What is X-Ray Mode in Blender Viewport?

Blender's X-Ray mode is a essential display feature that allows 3D artists to see through solid geometry directly inside the viewport. This article explains what X-Ray mode is, how to quickly toggle it on or off, its primary applications in modeling and rigging, and how to customize its opacity settings for a smoother workflow.

Understanding X-Ray Mode

X-Ray mode renders all objects in the 3D viewport semi-transparent. By default, Blender hides occluded elements—vertices, edges, and faces on the back side of an object—to keep the workspace clean. When X-Ray mode is active, this occlusion is disabled, allowing you to view and interact with geometry that would otherwise be hidden behind front-facing surfaces.

How to Toggle X-Ray Mode

You can enable or disable X-Ray mode using two quick methods:

  • Keyboard Shortcut: Press Alt + Z (Toggle X-Ray) on your keyboard while your mouse cursor is in the 3D Viewport.
  • Header Icon: Click the Toggle X-Ray icon located in the top-right corner of the 3D Viewport header (it looks like two overlapping squares next to the Viewport Shading modes).

X-Ray mode works across multiple shading views, including Wireframe, Solid, and Material Preview modes.

Practical Uses of X-Ray Mode

1. Selecting Hidden Geometry

When editing a 3D mesh in Edit Mode, box-selecting elements normally only selects the visible front surfaces. With X-Ray mode turned on, box select (B) or circle select (C) will grab all target vertices, edges, or faces through the entire depth of the mesh.

2. Character Rigging and Armatures

When aligning bones inside a character model, X-Ray mode makes the internal armature visible inside the body mesh. This ensures precise bone placement at joints like elbows, knees, and fingers without needing to repeatedly hide the outer mesh.

3. Working with Reference Images

If you are modeling based on background reference images, X-Ray mode lets you see the image planes clearly behind your dense 3D geometry, making it easy to tweak vertices to match proportions.

4. Retopology

When creating a low-polygon mesh over a high-polygon sculpted model, X-Ray mode helps you keep track of both surfaces simultaneously so your new topology wraps accurately without clipping blindly into the sculpt.

Adjusting X-Ray Opacity

If the default transparency makes your scene too cluttered, you can fine-tune the visibility depth:

  1. Open the Viewport Shading drop-down menu (the small down-arrow icon in the top-right of the viewport header).
  2. Ensure X-Ray is enabled.
  3. Drag the Opacity slider to adjust the transparency level between fully visible (1.000) and completely see-through (0.000).