How to Use the Circle Select Tool in Blender

The Circle Select tool in Blender is a fast and efficient feature used to select multiple vertices, edges, faces, or objects by simply painting over them with a circular brush. This step-by-step guide covers how to activate the tool, adjust the selection radius, select and deselect geometry, and exit the mode properly so you can maintain a smooth 3D modeling workflow.

How to Activate Circle Select

You can activate the Circle Select tool in both Object Mode and Edit Mode:

  1. Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest): Press C on your keyboard. Your mouse cursor will instantly turn into a dashed circle.
  2. Toolbar: Click and hold the Select Tool icon on the left toolbar (T-panel), then choose Circle Select from the drop-down menu.

Selecting and Deselecting Geometry

Once the circular cursor appears:

  • Select Elements: Click and drag the Left Mouse Button (LMB) over the vertices, edges, faces, or objects you want to select.
  • Deselect Elements: Hold the Middle Mouse Button (MMB) and drag over any highlighted elements to remove them from your selection. Alternatively, in some keymaps, holding Shift + Left Click will also deselect.

Adjusting the Circle Radius

You can change the size of the selection circle to cover larger areas or target precise details:

  • Mouse Wheel: Scroll Up to increase the circle size, or scroll Down to decrease it.
  • Numpad: Press + to enlarge the circle or - to shrink it.

How to Exit Circle Select

While Circle Select is active, standard view navigation (such as rotating or panning the viewport) is disabled. To return to normal navigation mode:

  • Press Esc on your keyboard.
  • Right-click anywhere in the viewport.

Important Usage Tips

  • Selection Mode: In Edit Mode, Circle Select respects your current component selection mode (Vertex, Edge, or Face). Ensure you are in the correct mode before selecting.
  • Limit to Visible: Circle Select picks up elements based on your current view. If Toggle X-Ray mode is enabled, it will select geometry on both the front and back sides of your model. If X-Ray is off, it will only select visible geometry on the front.