MacOS and Older Versions of SketchUp

For years, SketchUp worked the same on both MacOS and Windows, but had very different user interfaces. Switching operating systems, or trying to collaborate with someone on a different operating system, could be challenging. 

SketchUp’s 2027.0 release consolidates the desktop user interfaces, providing a unified user experience in both SketchUp and LayOut.

If you are using an earlier supported version of SketchUp on MacOS and updating to SketchUp 2027 or newer, there are a few features that may appear different or require a different workflow to use:

• Closing the app quits SketchUp instead of minimizing the window to the dock. 

• Colors use a selector native to SketchUp instead of MacOS Colors. 

• SketchUp’s menus in MacOS now provide nearly the same functionality as Windows. This means some options you’re used to finding in the Menus may have moved or no longer appear. Some notable changes to the menus include:

  • SketchUp – The SketchUp menu is still available on MacOS, but Settings is now Preferences.

  • File – The File menu has a different layout and now provides a list of recently opened files. 

  • Window – No longer lists each tray and provides new options for managing trays.
    

    

Toolbars

The new unified interface introduces the dockable toolbars that have been available in Windows to MacOS. 

If you are still using an older version of SketchUp on MacOS, you’ll be limited to a single toolbar at the top and floating tool palettes that can’t be docked in the interface. Toolbar customization options on older versions of SketchUp on MacOS include:

• Hide or show toolbars – You can select Hide Toolbar under the View menu if you want to model without the toolbar visible. You can always bring it back by clicking Show Toolbar.

• Select what tools appear on a toolbar – Select Customize Toolbar from the View menu or that toolbar’s context menu to show all of your tool options.

  

  To add a tool, drag it to the toolbar. Remove tools by dragging them off of the toolbar. Wherever you place a tool is how it will appear after you exit the customization screen. When you’re finished, click Done.

• Add tool palettes –  Tool palettes are groups of tools you can enable and place on your desktop. You can select a tool palette by clicking View > Tool Palettes. 

Dialogs, Panels, and Trays

In older versions of SketchUp on MacOS panels and trays are referred to as dialogs. You can’t dock these dialogs in the interface, but you can freely reposition these standalone dialogs anywhere across your screen, including outside your main workspace. You can control the visibility of each dialog in the Window menu. 

Selecting Hide Dialogs dismisses every active dialog. You can restore them to their previous layout by choosing Show Dialogs.

To streamline your workspace while working on a model, consider these organization strategies:

• Stacking dialogs – Aligning dialogs vertically causes their top and bottom borders to snap together into a single group.

• Shrinking dialogs – Select a dialog’s title bar to collapse it and free up screen space. Re-selecting it expands the panel to its full dimensions.

• Snap to the edge – Moving a connected stack toward the side of your workspace seamlessly locks it into place against the border.

• Rearrange a stack – Dragging a title bar within a stack to the side to detach that dialog from the stack. You can then realign it as needed.