> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://armorsmith-designer.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Armorsmith Designer Preferences: Units and Display Settings

> Configure Armorsmith Designer Preferences to set your unit system (mm, cm, or inches), adjust the viewport grid, and tune display options.

Armorsmith Designer's **Preferences** window lets you tailor the application to the way you work — from the unit system your measurements use to how the 3D Viewport's grid and display options behave. Taking a few minutes to configure Preferences before you start a project will save you from confusing mismatches between your real-world measurements and the values you see on screen.

# Preferences

Preferences are divided into three tabs:

* **General** — Language, environment, autosave, and Color Key settings.
* **Measurements** — Units, grid spacing, and snapping settings.
* **Rendering** — Display and rendering quality settings.

***

## General

The **General** tab contains settings that control general application behavior.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/armorsmith-designer/iqU7jzcyoSL-9DyB/images/preferences-general.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=iqU7jzcyoSL-9DyB&q=85&s=e935cee972a29da9e9713636272ae486" alt="General Preferences" width="466" height="523" data-path="images/preferences-general.png" />
</Frame>

### Localization

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Language">
    Selects the language used throughout the Armorsmith Designer interface.

    A restart may be required for all interface elements to update after changing the language.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### General

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Draw Environment">
    Controls whether the 3D environment surrounding the Work Area is displayed.

    Disable this option if you prefer a simple background or want to reduce the amount of environment geometry being rendered.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### AutoSave

Autosave can periodically save backup copies of your work while you are using Armorsmith Designer.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Enable Autosave">
    Enables or disables automatic saving.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Number of Autosaves">
    Sets the number of autosave files Armorsmith Designer will keep.

    Older autosaves are replaced as new autosaves are created once this limit is reached.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Minutes Between Saves">
    Sets how frequently an autosave is created, measured in minutes.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
  Enabling Autosave is recommended when working on larger projects. A shorter autosave interval provides more frequent recovery points, while a longer interval reduces the frequency of saves.
</Tip>

### Color Key Mode

Color Key Mode provides controls for the rotating color key used when viewing your project.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Spin Speed">
    Controls how quickly the Color Key rotates.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Color Key">
    Sets the color used by the Color Key.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Units & Snapping

The **Measurements** tab controls the measurement system, grid, and snapping behavior used throughout Armorsmith Designer.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/armorsmith-designer/iqU7jzcyoSL-9DyB/images/preferences-measurements.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=iqU7jzcyoSL-9DyB&q=85&s=58d38aac3a6a6a072f963f713c7d660a" alt="Measurement Preferences" width="466" height="523" data-path="images/preferences-measurements.png" />
</Frame>

### Current Units

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Current Units">
    Selects the measurement system used to display dimensions throughout Armorsmith Designer.

    Changing the current units changes how measurements are displayed but does not change the physical size of your project.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Grid

The grid provides a visual measurement reference within the Work Area.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Grid Spacing">
    Sets the distance between each line of the grid.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Show Grid">
    Controls whether the measurement grid is displayed in the Work Area.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Snap

Position snapping constrains movement to fixed increments, making it easier to precisely position objects.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Snap Spacing">
    Sets the distance between each position snapping increment.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use Snap">
    Enables or disables position snapping.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
  Snapping is useful when you need to position objects at consistent or precisely measured intervals.
</Tip>

### Rotation Snap

Rotation snapping constrains object rotation to fixed angular increments.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Snap Spacing">
    Sets the angle between each rotation snapping increment.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use Rotation Snap">
    Enables or disables rotation snapping.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Note>
  Position Snap and Rotation Snap are independent. You can enable either option individually or use both at the same time.
</Note>

***

## Rendering

The **Rendering** tab controls the visual quality of the Work Area and the rendering features used to display your avatar and costume.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/armorsmith-designer/iqU7jzcyoSL-9DyB/images/preferences-rendering.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=iqU7jzcyoSL-9DyB&q=85&s=8d74097cac82005fd663e657196904b2" alt="Rendering Preferences" width="466" height="523" data-path="images/preferences-rendering.png" />
</Frame>

### Display Settings

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Line Size">
    Controls the thickness of lines displayed throughout the 3D Work Area.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Render Settings

These options allow you to adjust the balance between visual quality and rendering performance.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Max Smoothness">
    Controls the maximum amount of surface smoothing used when rendering supported objects.

    Higher values can produce smoother-looking surfaces but may require additional rendering resources.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable FXAA">
    Enables **Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing (FXAA)**.

    FXAA reduces the appearance of jagged edges in the rendered scene with a relatively small performance cost.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable Ambient Occlusion">
    Enables ambient occlusion, which adds subtle shading where surfaces meet or are close together.

    This provides additional depth and makes the shape of objects easier to perceive.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable Shadows">
    Enables real-time shadows in the Work Area.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable Lighting">
    Enables lighting calculations when rendering the scene.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable Reflections">
    Enables reflections on supported materials and surfaces.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Global Light Intensity">
    Controls the overall intensity of the lighting in the Work Area.

    Increase this value to make the scene brighter or decrease it for softer lighting.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
  If Armorsmith Designer is running slowly on your computer, disabling **Ambient Occlusion**, **Shadows**, or **Reflections** can help improve rendering performance.
</Tip>

<Note>
  Rendering preferences affect how your project is displayed in Armorsmith Designer. They do not change the dimensions or geometry of your costume pieces.
</Note>