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title Explorer window
description The Explorer window shows a hierarchical list of every instance inside an experience.

The Explorer window, accessible from Studio's Window menu or Home tab toolbar, shows a hierarchical list of every instance inside an experience. At the highest level of the hierarchy are the services; Class.Workspace, for example, is where visible 3D content such as parts are stored.

Explorer highlighted in Studio's toolbar.

Parent-child hierarchy

All children of a parent object appear under its branch when expanded. Click the arrow next to a parent branch — or press the →/← arrow keys when a parent is selected — to expand/collapse only that branch.

Explorer hierarchy showing Camera, Terrain, and SignModel as children of Workspace; Board and Post as children of SignModel

Only the topmost parent expanded with click

To expand or collapse **all** branches within a multi‑nested hierarchy, hold Shift when clicking the expand/collapse arrow.

To change the parent of one or more children (reparent), simply drag and drop them onto the new parent.

Dragging one object over another to reparent it

Object insertion

While primitive parts can be inserted from the Home or Model tab toolbars, you can select from a full array of objects by hovering over the intended parent and clicking the ⊕ button (shortcut of CtrlI on Windows or ⌘I on Mac).

Hovering over Workspace object to reveal insertion button

You can further customize insertion behavior by clicking the ⋯ button to the right of the search field:

Additional customization options for insertion workflow

Option Description
**Increment names for new instances** When enabled, inserted/pasted/duplicated instances of the same type will have numbered names for differentiation.
**Expand hierarchy when selecting** When enabled, inserting/pasting an instance or selecting an object in the [3D viewport](../studio/ui-overview.md#3d-viewport) will expand the **Explorer** hierarchy to reveal that instance. When disabled, the top‑level parent within the hierarchy will be highlighted, but it won't expand to reveal the selected instance.
To keep the hierarchy cleaner, services such as `Class.VoiceChatService` are hidden by default. You can show hidden services by right‑clicking in the window and selecting **Show Services…** from the context menu. Similarly, you can hide a visible service by right‑clicking it and selecting **Hide Service in Explorer**.

Duplicate and paste

Objects can be quickly duplicated into the same branch, while items copied to the clipboard can be pasted into the top‑level Class.Workspace or directly into one or more existing parents.

Action Windows Mac Description
**Duplicate** CtrlD ⌘D Duplicates the selected objects into the same branch.
**Paste** CtrlV ⌘V Pastes the clipboard contents into the top‑level `Class.Workspace` branch.
**Paste Into** CtrlShiftV ⌘ShiftV Pastes the clipboard contents into the selected object(s). Using this action on multiple selected objects is a convenient way to paste the same clipboard items into multiple parents, such as a common `Class.Texture` into several different `Class.Part|Parts`.
When pasting 3D objects copied to the clipboard, you can maintain their original `Datatype.CFrame` position by right‑clicking the target parent instance in the hierarchy and selecting **Paste Options** ⟩ **Paste Into At Original Location**.

Contextual options

Right-clicking on an instance opens the options menu, contextually adjusted for the object type. For example, right‑clicking a Class.Model reveals standard options like Copy and Duplicate, and also options specific to Class.Model|Models like Ungroup. In contrast, right‑clicking a service like Class.Lighting reveals a more concise menu of actions valid for services.

Folder organization

Like directories/folders on a computer, the Class.Folder object is a useful way to organize objects. For instance, if you want to store all environmental audio assets in a logical place, you can create a folder and place multiple Class.AudioPlayer objects within it.

Multiple Sound objects grouped inside a Folder object

You can organize objects into folders as follows:

  • Create a Class.Folder instance through a standard insertion method, then drag and drop existing objects into it.

  • Select multiple objects, right-click them, and then select Group As a Folder from the context menu (shortcut of AltCtrlG on Windows or ⌥⌘G on Mac).

Search methods

Through the search input near the top of the window, you can find instances by name, property, class/subclass/tag bespoke queries, and ancestry queries. You can also combine parameters for advanced logical searches. Quickly access this input by pressing CtrlShiftX (Windows) or ⌘ShiftX (Mac).

Example search query and search options

Navigate up and down through search results

Select all search results (CtrlA on Windows or ⌘A on Mac)

Refresh search results A name is a sequence of characters that are alphanumeric, `_`, `-`, or `.`. In all of the following search methods, exercise caution when searching for instances whose names contain spaces, as the search logic may confuse spaces for a [combined search](#combined). When searching for names with spaces, you should surround the full name with double quotes, for example `tag:"Light Source"` to search by the full [tag](../studio/properties.md#instance-tags) name of `Light Source`.

Name search

Typing in a basic string yields name matched instances, case‑insensitive. For example, searching by the keyword script finds all instances containing it, such as ServerScriptService and LocalScript.

Objects filtered by query of 'script'

Property search

You can filter by property equality or value comparisons. Most properties are supported, it works with partial matches, ignores spacing, and is case‑insensitive.

