Is it possible to hide the planes (Front

ByCADbrief Staff

Short Answer

Yes — in SolidWorks, it is possible to hide the Front, Top, and Right reference planes using the Hide/Show Items control or by right-clicking each plane and choosing Hide. This is the most common professional method for cleaning the graphics area while modeling. Limitation: hidden planes still exist and can be shown again anytime.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: If you hide default planes too early, it can become harder to edit sketches, redefine features, or diagnose mates in assemblies. A common failure is confusing hidden planes with deleted references when a feature later asks for a missing sketch or plane selection.

How-to

  • Command: Hide/Show Items

  • Shortcut: No default keyboard shortcut

  • Quick Steps:

    1. In the Heads-Up View toolbar at the top of the graphics area, click Hide/Show Items (glasses icon).
    2. Toggle Planes off to hide all visible reference planes in the part or assembly.
    3. If needed, use the FeatureManager design tree, right-click Front Plane, Top Plane, or Right Plane, then click Hide for individual control.

Variables & Settings

  • Key Setting: Hide/Show Items > Planes toggle

  • Expert Setting: This toggle controls the display of reference planes in the current document view. If Planes are globally hidden with this toggle, individually shown planes may still not appear until the main display setting is turned back on.

Why it Fails

  • Cause 1 (Geometry): A sketch or feature may depend on a default plane, so once hidden, users may think the reference is gone and struggle to select the correct sketch plane.

  • Cause 2 (layers/Locks): In assemblies, display states or component visibility settings can make it seem like plane visibility is inconsistent between components or configurations.

  • Cause 3 (Command/Logic): Users often hide a single plane from the FeatureManager, but the global Planes display toggle may still be on, causing other planes to remain visible.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

  • Quick Fix: Click Hide/Show Items and turn Planes off first; then use right-click Show on a specific plane only when you need it.

  • Manager’s Verdict: Hide planes to reduce screen clutter during routine modeling, but avoid keeping them hidden when building sketches, reference geometry, or mates that rely on default datums.

FAQ

Can I hide only the Front Plane in SolidWorks?

Yes, right-click Front Plane in the FeatureManager and choose Hide.

How do I show hidden planes again?

Use Hide/Show Items and enable Planes, or right-click the plane and choose Show.

Does hiding planes affect features or sketches?

No, hiding only changes display visibility; it does not remove references or break features by itself.

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