Getting your builds to line up perfectly usually comes down to adjusting your roblox studio move increment setting so parts don't just snap to giant, awkward blocks. If you've ever tried to place a window in a wall or align two thin plates and felt like the parts were "fighting" you, you know exactly what I'm talking about. By default, Roblox Studio likes to move things in 1-stud increments. That's fine if you're making a massive baseplate or a giant box, but the second you want to do something detailed, that default setting feels like trying to perform surgery with a pair of oven mitts.
It's one of those things that every new builder stumbles over within the first ten minutes. You grab the move tool, drag a part, and it jumps a massive distance. You try to nudge it back, and it jumps right past where you wanted it to go. It's incredibly frustrating. But once you realize you have total control over that "jump" distance, your building speed—and the quality of your work—goes through the roof.
Where to Find the Setting
So, where is this thing hidden? If you look at the top of your screen in Roblox Studio, you'll see a bunch of tabs like Home, Model, Test, and View. You want to click on the Model tab. This is basically the "builder's toolbox."
Right there in the "Snap to Grid" section, you'll see a little box labeled "Move" with a number next to it. That number is your increment, measured in studs. If it says 1, your parts move 1 stud at a time. If you change it to 0.1, they'll move in much smaller, more precise increments.
There's also a checkbox right next to it. If that box isn't checked, your move increment isn't active at all. Your parts will just slide around freely with zero snapping. While that sounds nice for "organic" building, it's usually a recipe for a messy map where nothing quite touches correctly. Most pros keep the box checked but just change the number based on what they're working on.
Why You Should Stop Using 1 Stud
A lot of people stick with the 1-stud default because they think it keeps things "clean." And sure, it does keep things on a grid. But let's be real: 1 stud is actually pretty big in the Roblox world. If you're trying to make a door frame, a 1-stud thick piece of wood looks like a heavy timber beam. If you want a slim, modern-looking door, you need something thinner, like 0.1 or 0.2 studs.
When you change your roblox studio move increment setting to something smaller, like 0.1, you suddenly have ten times the precision. You can make walls that aren't overly thick, align buttons on a control panel, or layer different textures without them flickering (that annoying "z-fighting" thing where two parts occupy the same space).
I usually tell people that 0.1 is the "sweet spot" for general building. It's small enough to get things looking tight and professional, but it's still on a grid so you can align things easily. If you go too small—like 0.01—you might as well turn snapping off entirely because it becomes almost impossible to eye-ball whether two parts are actually touching.
Different Increments for Different Jobs
The truth is, you shouldn't just set your increment once and forget it. You should be changing it constantly depending on what you're doing.
If I'm laying out the foundation of a huge building or a city street, I'll actually crank it up. I might use 2 or even 4 studs. Why? Because it ensures that all my massive pieces are perfectly aligned on a large scale. It saves me from having to zoom in every five seconds to check for gaps.
But the moment I move inside that building to add furniture or trim, I'm dropping that roblox studio move increment setting down to 0.1 or 0.05. If I'm working on something really tiny, like a tool the player holds or a detailed piece of jewelry, I might even go down to 0.025.
It's all about the scale of the task. Think of it like a zoom lens on a camera. You don't use a telescope to look at a bug, and you don't use a microscope to look at a mountain.
The Mystery of "Broken" Increments
Sometimes, you'll change the move increment and nothing happens. Or worse, the parts start moving in weird ways that don't match the number you typed in.
One common culprit is the Collisions toggle, which is also in the Model tab. If Collisions is turned on, Roblox won't let parts move through each other. If you're trying to move a part by 0.1 studs but there's another part in the way, it'll just stop. It can make it feel like your increment setting is broken when, really, the engine is just trying to be "helpful" by preventing overlaps. I almost always keep Collisions off while I'm building so I have total freedom.
Another thing to watch out for is your "Move" checkbox. I've seen so many builders get frustrated because their parts are sliding around like they're on ice, only to realize they accidentally unchecked the box next to the move increment. If that box is off, the number in it doesn't matter.
Using the Increment for Scaling
A lot of people forget that the roblox studio move increment setting also affects the Scale tool. If your move increment is set to 1, and you grab the handle to resize a part, that part is going to grow or shrink by exactly 1 stud at a time.
This is actually where most people mess up their builds. They'll have a move increment of 1, but they'll try to scale a part to be thin. It won't work. The part will just jump from 1 stud thick to 0 studs (vanishing) or 2 studs thick. If you want to make a part 0.2 studs thick, you have to set your increment to 0.1 or 0.2 before you use the scale tool.
It's a simple thing, but it's the difference between a build that looks like it was made in 2008 and one that looks like a modern AAA experience. Precision is everything.
Pro Tips for a Smoother Workflow
If you want to get really fast at building, you need to get comfortable jumping between increments. There isn't a default hotkey to change the number itself (which is a bit of a bummer), but you can get used to clicking that box quickly.
Some builders use plugins to manage their increments. There are plenty of "Building Tools" plugins out there that put these settings in a more convenient spot or allow you to save "presets." While the built-in Roblox tools are great, these plugins can definitely save you some clicks if you find yourself switching between 1, 0.1, and 0 constantly.
Another thing to keep in mind is Local vs. Global space. Sometimes, your part is rotated at a weird angle. If your move increment feels "off," try hitting Ctrl + L. This toggles between moving the part based on the world's grid and moving it based on the part's own orientation. If you're moving a part that's tilted, the move increment will follow that tilt in Local space, which is a lifesaver for detailed work on diagonal walls.
The "Zero" Increment Myth
Every now and then, I see someone suggest setting the move increment to 0. While this technically works and lets you move parts with total freedom, I'd argue it's actually a bad habit for 99% of building tasks.
When you use 0, you lose the ability to perfectly align things. Even if it looks right from a distance, you'll end up with tiny microscopic gaps between your parts. These gaps cause a few problems: 1. They look bad when light shines through them. 2. They can cause physical glitches if players are walking over them. 3. It makes it a nightmare if you ever need to go back and resize things later.
Stick to a small number like 0.05 or 0.1 instead. It gives you the "feeling" of freedom while still keeping everything on a mathematical grid. Your future self will thank you when you're trying to group parts together or create a duplicate of a room.
Final Thoughts
The roblox studio move increment setting might seem like a boring menu option, but it's actually the foundation of everything you build. Whether you're making a simple hobby or a massive open-world RPG, knowing how to manipulate your grid is what separates the beginners from the experts.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different numbers. Try 0.25 for a bit. Try 0.01 for some tiny details. Just remember to keep an eye on that Model tab and make sure your settings are working for you, not against you. Once you master the grid, building stops being a struggle and starts being a lot of fun. Happy building!