---
title: Outline
order: 2
---

A closed outline of points on the shape's local XY plane, extruded by **Depth**. Like an [Ngon](../shapes/ngon.md), but its sides can curve: Smooth and Free points make round spans, Corner points sharp or rounded corners.

![an Outline with a round corner, a chamfered corner and a curved span](../../assets/outline.webp)

## Settings

| Setting | Default | Range | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Depth** | `1` | > 0 (soft 100) | How far the outline is extruded, from its plane along local +Z: the origin sits on the bottom face |
| **Points** | | 3 points or more | The point list and the active point's rows, see [Points](points.md#the-points-panel). An Outline's rows show each point's **X** and **Y** |
| **Profile** | *Round* | *Round* · *Sharp* · *Soft* · *Tight* · *Chamfer* | The shape of the rims' rounding |
| **Rounding** | `0` | ≥ 0 (soft 2) | Rounds the top and bottom rims. `B` drags it |
| **Smooth** *(Chamfer)* | `0` | ≥ 0 (soft 0.5) | Rounds the seams where the rims' chamfer meets the faces |

The rows every shape has are in [Properties Panels](../../interface/panels.md#rows-every-shape-has).

The outline is always a loop. Its points stay on their plane: when you move one, `X` and `Y` lock the move to the local axis. A new Outline is an arch of five points: two Corners along the bottom and three Smooth points over the top.

## Depth dot

In [Edit mode](../../interface/edit-mode.md) a blue dot above the middle of the top face sets **Depth**: drag it along the extrusion. `Ctrl` snaps to `0.1` (`Ctrl + Shift`: `0.01`), `Shift` is precision.

![the Depth dot dragged up, with Ctrl held](../../assets/outline-depth.webp)

The point dots are drawn on the face of the Outline that faces you. The dots, rounding handles, point handles and add dots are on [Points](points.md#the-handles-in-the-viewport).

## Redo panel

After adding, the redo panel (`F9`) has **Depth** (default `1`) and **Align** (*World*, *View*, *3D Cursor*).

## Limits and known issues

An Outline holds about 340 Smooth or Corner points. Past that, adding a point reports *"No room for another point"*.

> [!warning]
> Seen from above, the top edges of an Outline's far sides can look wavy in the viewport, as on an [Ngon](../shapes/ngon.md#limits-and-known-issues).

Where a Corner point with a chamfer meets the rim rounding, a tiny dark speck can show.

## See also

- [Points](points.md)
- [Ngon](../shapes/ngon.md): straight sides
- [From Curve](from-curve.md): a closed, flat Blender curve becomes an Outline
- [Text](../text.md)