---
title: Preferences
order: 10
---

Chisel's addon preferences live in `Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → Chisel`. The panel is split into three tabs — *Info*, *Theme*, and *Debug* — covering library status, gizmo appearance, and developer tools.

## Where settings live

Chisel settings are spread across a few places. Knowing which is which saves time hunting for them.

- **Addon preferences** *(this page)* — `Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → Chisel`. Library status, GPU backend, theme colors, debug tools.
- **Scene render settings** — *Render Properties* panel. Engine quality, matcap, proxy, baking. See [Render Engine](render-engine/index.md).
- **Per-object settings** — *Object Properties → Chisel*. Primitive parameters, modifier list, bake direction. See [Interface: Panels](interface/panels.md).

## Info

The *Info* tab is informational. It surfaces the things most likely to bite a fresh install.

### Native library

The *armesher* native library powers SDF evaluation, mesh conversion, and proxy baking. When it loads cleanly the tab shows `armesher 3.0.0` with a checkmark. If an update is pending or a version mismatch is detected, click **Update Native Libraries** and restart Blender.

### GPU Backend

A live label reads the active backend straight from Blender — `Vulkan`, `OpenGL`, or `Metal`. If it shows OpenGL on Windows or Linux, switch to Vulkan via `Edit → Preferences → System → Backend` for a large speedup. On Apple Silicon this reads *Metal*, which is fully supported.

### Schema hash

Chisel checks that the loaded native wheel matches the addon via a build-hash handshake. A match shows `Schema hash: … (matched)`. A mismatch shows a "rebuild wheels" notice instead of failing silently — reinstall the extension or rebuild the wheels, then restart Blender.

### Links

Buttons for the **Documentation** site and the **Discord** community.

## Theme

Modal guides, gizmo dots, and arc rings all read from the theme. Each operation has its own color so you can identify a modifier at a glance.

### Modal + arc colors

- **Rounding** — primitive edge fillets
- **Bevel** — vertical edges on prism / trapezoid
- **Blend** — boolean blend radius
- **Emboss** / **Engrave** — emboss and engrave seam guides

### Modifier dots

- **Boolean Difference** / **Union** / **Intersect**
- **Push / Pull** — emboss / engrave
- **Modifier (Other)** — fallback for other modifier types

### Sizing

- **Dot Radius** — gizmo dot size (default `0.05`, range `0.01–0.5`)
- **Arc Inner Radius** — inner radius of the arc gizmo (default `1.60`, range `0.5–5.0`)
- **Arc Width** — gizmo arc thickness (default `0.03`, range `0.005–0.5`)
- **Arc Gap** — gap between concentric arc rings (default `0.15`, range `0.0–1.0`)

## Debug

Developer and troubleshooting tools. You only need this tab when chasing a problem or filing a bug report.

- **Verbose Logging** — off by default, so the console stays quiet during normal use. Turn it on to print pipeline cache hits, render progress, and GPU init timings to Blender's console. Errors and real warnings always show regardless.
- **Profiler** — *Enable Profiling* turns on per-frame timing. *Summary Interval* and *Rolling Window* (both in frames) control how often the summary prints and how many frames it averages; **Dump Profiler Summary** and **Reset Profiler Stats** drive it. The summary prints to the terminal Blender was launched from.
- **Diagnostics** — **Dump Diagnostics** writes a report (adapter, version, cache state) to a temp file and copies the path to the clipboard. Attach it to bug reports.
- **Renderer** — **Clear Pipeline Cache** forces a cold shader compile next session; **Restart Renderer** drops the live renderer so the next frame rebuilds it (without reloading the native library).

> First viewport use after a fresh install or driver swap will pause briefly while shaders compile. See the [shader compilation note](index.md#first-run-shader-compilation) on the home page for the full picture.

## See also

- [Render Engine](render-engine/index.md) — per-scene render settings
- [Interface: Gizmos](interface/gizmos.md) — where the gizmo theme is visible
- [Keymap](keymap.md) — tool-local and global shortcuts