Property **equality** is searched through the operators `=` or `==`.
Example Result
`ClassName = Decal` All instances of class `Class.Decal`.
`Locked = true` `Class.BasePart|BaseParts` with `Class.BasePart.Locked|Locked` set to `true`.
`Material == plas` `Class.BasePart|BaseParts` with `Class.BasePart.Material|Material` of either `Enum.Material|Plastic` or `Enum.Material|SmoothPlastic`.
Property **value comparisons** are searched through the operators `~=`, `>`, `<`, `<=`, or `>=`.
Example Result
`Health > 50` Every `Class.Humanoid` with `Class.Humanoid.Health|Health` more than `50`.
`Transparency ~= 0.5` `Class.BasePart|BaseParts` with `Class.BasePart.Transparency|Transparency` **not** equal to `0.5`.
Property types such as `Datatype.Vector3` and `Datatype.Color3` support searching by **individual fields**. This works either for exact equality or for value comparisons.
Example Result
`Position.X = 1` Objects with an `X` position of exactly `1`.
`Color.R > 120` Objects with a red (`R`) color channel value greater than `120`.
Property types such as `Datatype.Vector3` and `Datatype.Color3` support searching as a **complete unit**, with the unit surrounded by quotes. This works either for exact equality, or with comparison operators in which every value is compared against the comparator.
Example Result
`Size > "20, 5, 20"` Objects with an `X`, `Y`, and `Z` size greater than `20`, `5`, `20`, respectively.
`Color = "255, 0, 0"` Objects with an RGB color value of exactly `[255, 0, 0]`.

Bespoke search

Classes, and subclasses, and tags are searched through various bespoke queries, including:

  • is:[Class] finds everything that is of class [Class]. For example, is:Part finds everything that is a Class.Part.
  • is:[SubClass] finds everything that is a subclass of [SubClass]. For example, is:BasePart finds everything that is a subclass of Class.BasePart, such as Class.Part and Class.MeshPart.
  • tag:[TagName] finds everything with a Class.CollectionService tag of [TagName]. For example, tag:LightSource finds everything that is tagged LightSource. You can add tags using the Tags section of an instance's properties and tag names will autocomplete.

Ancestry search

You can search within a specific scope using the . operator, chain operators together for highly specific searches, or use * as a wildcard.

  • [Parent].[Child] finds named children inside a named parent. For example, workspace.Model finds instances named Model inside instances named workspace, similar to scripting.

  • Chaining . operators adds specificity. For instance, Animals.Dog.Tail finds objects named Tail inside Dog inside Animals.

  • * acts as a wildcard, for instance:

    Example Result
    `Cart.*` All children of an object named `Cart`.
    `Cart.Barrier.*` All children of `Barrier`, itself a child of `Cart`.
    `Cart.*.*` All grandchildren of `Cart`, excluding direct children of `Cart`.
    `Cart.*.Trim` All grandchildren of `Cart` that are named `Trim`.

  • [Parent].** finds all descendants of a parent. For example, CarModel.** finds all descendants of CarModel.

Combined

For advanced logical searches, you can combine queries through unions and grouping.

  • Multiple queries separated by spaces or and operate on all of the conditions.

    Example Result
    `Anchored=true CanCollide=true` Every `Class.BasePart` that is anchored and can collide.
    `Cart.*.* Transparency < 1` All grandchildren of `Cart` that are not fully transparent.
    `Anchored=false and CanCollide=false` Every `Class.BasePart` that isn't anchored and can't collide.

  • The or conjunction operates just like the or operator in code. Groups within parentheses, conjoined by or, find everything within multiple combined queries.

    Example Result
    `Cat or Dog` Everything that has `Cat` or `Dog` in its name.
    `(Anchored=true CanCollide=true) or (Anchored=false CanCollide=false)` Every `Class.BasePart` that either is anchored and can collide, **or** isn't anchored and can't collide.

Selection methods

Within a searched hierarchy, certain key shortcuts and mouse operations behave differently than they do within a non‑searched hierarchy.

Select all

Within a non‑searched hierarchy, pressing CtrlA on Windows or ⌘A on Mac selects all instances. Within a searched hierarchy, the same shortcut or the select all button selects only the query‑matching objects, for example all objects matching Board in a hierarchy searched for board.

Image showing how only matching objects are selected in a searched hierarchy using the Select All shortcut

Shift-select

Clicking an object and Shift-clicking another object behaves differently within a non‑searched hierarchy versus a searched hierarchy.

Within a non-searched hierarchy, Shift-clicking two objects at the same hierarchy level selects both of them and every object between which is also at the same hierarchy level, as shown in image **🅰** where **LeftFoot** is initially clicked, **LeftLowerArm** is Shift‑clicked, and **LeftHand** at same hierarchy level is also selected. Duplicating, copying, or pasting the selected objects will result in a deep copy of those objects **and** all children.

If the first Shift-clicked object and the second Shift-clicked object are at different hierarchy levels, all objects in between them will be selected, as shown in image 🅱 where LeftFoot is initially clicked, LeftHand is Shift‑clicked, and everything between is also selected.

Shift-click at same hierarchy level

Shift-click at different hierarchy level Within a searched hierarchy, if both the initially‑clicked object and the Shift‑clicked object match the query, only query‑matching objects between are selected. For example, in the following image with a hierarchy searched for `anim`, **FallAnim** is initially clicked, **RunAnim** is Shift‑clicked, and every object matching `anim` between is also selected.

Image showing how only matching objects in range are selected within a searched hierarchy

Drag select

Clicking and dragging from an empty region of the window initiates a selection box. Within a non‑searched hierarchy, everything inside the box is selected. Within a searched hierarchy, only query‑matching objects inside the box are selected.

Image showing how only matching objects inside the selection box are selected within a searched hierarchy

Key shortcuts

Shortcut Description
→ With a collapsed branch selected, expands that branch. When pressed again, selects the **first child** immediately under the parent node.
← With any child of a branch selected, moves selection back to the parent node. When pressed again, collapses the entire branch.
Home Selects the topmost object in the hierarchy (`Class.Workspace`).
End Selects the bottommost object in the hierarchy.
PageUp Selects the object in the hierarchy that's above the topmost **visible** hierarchy item.
PageDown Selects the object in the hierarchy that's below the bottommost **visible** hierarchy item.
CtrlShiftX
⌘ShiftX		 Jump to the [search input](#search-methods) near the top of the window.