Loop Tools
Introduction
Loop Tools is a free, built-in Blender add-on that adds several specialized mesh editing operations. It covers common tasks like making perfect circles from selections, bridging edge loops, evening out vertex spacing, and smoothing geometry — all accessible from Edit Mode's right-click menu.
Key Features
Topology Structuring
Create clean, perfect circular shapes (Circle) and connect distant edge boundaries with generated mesh (Bridge).
Geometric Correction
Provides precise controls for leveling geometry onto a single plane (Flatten) or ensuring selected vertices are uniformly spaced (Space).
Curvature Control
Allows for calculated interpolation of vertices into smooth lines (Curve) or globally smoothing rough geometry while preserving boundaries (Relax).
Installation
The Loop Tools add-on is included with Blender and needs to be enabled once in the preferences.
Step-by-step installation:
- Navigate to the Edit menu, then Preferences.
- Select the Add-ons tab.
- Search for "Loop tools" and check the box next to Mesh: Loop Tools to enable it.
Usage
Loop Tools are accessible in Edit Mode via the right-click context menu.
Accessing the Tools:
- Select the mesh and press Tab to enter Edit Mode.
- Select the desired vertices, edges, or faces that you wish to modify.
- Right-click anywhere in the 3D viewport to bring up the context menu, then navigate to the LoopTools submenu.
- (Alternatively, the tools are also available in the Sidebar (N-Panel) under the Edit tab.)
Loop Tools Operations Overview
| Tool | Function | Key Controls & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bridge | Fills gaps between two selected edges or loops, automatically generating mesh geometry to connect them. | Adjust Strength to control curvature (0 for flat bridge). Use Twist to adjust the connection pattern. Check Reverse if connections are misaligned. |
| 2. Circle | Deforms selected geometry (vertices/edges/faces) into a perfect circular shape. | Essential for cutting circular holes. Adjust Radius, Angle, and Influence for fine control. Flatten option determines if the circle is planar or follows surface curvature. |
| 3. Curve | Interpolates a curve along selected vertices, moving them into a uniform line or smooth curve between endpoints. | Adjusts vertices relative to endpoints or an intermediate point to create predictable curvature. Boundaries limits the effect to the selected vertices only. |
| 4. Flatten | Moves selected vertices onto a single plane. | Best Fit is the calculated average. Normal averages vertex normals for a flatter plane. View flattens the geometry relative to your current camera view (e.g., for top-down flattening). |
| 5. G Stretch | Matches selected vertices to a drawn Annotation (Grease Pencil) stroke. | Requires enabling Annotation mode before use. Useful for quickly aligning geometry along a defined path. |
| 6. Loft | Bridges multiple sequential loops or profiles. | Generates a continuous mesh surface connecting multiple selected profiles. Options for Linear (smoother) or Cubic (maintaining original positions) interpolation are available. |
| 7. Relax | Smooths the geometry by averaging the positions of selected vertices. | Reduces sharp edges and evens out curves. Use Iterations to control the degree of smoothing. Can be applied only to the Selection or across all parallel vertices. |
| 8. Space | Evenly distributes selected vertices along their current path. | Corrects irregular spacing in edge loops. Can be controlled by Influence and directionally locked (e.g., locking an axis so it is not affected). |
Summary
Loop Tools speeds up common mesh editing tasks in Blender. Tools like Circle, Bridge, and Space let you clean up topology and make geometric adjustments that would be tedious with default tools alone.