The Rhino window
This image illustrates the default arrangement of the Rhino window. The interface is divided into some major sections. Each section consists of several elements that will be described below.
Menu
The menus group Rhino commands by function.
Application toolbar
The application toolbar contains controls for various parts of the interface including
Left sidebar switch
Shows or hides the left sidebar 
.
Turns on grid snap.
Turns on ortho mode.
Turns on planar mode.
Enables SmartTrack object snaps.
Enables the gumball object manipulator.
Starts recording command history.
Show selection filters
Display the Selection Filter popover.
Show object snaps
Displays the object snap popover.
Show object properties
Displays the Properties popover.
Layer pane
Click to access quick controls for setting the selected object's layer or to change layer visibility and status.
Right sidebar switch
Shows or hides the right sidebar 
.
Toolbar group
A collection of toolbars. More...
Left sidebar
The Left sidebar contains the command box, command toolbars and the object snap list.
Command box
The command box displays a typed command. Once the command is accepted, the prompts, options and a value box appear in this space.
Command options
Command options change how a command acts. For example, when you draw a circle, the circle is normally drawn on the active construction plane. The Circle command has several options including Vertical and AroundCurve.
To use a command option, click the option name, or type the underlined letter of the option or the whole option name.
Choose a command option
- Type Circle
As soon as you have typed enough letters to uniquely identify the command, the Circle command automatically completes at the prompt. Press the Enter key or click the command name in the list. - The options for the Circle command appear:
- To draw a circle vertical to the active construction plane, use the Vertical option.
Click Vertical, or type V.
Center of circle:
Deformable
Vertical
2 Point
3 Point
Tangent
Around Curve
Fit Points
Repeat the last command
Many tasks in Rhino are repetitive. You might want to move or copy several objects, for example. Methods for repeating commands are provided.
To repeat the last command
- Press the Enter key when no command is active.
- In addition to pressing the Enter key on your keyboard, you can press the Spacebar or click the right mouse button in a viewport.
These all perform the same function.
Note:
- Some commands, such as Undo and Delete do not repeat. Instead, the command prior to these commands is repeated. This prevents you from accidentally undoing too many commands or deleting objects accidentally.
- When you want to repeat the command you were using before undoing a mistake. You can define the list of commands that do not repeat to suit your own way of working.
Commands tool palette
Commands tool palettes contain graphical icons for initiating commands. Many icons have a second command that you can access by right-clicking or pressing the Option while clicking the icon. The tooltip that appears when you hover over the icon tells you what the left and right mouse button do.
If you are using a one-button mouse or a track pad, to access the second command, hold the Option key and click.
To access the command on the first line
- Click the icon with the left mouse button.
To access the command on the second line
- Click the button with the right mouse button.
Or hold the Alt key and click.
Object snaps
Contains persistent object snap toggles. More...
Right sidebar
The Right sidebar, by default, has two sections: the Properties panel and Inspector panels.
You can add more sections in the Theme preferences.
Properties panel
The Properties panel displays the properties of the selected object. When no object is selected, it displays viewport properties.
Click the gear button 
and select Show inspector panels to switch to the Inspector panels.
Inspector Panels
The Inspector panels provide quick access to some global options, document properties, and command dialogs.
Click the gear button to add or remove panels, or select Show Properties Panel to switch to the Properties panel.
Command History
Display
Document User Text
Edge Continuity
Environments
Ground Plane
Command Help
Layer States
Layouts
Libraries
Lights
Macro Editor
Materials
Mesh Repair
Move UVN
Named CPlanes
Named Positions
Named Selections
Named Views
Notes
Notifications
Point Deviation
Properties
Rendering
Snapshots
Sun
Textures
Tutorials- The Layout and detail layer information panel is only available in the Layout window.
- The Model Layers panel in the Layout window is the Layers panel in the modeling window.
- Plug-ins may add more panels.
Viewport area
The viewport area displays the Rhino working environment including object display, viewport title, background, construction plane grid, world axis icon. More...
Viewport control bar
The Viewport control bar contains options for setting the viewport layout.
Four viewports
Sets up a four-viewport layout with a top, right, front, and perspective view.
One viewport
Sets up a single-viewport layout by maximizing the current viewport.
Perspective | Top | Front | Right
Click to make a viewport current. This is especially useful in a one-viewport layout.
Layouts
Opens the layouts for the model.
Viewport title
Left-click to activate the viewport without losing selected objects. More...
Right-click to display the viewport tile menu.
Context Menu
Right-click in a viewport to display a short-list of commonly used commands.
Status bar
The status bar panes display the coordinates of the cursor in construction plane or world coordinates.
CPlane / World
The construction plane/world coordinates toggle.
x
The mouse cursor x location.
y
The mouse cursor y location.
z
The mouse cursor z location.
History panel
History panel contains the command history. One line with the last command appears on the status bar.
- Click the command history icon in the lower left corner of the screen to open a temporary window.
You can keep a history window open in the right sidebar.
Related commands
| Toolbar | Menu |
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The ToggleLeftSidebar command shows or hides the left sidebar of the main modeling window.
This is the same as clicking the leftmost icon in the toolbar. This is especially useful as a Screen Edge command.
ToggleRightSidebar
| Toolbar | Menu |
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The ToggleRightSidebar command shows or hides the right sidebar of the main modeling window.
This is the same as clicking the rightmost icon in the toolbar. This is especially useful as a Screen Edge command.