What Should I do now?
The default in Blender has changed, but that doesnât mean you have to.
Formula 1 drivers do not drive in a âconventionalâ way. They use 1 foot on the accelerator and 1 foot on the brake for 2 reasons. Speed and precision. (Hey, that sounds familiar). Can you imagine if they were forced to use 1 foot because that is the conventional way of doing it?
With the new default, a slower workflow is almost unavoidable. But unless you're ready to separate selection from action, it might seem like that is the right (!) way of working.Â
To Right-Click or not to Right-Click?
Maybe a few left-clickers are interested in extra speed and precision by switching over to the other side.Â
So should you change? My advice: even if you're left-clicking like a boss, give the classic right-click method a try.
How long does it take to get used to "clicking the other way"?
That depends on your brain. Â It could be a few hours or a few days. Â But I would suggest committing to any key change for at least a week before you decide if it's for you.
A few days of inconvenience could be well worth it in the long run.
What about you: are you a rightie or a leftie?
P.S. Looking for a Blender project to cover the essential workflows every artist needs to know? Why not model, texture and share your very own treasure chest! Our most-watched recent tutorial series.Â
"Right Click vs Left Click: Which is Better"
Everyone human being is different and has there own preferences, so to my opinion "There is no wrong/better" (way of doing things") since that simply is something which everyone has to decide this for themselves.. No matter way the current "Holy Grail" is or "Industry standard" says..
If it works is fine for you, (Left/Richt) click on it and Blend on!
so why have a discussion about "what is better (for whom?)"
kkairoland I mostly agree.
Yes, Left Click is here to stay. But I disagree with your prediction that Right click support will be dropped.
It is already there, and has been from the start, So they would need to remove it. And that won't happen while there is a benevolent dictator for life of the Blender Foundation who just happened to be the one who made the decision 20+ years ago.
And we all know that Ton is immortal and will therefore outlive us all, thus there will be no shooting of any feet.
Ubisoft has picked up Blender and they're donating to the development fund. Blender will have to cater to bigger companies and getting their animators and modelers on Blender faster is just smart in terms of long term viability for the software. Additionally, this will make Blender the go to gateway program for new users who want to get into the industry. All of this is good news for the future of Blender, because as we know, it's not just a program, it's a community.
I predict right click support will slowly fade away. I think anyone not working to adopt left click is shooting themselves in the foot. I've been using Blender since 2.47 and have never used another modeling program. Adapting to the new UI has been a challenge and I'm constantly looking up where to go for things that had become second nature, but I am over the moon about 2.8. With enough time, issues in work flows will sort themselves out and if they don't, inform Blender, they'll work to fix them.
Keep at right click if you want, but I think ultimately everyone will be forced to adopt left click. It's here to stay.
3 years later and left click select is still here. It's like the predictions that desktop PCs are going to die and be replaced by laptop, game consoles, tablets and phones. Yet PC utility and gaming has boomed like never before. I love going back and seeing predictions of a superior or standard method or tech wiping out an outdated counter part be proven to be false. It's like people claiming gas cars will be replaced by electric cars. I'll believe it when I see it.
Blender didn't become what it is today by following the industry. Ton thought outside the box and that's what led to an accessible tool for those who don't have the bankroll to get into 3D. A dream and vision over money and acceptance/accolades. I was curious about the use of right click now that I'm getting back into Blender and found this article. It doesn't make sense to remove right click since those who don't like it could always change to whatever setup they preferred.
This article truly spoke to me as an ex-Maya user and was a convert around 10 years ago into Blender 2.5x. Now with 2.8x JOURNEY I have never been happier. I am no longer newbie Blender user, still happily learning Blender 2.8x way.
To be honest, I don't care much about "Industry Standard Hotkeys". I remap my Maya knowledge into Blender back then, and slowly making my ways around Blender. It's not a big deal, really.
Back then, I blog and find my way into Blender, the reason I started Blender Sushi. I find things different, simply blog it. Hopefully useful for future Blender users coming from Maya. I supposed it helps myself to really think in Blender way: finding way around things, learning things on your own, customize for your own needs.
eelkestra
It's ok if you don't understand my reasoning.
You can choose whatever makes sense for you. If you need to use the context menu more that you need to separate action from selection, then that is your workflow and it is fine. (BTW when you left click in a menu, that is an 'action' not selection)
There is no over arching right way or wrong way, but left click is certainly the wrong way for me and many other users who user Blender in a similar way to me. (Some of those users don't know there is a faster way)
Standardisation is generally a good idea, except when you can deviate from the 'normal' way in order to create a faster workflow.
Just ask anyone who uses a Dvorak keyboard. (looking at you
blanchsb)
It is a more efficient layout based on the distance between the most used keys etc. Does it make sense for me to switch to that layout? Nope.
Is it wrong that Shawn uses that layout? Nope.
Is Shawn be faster at typing than me? For sure.
I've been trying to get used to left click since 2.8 came out. Just switched back to right, it improves my flow.
Unfortunately they forced me to start using left mouse button to select, because right mouse button in 2.8 isn't functioning as it did in 2.79. For an example, now I can by accident move something that I've selected because there isn't a possibility of releasing with that same right mouse button. In 2.79 the moved part remains in a new location only after it's confirmed with either enter or left mouse button. I'd like it to be the same as 2.79 which I'm used to.
There is no reason for left click selection only a mater of habit, if you use more software and not only blender is a pain. In 2.43 (when I started) you need left button to confirm action, no confirm on release (introduced in 2.5) and this was a painful workflow (a carpal syndrome ticket). Oh, with left mouse selection if you want to select another object without exiting sculpt mode press alt +lmb over the other object.
nvm, found it. It's under Mesh -> Call Menu if anyone's looking into it. BTW, the reason I wanted to change it is that I don't use a QWERTY keyboard and the W is quite far (I use Dvorak).