Software basics · Beginner

Outliner

The panel that lists every object in a scene as a searchable tree

Also called Scene explorer, Scene hierarchy

What is the outliner in 3D software?

The outliner is a panel that lists everything in a 3D scene as a tree: objects, cameras, lights, collections and what is linked to what. You use it to find, select, rename, hide and group objects that are hard to click in the viewport. Blender and Maya call it the outliner; 3ds Max calls it the scene explorer.

Think of it like this

It is like the folder view on your computer: objects are the files, collections are the folders, and nesting shows what belongs inside what.

Where it fits in a 3D project

  1. Create
  2. Surface
  3. Rig
  4. Animate
  5. Render
  6. Export

Create: Building the shape: modeling, sculpting, scanning or generating it.

How the outliner works

  1. 01Every object in the scene appears as a row, with an icon for its type.
  2. 02Parented objects nest under their parent, like files in a folder.
  3. 03Collections group objects so you can hide or select them together.
  4. 04Clicking a row selects that object in the viewport too.

Where the outliner is used

  • Finding and selecting objects in a crowded scene
  • Organizing a project into collections
  • Hiding parts of a scene while you work
  • Checking parenting and hierarchy before export

Beginner tip

Rename objects as you make them. “Cube.047” tells you nothing a week later, while “Table_leg_front” is easy to find. In Blender, double-click a name in the outliner, or press F2 in the viewport.

Terms related to the outliner

Outliner FAQ

What is the outliner in Blender?
The panel at the top right of the default layout, listing every object in the scene inside collections. You use it to select, rename and hide objects, parent them by drag and drop, and keep them out of the viewport or the render.
How do I hide objects in the outliner?
Click the eye icon next to an object or collection to hide it in the viewport. To keep it out of renders too, use the camera icon, which you can add from the outliner’s filter menu if it is not showing.
What are collections in the outliner?
Folders for objects. Put related objects in one collection to hide, select or reuse them together. An object can belong to more than one collection.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Browse all 3D terms