How Do I Pan in SketchUp With Keyboard?

Are you tired of constantly clicking and dragging to pan around in SketchUp? Well, I have good news for you!

There’s a way to pan in SketchUp using just your keyboard. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to do it step by step.

Step 1: Select the Pan Tool

Before we can start panning with the keyboard, we need to make sure we have the Pan tool selected. To do this, click on the hand-shaped icon in the toolbar on the left side of the SketchUp window.

Step 2: Hold down Shift

Once you have the Pan tool selected, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard. This will activate the keyboard pan mode.

Step 3: Use Arrow Keys to Pan

With the Shift key held down, you can now use your arrow keys to pan around in SketchUp. Pressing the up arrow key will move your view upwards, pressing the down arrow key will move it downwards, pressing the left arrow key will move it to the left, and pressing the right arrow key will move it to the right.

Step 4: Combine with Zooming

To make your panning experience even more efficient, you can combine keyboard panning with zooming using your mouse’s scroll wheel or trackpad. This allows you to quickly navigate and explore your SketchUp model without having to switch between tools.

Tips:

  • Hold down Shift: Remember to hold down Shift throughout the entire panning process. Releasing it will return you to normal navigation mode.
  • Pan speed: The speed at which your view pans depends on your SketchUp settings.

    To adjust the pan speed, go to Preferences > Navigation > Pan and change the sensitivity.

  • Practice: Like any new skill, keyboard panning may take some practice to get comfortable with. Spend some time experimenting and familiarizing yourself with the controls.

And there you have it! By following these simple steps, you can now pan in SketchUp using just your keyboard.

This technique can save you time and make your workflow more efficient. So go ahead, give it a try and start navigating your models like a pro!