---
title: Pie Menu
order: 2
---

The pie menu is the fastest way to model in Chisel. Press `Q` for radial access to primitives, modifiers, profile toggles, and the renderer. `Q` is tool-local — it only opens while the Chisel tool is active, so it never shadows Blender's default `Q` (Quick Favourites) elsewhere. `Alt + Q` works from any tool: it activates (or re-enters) the Chisel tool, after which `Q` opens the pie.

![Pie menu](../assets/pie-menu.webp)

## Wedges

- **NW — Add / Swap Primitive** — grid of primitive types with custom icons (see below)
- **N — Engine actions** — *To Mesh*, *Clean*, *Rebuild*, and the engine toggle (*Chisel Disable* / *Chisel Enable*)
- **W — Shape control** — the active primitive's defining parameter (cap, prism sides, minor radius, depth, etc.)
- **E — Modifier controls** — one row per modifier on the active object (boolean profiles + blend, mirror axes, array, twist, bend, emboss/engrave)
- **S — Add / Swap Modifier** — boolean Difference / Union / Intersect, Slice, Emboss, Engrave, plus Mirror, Solidify, Array, Twist, Bend (see below)
- **SW — Profile picker** — Rounding / Bevel / Blend / Outer / Inner profiles for the active selection

The exact contents adapt to the current selection — wedges that don't apply collapse to an empty slot.

## Dual buttons — click adds, Shift+click swaps

The primitive grid (NW) and the boolean / emboss / engrave buttons (S) are dual-function:

- **Click** — *add*. A primitive button drops that shape at the 3D cursor; a modifier button wires the operation onto the selection. These run the *Add / Swap Primitive* and *Add / Swap Modifier* operators.
- **Shift + click** — *swap*. Swaps the type on every selected Chisel shape, or rewrites every modifier in the scene that targets the selection to the new operation — in one step.

Swapping a primitive type stays inside its family: mesh shapes and curve shapes never cross. The Slice button and the Mirror / Solidify / Array / Twist / Bend buttons are single-function add buttons.

## Status warnings

The SE wedge shows status warnings while they apply:

- **"Shaders not compiled, first run may take longer"** — appears while shaders are still compiling on first run.
- **"OpenGL backend, Vulkan is much faster"** — appears when Blender is running on OpenGL. Switch to Vulkan in `Edit → Preferences → System → Backend`.

## Profile shortcuts

The profile picker (SW) sets the edge profile on whatever the selection supports — *Rounding* and *Bevel* on the primitive, *Blend* on a boolean target, and *Outer* / *Inner* on an emboss / engrave target. Each profile submenu offers Round / Sharp / Soft / Tight / Chamfer, with the current one highlighted.

## See also

- [Draw Tool](draw-tool.md) — drag-to-place primitive placement
- [Right-Click Menu](rmb-menu.md) — the same add / swap operations from a context menu
- [Keymap](../keymap.md) — full hotkey list
- [Rounding & Blending: Profiles](../rounding-and-blending/profiles.md) — profile descriptions