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Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer

by Alex Quill·Workflow

Images © Alex Quill. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Earns its place in the superhive library for cutting the click count on repetitive object-and-mode switching, with customizable F1–F5 hotkeys and support for a wide span of Blender versions.

What is Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer?

Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer lets you assign any object to a hotkey and press it to instantly select that object. You can also associate an object with one of four modes — Object, Pose, Edit, or Weight Paint — so a single key both selects the object and switches to the chosen mode. This covers switching between animating characters, moving the camera, moving the DOF point, and editing objects, lights, curves, or empties.

The add-on targets scenes that require constant back-and-forth between pose, object, and edit modes for different objects, such as matching animations across lights, objects, and a camera, or two characters interacting. For weight painting, you can assign an armature in Pose mode to one key and a mesh in Weight Paint to another, making it easy to switch between painting weights and posing IK bones — handy for complex rigs like Rigify and Mixamo.

Default hotkeys run from F1 to F5 and can be changed in the settings by looking up 'Select Object'. It is distributed as a Blender add-on under the GPL license.

Who is Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer best for?

Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer is best for blender artists polishing scenes that require frequent switching between pose, object, and edit modes across multiple objects, and riggers fine-tuning weight painting on complex rigs like Rigify and Mixamo.

How much does Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer cost?

Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Assign any object to a hotkey and select it instantly with a keypress
  • Pair an object with one of four modes — Object, Pose, Edit, or Weight Paint
  • Switch between animating characters, moving the camera, moving the DOF point, and editing lights, curves, or empties
  • Weight-painting setup that puts an armature in Pose mode on one key and a mesh in Weight Paint on another, for switching between painting weights and posing IK bones
  • Default hotkeys from F1 to F5, changeable in the settings

Tags

#Blender#hotkeys#workflow#add-on#weight painting#rigging#animation

Frequently asked questions

Which Blender versions does Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer support?

Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer lists compatibility with Blender 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 3.2, 3.1, and 3.0. It is also marked as Blender Extension compatible and is distributed as an add-on. That range spans both current 4.x releases and older 3.x versions, so it should fit into most existing projects. Check the developer's page to confirm the latest supported version before installing.

What hotkeys does Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer use by default?

Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer uses F1 to F5 as its default hotkeys, and each can be reassigned to any key you prefer from the settings by looking up 'Select Object'. In practice you assign an object — and optionally a mode — to a key, then press it to select that object and switch to the chosen mode in one step. This lets you set up separate keys for different objects and jump between them without going through the outliner.

Is Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer free?

Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer is listed as free in this catalog. Licensing and pricing can change over time, so check the developer's page for the current terms before downloading. The add-on is released under the GPL license and is distributed as a zip file, which you install through Blender rather than as a loose Python script. Because it is GPL-licensed, the source remains open for anyone to review or modify.

How do I install Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer?

Optimize You Workflow! - Blender Object Hotkeyer is distributed as a zip file, changed from an earlier Python-script download in version 2. It is a Blender add-on, so you enable it the way you would any add-on delivered as a zip. Once active, look up 'Select Object' in the settings to view or change its hotkeys, which default to F1 through F5. For guidance specific to your Blender version, refer to the documentation on the developer's page.

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