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Terrain Visibility

Depending on how complex the terrain in a model is, it can impact performance. Because SketchUp doesn’t render hidden geometry, hiding terrain can help improve performance.

Last updated 17 July 2026

Depending on how complex the terrain in a model is, it can impact performance. Because SketchUp doesn’t render hidden geometry, hiding terrain can help improve performance. Hiding terrain can also help when attempting to view a specific part of your model that would otherwise be covered.

Imported or created terrain visibility can be controlled in the Tags panel. Tags are similar to layers in other programs, but with their own unique functionality and options.

terrain-visibility.png

For more information on how to use Tags see Controlling Visibility with Tags .

3D Printing a Model

Before you print a model on a 3D printer, you need to make sure your 3D printer can understand your model data. Here's a quick overview of how to set up your SketchUp model for 3D printing:

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Adding an Environment to a Model

Environments allow you to add 360°panoramic backgrounds and image-based lighting conditions to your SketchUp models. The Environments panel is where you can add and manipulate environments, or import High Dynamic Range Image (HDRI) files or OpenEXR files to create a new environment.

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Adding Attributes

Attributes make components dynamic by telling SketchUp what to do. You can choose from predefined attributes or create custom attributes:

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Adding Premade Components and Dynamic Components

Components in SketchUp turn geometry in a model into reusable entities. For example, most buildings have at least one door and window. Instead of modeling these common objects, you can insert a component that you have already made, or even one made by someone else.Like all geometry in SketchUp, a component is still

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Adding Text, Labels, and Dimensions to a Model

In SketchUp, you can add four types of text:

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Still need help?

Technical support from our New Zealand team is available to customers with a current Procadsys SketchUp Pro Plus or SketchUp Studio Plus subscription. Self-help articles are public.

Contact SketchUp support