What "deleting a section" means in 360

When you delete a section of a model in 360, you are removing a portion of a 3D design or structure that you no longer need. In Autodesk Fusion 360 — the most common program people mean when they say "360" — a section is a slice or cut through your model that shows what is inside. Deleting it means you erase that slice view, not the actual model itself.

The confusion happens because "section" can mean two different things. A section view is a 2D drawing that shows a cross-section of your model — like cutting a loaf of bread and looking at the inside. A section feature is a tool that creates that view. When you delete a section, you are removing the view or the feature, leaving your original 3D model untouched.

This matters because people often think deleting a section will damage their design. It will not. You are only removing the visualization tool, not the geometry itself.

Key Takeaways

  • A section in Fusion 360 is a 2D view that shows a slice through your 3D model, not part of the model itself.
  • Deleting a section removes only that view or feature, leaving your original design completely intact.
  • You delete a section by right-clicking it in the browser panel on the left side of the screen and selecting Delete.
  • If you delete a section by mistake, you can undo the action when ready using Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac.
  • Section views are stored in the browser as separate items, so they do not affect your model's geometry or history.

Finding the section in your browser panel

Sections live in the browser panel on the left side of your Fusion 360 workspace. This panel shows the tree of everything in your design — your sketches, bodies, features, and views. Sections appear under a folder labeled "Sections" or sometimes directly under the document name, depending on your version.

If you do not see a Sections folder, it means you have not created any section views yet. Sections only appear in the browser once you have made at least one. Look for a folder icon with a line through it, or scroll down in the browser to find where your sections are listed.

Each section has a name like "Section1" or "Section2" by default. You can rename them to something more meaningful — like "Cross Section A" or "Interior View" — by right-clicking the section name and choosing Rename. This makes it easier to find the one you want to delete later.

The steps to delete a section

Open your model in Fusion 360 and look at the browser panel on the left. Find the section you want to remove — it will be listed under Sections or near the top of your design tree. Click once on the section name to select it.

Right-click on the selected section. A menu will appear with several options. Look for the word "Delete" in that menu and click it. The section will disappear from the browser when ready, and the section view will no longer appear in your workspace.

That is the entire process. You do not need to confirm the deletion or close any dialog boxes. The section is gone as soon as you click Delete.

What happens to your model after you delete a section

Your 3D model remains exactly as it was. Deleting a section view does not change any geometry, remove any features, or alter your design history. The model itself is unaffected because a section is only a visualization tool — it shows you information about the model without being part of the model.

If you had created drawings or documentation based on that section view, those drawings will no longer update automatically. If the section was linked to a 2D drawing file, that drawing may show an error or a broken reference. You can fix this by updating the drawing to use a different section view or by recreating the section with the same name.

Your model's timeline and feature history remain unchanged. You can undo the deletion by pressing Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac when ready after deleting, and the section will reappear.

Recovering a deleted section

If you delete a section by mistake, undo the action right away. Press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, and the section will come back. This works as long as you have not closed the file or performed other actions since the deletion.

If you have already closed the file or performed many other steps, you can still recover the section by using Fusion 360's version history. Click File, then Version History, and you will see a list of saved versions of your design. You can open an earlier version and copy the section from there, or you can straightforward recreate the section manually — it usually takes only a few seconds.

To recreate a section, go to the Construct menu, select Section, and set up the same cutting plane you had before. If you remember where the section was positioned, this is faster than hunting through version history.

Why you might want to delete a section

Sections are useful for checking internal geometry and creating cross-section drawings, but they clutter your browser once you no longer need them. Deleting unused sections keeps your design file organized and makes it easier to find the features and views that matter.

If you created a section to troubleshoot a problem in your model and have since fixed it, deleting the section cleans up your workspace. If you created multiple test sections while learning how the tool works, removing them makes your file look professional and reduces confusion for anyone else who opens it.

Sections also take up a small amount of file space and can slow down very large, complex models. Removing sections you no longer need can make your file slightly faster to work with, though the difference is usually small unless you have dozens of sections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting a section erase part of my 3D model?

No. A section is only a view or visualization tool. Deleting it removes the view, not any part of your actual design. Your model geometry stays exactly the same.

Can I delete a section if it is used in a drawing?

Yes, but the drawing will no longer be able to reference that section. If the drawing depends on the section view, you will see an error. You can fix this by updating the drawing to use a different section or by recreating the section with the same name and position.

What if I delete a section and then save the file?

Once you save, the deletion is permanent in that saved version. You can still undo before saving by pressing Ctrl+Z, or you can open an earlier version from your version history. Fusion 360 stores multiple versions automatically, so you have options even after saving.

How do I know which section to delete if I have many?

Rename your sections to something descriptive before you create too many. Right-click a section in the browser, select Rename, and give it a name like "Top View" or "Engine Cross Section". This makes it obvious which one you want to delete later.

Does deleting a section affect my design timeline?

No. Sections are stored separately from your model's feature history. Deleting a section does not change your timeline, and you can still step through your design history normally.