Why is the «numpad 1» hotkey showing back not front view?

I am pressing «1» on the numpad, I am supposed to be looking at the front view but instead I am looking along the positive y axis rather than the opposite side, as it should be.


What’s going on?

What were you expecting to see ?

I think what may confuse you is that Blender uses a right-handed coordinate system (x+ pointing right, z+ pointing up and y+ pointing “away” from the viewer). This is just as “correct” as any left-handed coordinate system (x+ pointing right, z+ pointing up, but y+ pointing “towards” the viewer) you might be used to.


If I press «numpad 7», I view the scene while the positive z axis pointing at me; if I press «numpad 3», I view the scene while the positive x axis points at me; if I press «numpad 1» I expect to view the scene while the positive y axis points at me, instead it points to the opposite sense.

Nevermind. I figured out that if the right side is showing the x axis pointing to the screen, then that means that rotating towards the left will lead to the front view, and that effectively is the view where the positive y axis points away from the screen.

As I said, you’re expecting a left-handed coordinate system, which Blender doesn’t use. So, it’s actually your expectation that is incorrect, not the alignment of the axes.