Creating and Editing Models

Last updated: Oct 9, 2026•4 min read.

SketchUp for Web gives you the same modeling tools you know and love from the desktop version with just a few differences to make it web-friendly.

Note: While SketchUp for Web is available without a subscription, you need a Trimble ID to use it. See Trimble ID for more information about creating or logging in with your Trimble ID. Some features are only available to users with a SketchUp subscription. For a list of features and their availability, see SketchUp for Web's Features.

Creating a New Model

When you launch SketchUp for Web, the Home page appears. To create a new model, click Create new or select a unit of measurement for your model.

Changing the Unit of Measure

You can change the unit of measure used in your model at any time in App Settings.

From the Main Menu (

), select App Settings and find the Default template dropdown in the Regional section of the General tab.

Importing Files and Images

SketchUp for Web allows you to seamlessly import both 2D imagery and 3D geometry directly into your model. Subscribers can import files saved in the following supported formats:

2D formats: .jpg, .png
3D formats: .3ds, .dae, .dem, .dwg, .dxf, .kmz, .stl, .skp

Note: If you don’t have a SketchUp subscription, the supported formats are: .jpg, .png, .skp.

You can import image files into your model as images or materials. If you import a CAD file, it becomes a component.

To import a file:

Select Import () from the Main Menu.
Select My Device or Trimble Connect, depending on the file location.
To import from your device: Drag and drop the file onto the Import File modal, or select the device icon and browse for the file.
To import from Trimble Connect: Locate and select the file you would like to import from your saved projects.
If you are importing an image file, the As Image and As Material options appear on the Import File modal:
- Clicking As Image imports the file as an image into your model.
- Clicking As Material imports the file as a material into your model. After you apply the image to a surface, SketchUp adds it as a material to the surface and as an option in the Material panel.

For more information on how to use imported files in your models, see Using SketchUp Data with Other Modeling Programs or Tools.

SketchUp for Web's Panels

The SketchUp for Web panels appear on the right side of the interface. Each panel provides a specific set of features.

Panel	Article	Description
Comments	Collaborating in SketchUp for Web	When you collaborate on a model, the Comments panel lets you add your own comments or locate and review comments left by others.
Entity Info	Inspecting an Entity	Entity Info shows information about a selected entity, including materials used, the number of components, and any assigned tags.
Outliner	Hierarchies in the Outliner	The Outliner panel presents a model's objects as a hierarchical tree.
Instructor	N/A	The Instructor panel provides helpful hints based on which tool is activated.
3D Warehouse	3D Warehouse	3D Warehouse is a website of searchable, pre-made 3D models that works seamlessly with SketchUp.
Components	Components	Components are the building blocks of your model. The Components panel lists each component and offers a few options to help you manage and manipulate them.
Materials	Materials in SketchUp for Web	Materials help add detail and realism to your models. The Materials panel helps add and manage materials for use in your model.
Styles	Styles in SketchUp for Web	Styles are grouped settings you can apply to your entire model at once. In the Styles panel, add Styles or manage a Style you've already added to your model.
Environments	Environments in SketchUp for Web	Environments add a 360° panoramic background with image-based lighting conditions to your SketchUp models.
Tags	Controlling Visibility with Tags	Tags help you organize objects and control their visibility. Manage or create Tags using the Tags panel.
Shadows	Casting Real World Shadows	Designate how shadows appear or simulate how the sun would cast shadows in a geolocated model.
Scenes	Creating Scenes	Scenes represent different set model views. Manage and create Scenes in the Scenes panel.
Soften/Smooth Edges	Softening, Smoothing, and Hiding Geometry	Change the visibility of edges to help make a model look more realistic using less geometry.
Display	N/A	Manage visibility, including hidden geometry, shadows, and fog.
Model Info	N/A	Find and adjust basic elements of your model in the Model Info panel, including measurement units and fonts.
Solid Inspector	Modeling Complex 3D Shapes with the Solid Tools	The Solid Inspector helps you check your groups and components for errors in geometry and automatically fixes some issues.