How to Display Component Colors in Fusion

The image shows a section view of a 3D model in Autodesk Fusion’s Design workspace. The model consists of several components: a pink mold top with rectangular alignment tabs, a red mold base, a blue silicone mold, and a yellow soap shape inside. A section analysis cuts through the model, revealing how the soap is nested inside the silicone mold, which is enclosed by the mold base and top. The browser on the left lists the components, with “Silicon mold:1” highlighted. The timeline at the bottom displays multiple features used to build the model.

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Sometimes it’s hard to see which body belongs to which component. Everything looks the same—and that slows you down. Each component already has its own color in the browser and the timeline, but those colors aren’t visible in the model by default. If you’ve ever used a section analysis, you might’ve noticed those hidden colors inside each component. They’re already there—you just need to reveal them.

Show Component Colors Instantly

To display component colors in your workspace, press Shift + N.
It’s quick, easy, and one of those shortcuts worth remembering.

Use the Shortcut Finder

If you don’t want to memorize shortcuts, open Design Shortcuts and type “Component Color.”
This is the fastest way to activate or learn new commands without breaking your modeling flow.

A Fusion workspace showing a cut section of a 3D model with four components—each displayed in different colors inside the section view. The Design Shortcuts menu is open, and the user has typed “dis,” revealing the command Display Component Colors. The shortcut panel and browser are visible on the left, with components named Soap, Silicon mold, Mold Base, and Mold top.

Manual Access Through the Menu

Prefer using menus?
Go to Inspect → Display Component Colors.
It takes a few extra clicks, but it’s easy to find if you only use it occasionally.

A Fusion workspace showing the Inspect dropdown menu open, with the Display Component Colors option highlighted. A tooltip explains that this feature displays each component in an assembly with a different color to make them easier to differentiate. The tooltip also mentions the shortcut Shift + N and includes a visual showing colored cube components in orange, teal, and green.

Why It Matters

Displaying component colors helps you understand your model faster—especially when working with complex assemblies where clarity means speed. Once you start using it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

This project was created and recorded on my Lenovo ThinkPad (2019) — a reliable laptop that has handled all my Fusion design work smoothly. I recorded and edited the screen captures using Camtasia, which makes it easy to produce clear and structured tutorials. Both tools have been essential in bringing this project together from start to finish.