Preferences are here for SketchUp for Schools!

Hello SketchUp for Schools Community!

Today’s product update is bringing to you what we call persistent web preferences. This means that now you and your students will be able to choose your product settings and have them ready to go the next time you log in for a modelling session, no matter which device you use. To help you get the most out of this functionality we’ve added a variety of new options for you to personalize.

Make your App Settings work for you

The first thing you might notice is our App Settings menu, which is very similar to the menu included in our paid product SketchUp Shop.

Available through the main menu at the top of the modelling window, App Settings include language, accessibility, and navigation tools. One of the major highlights is the ability to control your Autosave preferences. Now you and your students can decrease the amount of time between auto saves, preventing lost work and modelling time.

Modeling controls that fit your trackpad

We know that many of your classes use a variety of technology, and that your students could be using a Chromebook one day and a desktop lab computer the next. Distance learning taught us that adaptability is becoming even more important when it comes to education. Our new navigation settings are designed to help. With new and improved trackpad controls, you can select the type of input device (trackpad or mouse) that you’re currently using, as well as customize your preferred gestures. Because we know that no two devices are the same, we’ve also included sensitivity controls for zoom, orbit and pan to help cater to the tech available in your classroom.

Customize your shortcuts

Finally, our last big update comes in the form of custom shortcuts. You may have noticed that when using our Omnibar search function many tools include a note detailing their keyboard shortcut. With this launch you can now not only change those preexisting shortcuts, but assign your own to tools that previously may not have had one. Make selecting your favourite tools like Freehand or Sample Material even more efficient with a shortcut that works for you.

It’s as easy as searching for a tool, hovering over and clicking the box to the right and then keying in your preferred shortcut.

SketchUp for Schools is designed with you, our educators and students, in mind. As you try out the new settings and customize your classroom workflows we would love to hear your feedback. Does modelling with a trackpad feel smoother? Are there other settings you’d like to see added? Please let us know here in the forum, and thank you for your continued support!