Using Tags and Scenes in SketchUp: A Guide to Organizing and Presenting Models

SketchUp’s official help documentation explains how Tags and Scenes can be used to organize architectural models and present them in different views. The documentation was updated on 21 October 2026; no specific software version is listed. This guide walks through managing model element visibility with Tags and saving those views with Scenes.

1. Organize model elements with Tags

In SketchUp, Tags are the updated equivalent of what earlier versions called Layers. They help organize model objects and manage their visibility. Newly created geometry is not assigned to a Tag by default. Although faces and edges can be tagged individually, the official documentation recommends using Tags with groups and components.

1. Organize geometry that you want to manage together into groups or components. Where possible, apply Tags to these container objects instead of assigning them individually to faces or edges.

2. Open the Tags panel. It’s available in the default tray; if you can’t see it, access it via Window > Default Tray.

3. Click Add Tag in the panel to create and name a new Tag. In architectural projects, for example, names that distinguish different groups of model elements can make long lists easier to scan; choose a naming convention to suit the project.

4. Select the Tag, activate the Tag tool, and click an object in the model window. The object briefly appearing purple indicates that the Tag has been assigned.

Some modifier keys provide additional functions with the Tag tool. On Windows, hold Alt; on macOS, hold Command to sample a Tag from an object in the model and select it in the panel. Shift replaces the Tag on objects that share a Tag with the clicked object with the currently selected Tag. On Windows, Ctrl; on macOS, Option assigns the selected Tag to all instances of a component. These operations can help manage Tag assignments across multiple instances of repeated components.

2. Manage visibility and tidy up the Tag list

The eye icon in the Tags panel indicates whether objects assigned to a Tag are visible. An open eye means visible; a closed eye means hidden. Click the icon to toggle visibility. You can select multiple Tags or Tag folders using Ctrl or Command and change their visibility together.

1. Click the eye icon next to the Tag whose visibility you want to change. This lets you hide or show all objects assigned to that Tag, rather than selecting them one by one.

2. When you have a large number of Tags, create a folder with Add Tag Folder. Drag one or more Tags into it to organize the list; folders also let you manage their Tags together.

3. To find a specific Tag, use the Filter field in the panel. Click the name heading to sort Tags and folders alphabetically, or select the visibility column to sort by visibility status.

4. To remove unused Tags from the model, consider using Purge Unused in the Details Menu. This option deletes Tags that aren’t assigned to any objects.

Hiding large parts of a model with Tags can make geometry easier to find and may make SketchUp run somewhat faster. This does not guarantee a specific performance improvement in every file; the documented benefits are managing visibility in bulk and making it easier to work on the model. The Color by Tag option displays objects in the color assigned to their Tag, if one has been set. Think of colors as an aid for distinguishing Tags, not as a replacement for visibility controls.

3. Save views and presentation states with Scenes

Scenes store different views and properties of a model. Saved Scenes appear as tabs at the top of the model window; you can switch between them or create a presentation sequence. Before creating a Scene, set up the camera view, desired styles, fog, shadows, and section cuts. If needed, hide geometry or change Tag visibility; a Scene can save these properties.

1. Prepare the view you want to present. Set the camera position and choose which model elements to show; adjust any desired style, fog, shadow, or section settings at this stage.

2. Open the Scenes panel and click Add Scenes. The new Scene appears in the panel.

3. Use Show Details to rename the Scene, add a description, and check which properties will be saved.

4. To update a Scene to match the current view, right-click it and select Update Scene. The panel controls also include an Update Scene button.

5. To change the order of Scenes, use Move Scene Up or Move Scene Down in the panel. To change the order of the tabs in the model window, right-click a Scene and choose Move Left or Move Right.

In the Scene details, Camera Location saves camera properties such as the view position, zoom distance, and field of view. Visible Tags saves the model’s Tag visibility settings with the Scene. Active Section Planes saves the active section planes in models that contain multiple section planes. Style and Fog, Shadow Settings, and Environment Settings include the corresponding view properties in the Scene. Which options to use depends on the needs of the view you want to present.

4. Use in architectural and visualization workflows

In architectural modeling, interior design, and archviz projects, Tags can be used to show and hide different parts of a model in an organized way. For example, if a presentation needs to show only certain model groups, changing the visibility of their assigned Tags is more direct than selecting objects one at a time. Folders make the panel easier to manage as the number of Tags grows.

Scenes make prepared views reusable. You can show stakeholders a model view, switch between different section or camera setups, or use a Scene sequence in a presentation animation. To include a Scene in an animation, use the Include in Animation option in its details. Checking that each Scene has the correct Tag visibility and desired camera properties saved can help prevent unexpected changes during a presentation.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting that new geometry is untagged by default before assigning geometry to Tags.

• Assigning Tags indiscriminately to faces and edges instead of managing them with groups and components; the official documentation notes that Tags work better with groups and components.

• Failing to check visible Tags or other properties that need to be saved when creating a Scene. Confirm that Visible Tags and any other required properties are saved in the Scene details.

• Forgetting to update a Scene with Update Scene after editing it. Update the Scene to save changes and check the presentation order.