How to Offset a Plane in SOLIDWORKS

To offset a plane in SOLIDWORKS, create a new reference plane from an existing plane or planar face, keep it parallel, and enter the offset distance you need. The new plane can then hold a sketch, act as a loft or sweep profile location, define a section view, or support features such as drafts and patterns.

An offset plane is not a moved sketch or copied face. It is independent reference geometry that stays linked to the model geometry used to create it.

What an Offset Plane Does

A reference plane gives you a stable place to sketch where no physical face exists. An offset plane is simply a reference plane positioned a specified distance away from another plane or planar face.

Use one when you need to:

Start an extrusion, loft, boundary, or sweep profile away from the current model.
Create a sketch at a precise height, depth, or clearance.
Build features symmetrically around a model without editing existing sketches.
Add a section plane or a neutral plane for a draft feature.
Place assembly-level sketches or reference geometry away from a component face.

A well-chosen reference plane makes later model edits more predictable because it preserves the design intent instead of tying every sketch directly to changing solid faces.

Before creating the plane, decide what must control it: a fixed origin plane, a stable planar face, or another reference plane. Origin planes are often the most reliable choice for features that should remain centered or tied to the part’s overall coordinate system.

How to Create an Offset Plane in SOLIDWORKS

What You Need	Select as the First Reference	Plane Relationship
A sketch above or below a part	A planar face or existing plane	Parallel, with an offset distance
A plane at a fixed model height	An existing reference plane	Parallel, with an offset distance
A plane passing through an edge or axis	An edge, axis, or sketch line plus another reference	Perpendicular or another defined relationship
A plane through a selected point	A point plus a plane, edge, or axis	Coincident plus an orientation reference
A plane in an assembly	A component face, assembly plane, or mate reference	Parallel or another defined relationship

Step 1: Select a Stable Starting Reference

Open the part or assembly where you need the plane.
In the graphics area or FeatureManager design tree, select an existing reference plane or a planar model face.
Prefer an origin plane when the new plane must stay centered on the part or remain independent of a face that may be removed or reshaped later.
Use a planar face when the offset must follow that face as the model changes.

A face works well for a feature that should maintain a clearance or stand-off from the outer surface of a part. An origin plane is usually better for features controlled by overall dimensions, such as a center-mounted hole pattern or a mid-plane loft profile.

Step 2: Open the Plane Tool

Click Plane on the Reference Geometry toolbar.
Or use Insert > Reference Geometry > Plane.
SOLIDWORKS opens the Plane PropertyManager.

In the Plane PropertyManager, the selected geometry appears under First Reference. If you did not preselect geometry, click the First Reference selection box and then choose a plane or planar face in the model.

SOLIDWORKS initially proposes the plane relationship it considers most likely. Check the preview rather than accepting the automatic result without verifying its position and orientation.

Step 3: Set the Parallel Offset and Distance

Under the First Reference options, select Offset distance to create a plane parallel to the selected face or plane at a specified distance.
Enter the offset distance in the PropertyManager.
Reverse the offset direction if the preview appears on the wrong side of the reference.
Confirm that the new plane is located where the next sketch or feature needs to begin.

A parallel plane offset from a face remains linked to that face. If the face moves because a driving dimension changes, the reference plane moves with it while preserving the specified distance.

For a plane that must pass directly through the selected reference rather than sit away from it, choose Coincident. Coincident creates a plane that passes through the selected reference, so it is useful for building reference geometry from points, edges, axes, and sketch entities.

Step 4: Fully Define, Create, and Name the Plane

Check the Message box in the Plane PropertyManager.
Add references or change the relationship until the plane status is Fully defined.
Click the confirmation check mark to create the plane.
In the FeatureManager design tree, rename the plane to describe its purpose.
Select the new plane and start a sketch if that is your next task.

SOLIDWORKS requires the plane status to be Fully defined before it can create the reference plane. The preview and status indicators help show whether SOLIDWORKS has enough information to establish both the plane’s position and orientation.

To rename a plane, click-pause-click its name in the FeatureManager design tree, type the new name, and press Enter. Clear names matter when a model contains many planes, especially in multibody parts and assemblies.

When an Offset Plane Needs More Than One Reference

A single planar face or plane is usually enough for a parallel offset. Other plane types need more geometry to determine both location and orientation.

Adding a Second or Third Reference

Use Second Reference and Third Reference in the Plane PropertyManager when the first selection does not completely define the plane.

For example, an edge can establish where a plane passes, but an edge alone usually does not establish the plane’s rotation. Add another plane, face, axis, point, or edge to constrain its orientation.

Common combinations include:

A sketch point and a plane to create a plane parallel to that plane through the point.
An edge and a planar face to create a plane perpendicular to the face and passing through the edge.
An axis and a point to position a plane around a cylindrical or rotational feature.
A plane plus a line or axis to control the plane’s angle or direction.

Select Perpendicular under the First Reference options when the plane must be normal to the selected planar reference. If the resulting plane can still rotate freely, add a second reference to lock its orientation.

Correcting the Wrong Reference Without Restarting

If you select the wrong face, plane, or edge, you do not need to cancel the feature.

In the Plane PropertyManager, find the unwanted item under First Reference.
Right-click that item.
Click Delete.
Select the correct reference and continue defining the plane.

This is especially helpful in crowded models where overlapping faces or hidden reference planes are easy to select by mistake.

Creating Offset Planes in Assemblies

The same Plane command works in part and assembly documents. In an assembly, an offset plane can reference an assembly origin plane, a component face, an existing assembly plane, or other assembly-level geometry.

