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How do you remove an action from an object in Blender?

Published in Blender Animation 3 mins read

To remove an action from an object in Blender, you essentially need to unlink the action from the object's Action Editor and optionally delete the action data altogether. Here's a breakdown of the process:

  1. Open the Action Editor: In Blender, switch to a workspace that includes the Action Editor (e.g., Animation layout) or add an Action Editor panel to your existing workspace.

  2. Select the Object: Ensure the object from which you want to remove the action is selected in the 3D Viewport. The Action Editor will display the actions currently assigned to the selected object.

  3. Unlink the Action: In the Action Editor, look for the action name displayed. To unlink it from the object without deleting the action data (which means it will still be available for other objects or future use), click the 'X' button to the right of the action's name. If the action has a "shield" icon next to it, the action is a "fake user". Unlinking it will remove the fake user, but the data will still be available until Blender restarts if it is not used by another object. Click the "X" next to that, too, if you want to allow Blender to fully clear the action when restarting.

  4. Delete the Action Data (Optional): If you want to completely delete the action data from your Blender file (meaning it will be gone permanently if not saved), after unlinking the action as described in step 3, you should see a "0" next to the Action in the Action Editor. This indicates the action is no longer used. You can then save and reopen the file. The action will be removed. If you have lots of unused actions, consider using "Purge All" in the Outliner to remove all unused data blocks after unlinking.

Summary:

The key to removing an action is to first unlink it from the object using the Action Editor. This prevents the action from affecting the object. If you want to permanently delete the action, ensure it has no users and then restart Blender or use "Purge All".

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