How to Add a Default Cube in Blender

Adding a default cube in Blender is one of the most fundamental tasks in 3D modeling, whether you accidentally deleted the startup cube or need to insert a new mesh into your scene. This guide explains the fastest ways to add a cube using keyboard shortcuts, top bar navigation, and how to reset your startup file so a cube appears automatically every time you open Blender.

Method 1: Using the Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest)

  1. Place your mouse cursor over the 3D Viewport.
  2. Press Shift + A on your keyboard to open the Add menu.
  3. Hover over Mesh at the top of the menu.
  4. Click on Cube.

The new cube will appear at the location of your 3D Cursor (by default, the center of the workspace).

Method 2: Using the Top Viewport Menu

  1. Look at the top-left corner of the 3D Viewport window.
  2. Click on the Add menu option.
  3. Select Mesh from the dropdown list.
  4. Click Cube.

Adjusting Cube Properties After Placement

Immediately after adding a new cube, an Add Cube panel appears in the bottom-left corner of the 3D Viewport:

  1. Click the Add Cube panel to expand it.
  2. Change the Size field to make the cube larger or smaller.
  3. Adjust the Location and Rotation values to place the cube precisely.

Note: This menu disappears once you perform another action in Blender.

How to Always Start Blender with a Default Cube

If Blender opens to a blank screen and you want the original cube to appear automatically every time you launch the software:

  1. Open a new project via File > New > General.
  2. Add a cube using Shift + A > Mesh > Cube if one is not present.
  3. Go to the top menu and select File > Defaults > Save Startup File.
  4. Confirm by clicking Save Startup File in the prompt.