For an assembly plane that must remain stable as components move, reference assembly origin geometry or mate-controlled geometry where possible. A plane tied to a moving component face will move with that component, which may be exactly what you want for an in-context feature but not for a fixed layout reference.

Faster Ways to Make an Offset Plane

The Plane PropertyManager is the clearest method because it shows the selected references, relationship, distance, and definition status. SOLIDWORKS also provides a quick shortcut for a straightforward plane-to-plane offset.

Ctrl-Drag an Existing Plane

You can Ctrl-drag an existing reference plane to create an offset plane.

Make the reference planes visible if needed.
Hold Ctrl.
Drag the existing plane in the desired normal direction.
Enter or adjust the offset distance in the plane controls.
Confirm the new plane in the FeatureManager tree.

This method is useful when you can visually place the new plane and want to work quickly. Use the standard Plane command instead when you need to build the plane from points, edges, axes, or several references.

Create the Plane Before Starting the Sketch

A sketch itself cannot be offset away from its sketch plane. If you need the sketch at a different elevation or depth, first create an offset reference plane, then start a new sketch on that plane.

Moving entities changes their geometry within the same plane; it does not place them in three-dimensional space.

Offsetting a Plane, Sketch, Surface, and Entities

Several SOLIDWORKS commands use the word “offset,” but they solve different problems.

Offset Plane

Use this option to position sketches at a chosen distance from a planar face or plane. Use it to position sketches and reference-based features in 3D space.

Offset Entities

Offset Entities is separate from the Plane command. For example, it can create a second rectangle inside or outside an existing rectangle to form a wall thickness.

It does not create a new plane and does not move the sketch above or below the part.

Offset Surface

Offset Surface creates a new surface displaced from an existing face or surface. Use it when you need actual surface geometry, such as a tooling surface, a thickened shell workflow, or a surface-based cut.

It is not the best choice when all you need is a place to sketch.

Move or Copy a Sketch

Moving or copying sketch entities is separate from creating an offset plane. It cannot move a 2D sketch to a different plane.

Troubleshooting an Offset Plane That Will Not Create

The Plane Is Not Fully Defined

If SOLIDWORKS will not accept the plane, check the Message box. The plane generally needs another reference or a different constraint when its position or orientation remains ambiguous.

For example, a line can tell SOLIDWORKS that a plane must pass through it, but another reference may be needed to determine which way the plane faces.

The Plane Appears on the Wrong Side

Reverse the offset direction in the Plane PropertyManager. Do not change your model’s existing dimensions just to force the reference plane to the other side.

If the view makes it hard to judge direction, rotate the model or temporarily hide nearby bodies and planes. A plane can be geometrically correct but difficult to see when it overlaps a face.

The Plane Has the Wrong Orientation

Select Parallel when the plane should match the orientation of the base face or plane. Select Perpendicular when it should stand normal to the selected reference.

If neither produces the intended result, add a Second Reference. A second plane, axis, edge, or sketch line often gives SOLIDWORKS the directional information that the first reference cannot provide.

The Plane Is Attached to a Face That Later Disappears

A reference plane can fail if its parent geometry is deleted or substantially changed. Rebuild the model after edits and inspect the FeatureManager for errors.

For long-lived design references, use origin planes, sketch points, axes, and deliberately created reference geometry rather than temporary fillets, chamfers, or faces likely to be replaced.

The New Plane Is Hidden

Reference planes may be hidden even though they exist. Expand the FeatureManager tree and use the visibility controls to show the plane, then select it to begin a sketch.

You can also select the plane directly in the FeatureManager tree without making it prominent in the graphics area.

Confirm the Offset Plane Is Ready for a Sketch

Before building downstream features, run through this quick check:

The new plane appears in the FeatureManager tree.
Its name identifies its purpose.
The plane remains parallel, perpendicular, or otherwise oriented as intended.
A new sketch opens on the plane without unexpected rotation or placement.
Rebuilding the model does not create a warning or dangling reference.

If the next feature must be centered between two locations, consider creating a mid-plane instead of estimating two separate offset distances. If it must remain a controlled distance from a surface, use the surface or face as the parent reference and preserve that link.

The reference-plane help covers First Reference, additional references, and the fully defined requirement for creating a plane.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a plane at an offset distance in SOLIDWORKS?

Select a planar face or existing plane, then open Insert > Reference Geometry > Plane. Under First Reference, select Offset distance, enter the desired offset distance, confirm that the plane status is Fully defined, and accept the feature.

How do I make a sketch offset from its plane in SOLIDWORKS?

Create a new reference plane, then create a new sketch on that plane. Create a new reference plane with Plane on the Reference Geometry toolbar, set it parallel to the original face or plane, enter the offset distance, and create a new sketch on that reference plane.

What does Ctrl+B do in SOLIDWORKS?

Verify the current shortcut assignment before using Ctrl+B to rebuild the model. Use it after editing dimensions, references, or plane definitions to update dependent sketches and features and reveal any rebuild errors.

How do I create a plane through a point in SOLIDWORKS?

Open Insert > Reference Geometry > Plane, select the point as a reference, and use Coincident so the plane passes through it. Add a Second Reference, such as a plane, face, edge, or axis, to establish the plane’s orientation until the status is Fully defined.

How do I create a perpendicular plane in SOLIDWORKS?

Open the Plane PropertyManager, select a planar face or plane under First Reference, and choose Perpendicular. Add a Second Reference when necessary, such as an edge, axis, point, or sketch line, to establish exactly where the perpendicular plane belongs.

How do Offset Entities differ from an offset plane?

Offset Entities creates new sketch lines, arcs, or profiles at a specified distance within the same two-dimensional sketch plane. An offset plane creates new three-dimensional reference geometry that can support a separate sketch or feature.