4 Steps to Quickly Turn Off Shadows in SOLIDWORKS

Knowing how to turn off shadows in SOLIDWORKS is useful when you want a cleaner screen, smoother movement, or simply less visual clutter while you model. Shadows can make a part or assembly look more realistic, but they also add extra display work. In day-to-day design work, that extra visual effect is usually not worth the distraction.

The key is to know which shadow you are actually seeing. In SOLIDWORKS, the effect in the graphics area is usually Shadows in Shaded Mode. If a shadow appears to sit on the floor of the scene, that is often a scene floor shadow. Those are separate settings, so turning off one does not always remove the other.

This guide shows the fastest way to disable shadows, how to handle the common floor-shadow case, and what to change if you want the setting to stay off in future parts and assemblies.

Before You Change Anything: Identify the Shadow Type

If you are seeing a dark band under the model, a background floor shadow, or a shaded effect that follows the part around the graphics area, do a quick check before changing settings. The fastest fix depends on whether the shadow belongs to the viewport display or the active scene.

• Shadows in Shaded Mode: the standard shadow effect in the graphics area.
• Scene floor shadows: a scene setting that can place a shadow on the floor or ground plane.
• Template or display-state behavior: a saved setup that can re-enable the same look when you open a new file.

That distinction matters because many users believe shadows did not turn off, when in reality they only turned off the shaded-mode setting and left the scene shadow active.

Step 1: Open View Settings from the Heads-Up View Toolbar

Start in the graphics area and look for the Heads-Up View toolbar at the top of the viewport. This is the quickest place to access display controls without leaving the model window.

Click View Settings, which is often shown with a glasses-style icon. From there, you can toggle display effects such as shadows, perspective, and other view options.

If you do not see the toolbar, the graphics area may be too small or a custom interface layout may be hiding it. In that case, maximize the viewport or use the main menu path instead.

Why this is the best starting point: it is the fastest route when you only want to stop shadows during active modeling and do not need to edit the underlying scene yet.

Step 2: Turn Off Shadows in Shaded Mode

In the View Settings menu, clear Shadows in Shaded Mode. The change should happen immediately, without an Apply button.

You can also reach the same setting through the classic menu path:

View > Display > Shadows in Shaded Mode

This is the main setting most people want when they ask how to turn off shadows in SOLIDWORKS. It removes the shaded shadow effect from the model display and usually makes the viewport feel cleaner right away.

After changing it, rotate the model slightly and confirm that the display effect is gone. If a shadow is still visible on a flat ground plane, move to the next step because the scene is likely still contributing its own shadow.

Step 3: Remove Floor Shadows from the Scene

If the model still shows a shadow sitting on a floor or scene plane, the remaining shadow is usually coming from the active scene. This is common in newer templates and presentation-oriented scenes.

To edit it:

1. Open the DisplayManager tab next to the FeatureManager design tree.
2. Expand Scene, Lights, and Cameras.
3. Right-click Scene and choose Edit Scene.
4. Find the Floor settings and turn off Floor shadows.

The exact wording can vary a little by SOLIDWORKS version, but the goal is the same: remove the floor shadow effect from the scene itself. This is the setting that usually solves the “I turned off shadows, but I still see one” problem.

Practical note: if you use a company template that already includes a scene, that template may be restoring the floor shadow every time you create a new document. In that case, fix the template after you edit the scene so you are not repeating the same change on every file.

Step 4: Make the Change Stick in Your Workflow

Once shadows are off, it is worth deciding whether you want that setup only for the current file or as your default for future work. If you only change the current model, the same setting can return when you open a different document or start a new one.

Use these checks if the shadow keeps coming back:

• Templates: update part and assembly templates so they start with the scene and display behavior you actually want.
• Display states: verify the same shadow behavior in each display state you commonly use.
• Large assemblies: if performance is the main concern, use settings that reduce expensive display effects in large models.
• Saved scenes: make sure the scene you reuse does not reintroduce floor shadows.

This is the difference between a temporary cleanup and a reliable workflow. If you regularly work on large assemblies, turning off shadows can also make orbiting, zooming, and panning feel more responsive.

Why Turning Off Shadows Helps

Shadows are mainly a visual effect, but they still have a cost. In larger models, or on systems with limited graphics performance, reducing display effects can improve day-to-day usability. The improvement is often most noticeable when you are:

• working in heavy assemblies
• using integrated graphics or a laptop GPU
• screen sharing or recording while modeling
• switching between multiple open documents

That is why many users leave shadows off while actively designing and only enable them again when they need a presentation look.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

The shadow option is missing or grayed out

This often happens when a large assembly workflow or other display-restrictive mode is active. If the toggle is unavailable, check whether a large-assembly setting is limiting view effects.

The shadow disappeared, but the floor still looks dark

That is usually a scene floor shadow, not the shaded-mode display setting. Go back to the scene editor and turn off the floor shadow there.

The shadow comes back in a new file

That usually means the template is still carrying the setting. Update the template, then test a new part or assembly to make sure the default behavior is correct.

The view still looks too heavy after shadows are off

Shadows are only one part of the display load. If the model still feels slow, look at other visual effects and assembly settings that may also be affecting performance.

Quick Comparison

Problem you see	Best fix	Where to check
Shaded shadow in the graphics area	Turn off Shadows in Shaded Mode	Heads-Up View toolbar or View menu
Dark shadow on a floor or ground plane	Edit the active scene	DisplayManager > Scene, Lights, and Cameras
Shadow returns in new documents	Update the template	Part and assembly templates
Graphics feel heavy in large models	Reduce display effects	Large assembly settings and display options

Alternative Way to Turn Shadows Off

If you prefer the menu bar to the Heads-Up toolbar, use View > Display > Shadows in Shaded Mode. The result is the same. The difference is only the route you take to reach the setting.

For most users, the toolbar is faster. For users who are already working in the menu system, the menu path can be easier to remember.

Final Thoughts

The fastest way to turn off shadows in SOLIDWORKS is to disable Shadows in Shaded Mode from View Settings. If the shadow does not disappear completely, the remaining effect is usually a floor shadow in the active scene. Once you know which setting is responsible, the fix is straightforward.

For daily modeling, the best practice is simple: keep shadows off when you want speed and clarity, then re-enable them only when you need presentation-quality graphics. If you want the change to persist, update the template or saved scene instead of correcting each file manually.