Clipping planes affect all layers by default, but most programs let you restrict them to one
A clipping plane is a tool that hides everything on one side of an invisible plane, useful for cutting away parts of your model to see inside. By default, it cuts through every layer in your file at once. If you want it to affect only one layer — say, to hide the roof while keeping the walls visible — you need to either apply the clipping plane after isolating that layer, or use your software's layer-specific clipping settings if it has them.
The method depends on which program you are using. Autodesk AutoCAD, Rhino, SketchUp, Revit, and Blender all handle this differently. Some let you set clipping planes per layer directly. Others require you to work around the limitation by hiding layers first, then applying the plane to what remains visible.
Key Takeaways
- Most CAD programs apply clipping planes to all visible layers at once, so you may need to hide other layers before creating the plane.
- AutoCAD and Revit do not have built-in layer-specific clipping; you isolate the layer first, then apply the clipping plane.
- Rhino lets you assign clipping planes to specific layers through the Clipping Plane properties panel.
- Blender applies clipping to the entire viewport by default, but you can use collection visibility or modifiers to limit the effect to one object or group.
AutoCAD: Hide other layers, then apply the clipping plane
AutoCAD does not have a native option to tie a clipping plane to a single layer. Instead, you hide the layers you do not want to see, apply the clipping plane to what remains, then unhide the layers afterward if needed.
Open the Layer panel (type LAYER or press Ctrl+2 on Windows, Cmd+2 on Mac). Click the eye icon next to each layer you want to hide. Once only your target layer is visible, go to View menu, select Clipping Planes, then New Front Clipping Plane or New Back Clipping Plane. Draw the plane by clicking two points. The clipping plane now affects only what is visible — your isolated layer.
If you need to see the other layers again, unhide them in the Layer panel. The clipping plane stays in place and will now cut through those layers too. If that is not what you want, delete the clipping plane, unhide all layers, and try a different approach — such as using a section view instead.
Rhino: Assign the clipping plane to a specific layer
Rhino has direct layer control for clipping planes. Create your clipping plane first by going to View menu, then Clipping Planes, then New Clipping Plane. Draw the plane in the viewport.
With the clipping plane selected, open the Properties panel (type Properties or press F11). Look for the Clipping Plane section. You will see a field labeled Clipping Plane Layer or similar. Click the layer selector and choose the layer you want the plane to affect. Only objects on that layer will be clipped; other layers pass through the plane untouched.
If you do not see this option, make sure the clipping plane object itself is selected, not the geometry it is clipping. You can also right-click the clipping plane in the Layers panel and look for clipping-specific properties there.
SketchUp: Use section planes with layer visibility
SketchUp calls clipping planes section planes. They do not have built-in layer targeting, so you use a workaround: hide the layers you do not want cut, create the section plane, then show the layers again.
In the Layers panel, click the eye icon to hide all layers except your target layer. Go to View menu, select Section Planes, then New Section Plane. Click and drag in the viewport to position it. The section plane now cuts only the visible layer.
Unhide the other layers in the Layers panel if you need them back. The section plane will cut through them as well. If you want the plane to affect only one layer permanently, keep the other layers hidden or use a saved scene that has visibility set the way you want it.
Revit: Isolate the element or use view range settings
Revit does not have clipping planes in the traditional sense. Instead, it uses view range and section boxes to control what appears. A section box cuts through all categories at once, similar to a clipping plane.
To limit what a section box affects, first isolate the category or elements you want to see. Right-click in the viewport and select Isolate Element or go to View tab, Graphics panel, Isolate. Then create your section box by going to View tab, Section Box. The box will cut through only the isolated elements.
Alternatively, use View Range (in the Properties panel) to control the top and bottom elevation of what appears in the view. This is not a clipping plane, but it achieves a similar effect of hiding content above or below a certain height. It applies to all categories, not individual layers.
Blender: Use collection visibility or modifiers
Blender's clipping planes are viewport settings that affect the entire 3D view, not individual objects or layers. To limit clipping to one object or group, use collections (Blender's version of layers) combined with visibility toggles.
First, move the object you want to clip into its own collection. In the Outliner panel on the right, right-click the collection and select Isolate. This hides all other collections. Now enable the clipping plane in the viewport shading settings (look for the camera icon in the top right of the 3D view, then adjust near and far clipping values). The clipping now affects only the visible collection.
If you need more control, use a Boolean modifier on the object instead. Add a modifier, set it to Boolean, choose Intersect or Difference, and use a plane object as the modifier input. This creates a permanent clipped version of the object without affecting other layers.
When clipping planes do not work the way you expect
If you have applied a clipping plane and it is cutting through layers you wanted to keep, check that you did not accidentally hide the layers you need. Unhide everything in the Layers panel and try again, this time hiding only the layers you do not want before creating the plane.
If your software does not support layer-specific clipping, consider using a section view or cross-section instead. These are often easier to control and can be saved as separate views. You can also export just the layer you want to a new file, apply the clipping plane there, and work in isolation.
Another option is to use your software's visibility settings or display modes to hide layers by category or property rather than by name. Some programs let you hide all layers except those matching a pattern, which is faster than clicking each one individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I save a clipping plane with a specific layer assignment?
Yes, in Rhino and most professional CAD programs. Once you assign the clipping plane to a layer, save the file. The assignment persists when you reopen it. In AutoCAD and SketchUp, the clipping plane itself is an object you can save, but it does not remember which layers were hidden when you created it — you have to hide them again manually each time.
What if I want the clipping plane to affect multiple layers but not all of them?
Hide the layers you do not want affected, create the clipping plane, then unhide the layers you do want it to cut through. The plane will affect all visible layers. In Rhino, you can also create multiple clipping planes, each assigned to a different layer, and toggle them on and off as needed.
Does a clipping plane permanently delete geometry?
No. A clipping plane only hides geometry; it does not remove it from the file. Delete the clipping plane and all geometry reappears. If you want to permanently cut a model, use a Boolean operation or a modifier instead, which actually removes the geometry.
Can I animate a clipping plane moving through layers?
Yes, in Blender and some advanced CAD programs. In Blender, keyframe the clipping plane's position in the viewport settings or animate a Boolean modifier. In AutoCAD and Revit, you would need to create multiple views with different clipping planes and play them in sequence, or use a third-party animation plugin.