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Panelpilot

by Pino Iulio·Workflow

Images © Pino Iulio. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

PanelPilot stands out in the Superhive library because it does one thing directly: assign a shortcut to a sidebar tab, then reach it in a single keystroke. Set the bindings once and it stays out of your way.

What is Panelpilot?

PanelPilot is a focused Blender extension for the 3D Viewport N-panel sidebar. It binds keyboard shortcuts to specific tabs, whether that is Tool, View, Edit, or your own addon tabs, so pressing the mapped key brings up the matching panel. If the sidebar is hidden at the moment a shortcut fires, it opens on its own.

Rebinding is handled through a click-and-press capture, so there are no key codes to type. Each row has a reset button that turns red once that row has been modified, and every change saves and applies instantly with no Apply button. Out of the box you get five conflict-free shortcuts on the numeric keypad, mapping Alt plus Numpad 1 through 5 to Tool, View, Edit, Animation, and Mesh.

PanelPilot runs on Blender 4.2 and newer, installed as a native Extension, across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Because it only registers keymap items in the 3D View context, it works alongside any other addon. The download includes a zip install for Blender 4.2 and up, full online documentation, and free updates for the 1.x line, and it is distributed under the GPL license.

Who is Panelpilot best for?

Panelpilot is best for power users who spend hours a day in Blender moving between Tool, View, and multiple addon tabs and want to reach them from the keyboard.

How much does Panelpilot cost?

Panelpilot is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Binds keyboard shortcuts to specific N-panel tabs in the 3D Viewport
  • Opens the sidebar automatically if it is hidden when a shortcut fires
  • Rebind any shortcut with a click-and-press capture, no key codes to type
  • Per-row reset button that turns red once a row has been modified
  • Changes save and apply instantly, with no Apply button
  • Ships with five Alt+Numpad defaults for Tool, View, Edit, Animation, and Mesh
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux; registers keymap items only in the 3D View context

Tags

#Blender#keyboard shortcuts#N-panel#sidebar#workflow#productivity#hotkeys

Frequently asked questions

Does PanelPilot work with Blender 4.2?

PanelPilot runs on Blender 4.2 and newer, where it installs as a native Extension rather than a legacy add-on. Once enabled, it registers its keymap items in the 3D View context, so its shortcuts stay scoped to the viewport. You get the plugin as a zip install built for Blender 4.2 and up, along with full online documentation and free updates across the 1.x line. Later Blender releases fall within the 4.2-and-newer range it targets.

What operating systems does PanelPilot support?

PanelPilot supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, so the keyboard-first sidebar workflow is available on the desktop platforms Blender runs on. It installs the same way on each as a native Extension for Blender 4.2 and newer. Because it only registers keymap items in the 3D View context, it works alongside any other addon you have enabled, keeping its bindings scoped to the viewport rather than taking over shortcuts elsewhere in the interface.

What keyboard shortcuts does PanelPilot use by default?

PanelPilot ships with five conflict-free shortcuts on the numeric keypad out of the box: Alt plus Numpad 1 opens Tool, Numpad 2 opens View, Numpad 3 opens Edit, Numpad 4 opens Animation, and Numpad 5 opens Mesh. Every one of these is rebindable through a click-and-press capture, so there is no typing of key codes. A per-row reset button turns red once a row has been changed, and all edits save and apply instantly with no Apply button.

Will PanelPilot conflict with my other Blender addons?

PanelPilot works alongside any other addon because it only registers keymap items in the 3D View context, keeping its bindings scoped to the viewport. The default mappings use Alt plus the numeric keypad and are described as conflict-free out of the box. If a binding ever clashes with your setup, you can rebind any shortcut with the click-and-press capture, and the per-row reset button, which turns red once a row has been modified, lets you revert individual changes.

Is PanelPilot free, and what license does it use?

PanelPilot is listed as free in this catalog, and it is distributed under the GPL license as a Blender add-on Extension. For current licensing terms and any purchase details, check the developer's page. The download includes a zip install for Blender 4.2 and newer, full online documentation, and free updates for the 1.x line. Support, bug reports, and feature requests are handled through Superhive messaging, and there is a demo video available if you want to see more.

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