Delete a section of your model by selecting the face or feature and removing it

In Autodesk Fusion 360, you can remove part of a model in two main ways: delete a single face (a flat or curved surface), or delete an entire feature (like a hole, pocket, or extrusion you added). The method you use depends on what part of the model you want to remove and whether you want to keep the rest of the geometry intact.

The fastest route is usually to delete the feature that created the section you don't want. This removes the feature and everything it added to the model, and you can undo it instantly if you change your mind. Deleting a single face is less common but works when you need to remove just one surface without affecting the features around it.

Key Takeaways

  • Delete a feature by right-clicking it in the design tree on the left side of the screen and selecting Delete, which removes the entire feature and all geometry it created.
  • Delete a single face by selecting it directly on the model, then pressing Delete or using the Delete Face command from the menu.
  • Deleting a feature recalculates the model automatically, so any features that depend on the deleted feature may also be removed or need repair.
  • You can undo any deletion by pressing Ctrl+Z immediately after, even if you have made other changes since.
  • If deletion breaks your model, check the design tree for features marked with a warning icon and repair or delete them.

Delete a feature from the design tree

The design tree is the panel on the left side of Fusion 360 that shows every feature you have added to your model — extrusions, pockets, holes, fillets, and so on. Deleting a feature from this tree removes the entire feature and all the geometry it created.

Open your model in Fusion 360 and look at the design tree on the left. Find the feature you want to remove — for example, if you added a hole and now want to remove it, look for the Hole feature. Right-click on the feature name and select Delete from the menu that appears. Fusion 360 removes the feature immediately and recalculates the model.

If you delete a feature that other features depend on, Fusion 360 may remove those features too or mark them with a warning icon. For example, if you delete a pocket and then added a fillet to that pocket, the fillet will break because the pocket no longer exists. You can fix this by deleting the broken feature or editing it to reference a different part of the model.

Delete a single face from your model

Deleting a single face removes one surface from your model without removing the feature that created it. This is less common than deleting a feature, but it works when you need to remove just one flat or curved surface.

Click on the face you want to delete directly on the 3D model. The face will highlight in blue or green to show it is selected. Press the Delete key on your keyboard, or go to the top menu, select Modify, and then select Delete Face. Fusion 360 removes the face and recalculates the model around it.

Deleting a face can sometimes break your model if the face is critical to the geometry. If this happens, you will see a warning icon in the design tree. Undo the deletion by pressing Ctrl+Z and try a different approach, such as deleting the feature instead.

What happens when you delete a feature

When you delete a feature, Fusion 360 removes not only that feature but also any geometry it added to the model. If you deleted a hole, the hole disappears. If you deleted an extrusion, the entire extruded shape is gone. The model recalculates instantly to show the result.

Any features that were added after the deleted feature may also be affected. For example, if you created a fillet on an edge, then deleted the extrusion that created that edge, the fillet will break because the edge no longer exists. Fusion 360 marks broken features with a warning icon in the design tree. You can delete the broken feature or edit it to work with the new geometry.

If you delete a feature by mistake, press Ctrl+Z immediately to undo. You can undo multiple steps in a row if needed. Fusion 360 keeps a full history of your changes, so you can go back as far as you want.

Repair a model after deleting a feature

If deleting a feature breaks other features in your model, you will see warning icons next to the broken features in the design tree. These features are still there but no longer work correctly because they reference geometry that no longer exists.

Right-click on a broken feature and select Edit. The feature editor will open and show you what is wrong. You can either fix the feature by changing what it references, or delete it entirely. If you delete the broken feature, click the X button or press Escape to close the editor, then right-click the feature again and select Delete.

If multiple features are broken and you want to start fresh, you can undo the original deletion by pressing Ctrl+Z. This restores the deleted feature and fixes all the broken features at once. Then you can plan a different approach to removing the section you don't want.

Delete multiple features at once

If you need to remove several features, you can select them all at once and delete them together. Hold down the Ctrl key (or Cmd on Mac) and click on each feature you want to delete in the design tree. All selected features will highlight. Right-click on one of the selected features and select Delete.

Fusion 360 removes all selected features in the order they were created. This can be faster than deleting them one at a time, but be careful — if the features depend on each other, deleting them all at once may break the model in unexpected ways. If this happens, undo by pressing Ctrl+Z and delete them one at a time instead, starting with the most recent feature.

Undo and redo your deletions

Fusion 360 keeps a complete history of every change you make to your model. If you delete something and change your mind, press Ctrl+Z to undo the deletion. The deleted feature or face will come back, and the model will recalculate to show it again.

You can undo multiple steps in a row by pressing Ctrl+Z repeatedly. If you undo too far, press Ctrl+Y to redo and move forward through your changes again. You can also click on any point in the history panel (if your workspace shows it) to jump to that exact state of the model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete just part of a feature, like half of a hole?

No, you must delete the entire feature. If you want to modify a feature instead of removing it completely, right-click it in the design tree and select Edit. You can then change its size, depth, or other properties without deleting it.

What if I delete a feature and the model disappears?

This means the deleted feature was the base of your model — the first extrusion or shape you created. Press Ctrl+Z immediately to undo. You cannot delete the base feature without deleting the entire model. If you want to change the base shape, edit it instead of deleting it.

Does deleting a feature in Fusion 360 affect the original file?

No, not until you save the file. As long as you have not saved, you can undo any deletion by pressing Ctrl+Z. Once you save the file, the changes become permanent. Save your file only when you are sure you want to keep the changes.

Can I delete a face from a feature without deleting the whole feature?

Yes, you can delete a single face by clicking it on the model and pressing Delete. However, this can break the model if the face is essential to the geometry. If the model breaks, undo the deletion and try deleting the entire feature instead.

What does the warning icon in the design tree mean?

A warning icon means that feature is broken and no longer works correctly. This usually happens when you delete a feature that another feature depends on. You can fix it by editing the broken feature to reference different geometry, or by deleting the broken feature entirely.