Factorio is a game that challenges players to build complex factories, manage resources, and automate production on an alien planet. As players progress through the game, they interact with numerous interface elements such as blueprints, recipes, and pinned menus. Occasionally, new players or even veterans may find their screen cluttered with pinned windows or blueprints and wonder how to remove them. If you’re trying to figure out how to unpin items in Factorio whether it’s a blueprint, technology recipe, or production goal there are a few simple steps you can take. Understanding this feature can streamline your gameplay and make your interface much cleaner.
Understanding the Pinned Items in Factorio
What Does It Mean to Pin in Factorio?
Pinned items in Factorio refer to elements that you’ve chosen to keep visible on your screen, typically for easy reference. This may include things like production goals, crafting recipes, or research information. Players pin items so they can track their progress without having to reopen menus constantly. However, too many pinned elements can quickly become distracting, especially during combat or large-scale logistics planning.
Where Are Items Usually Pinned?
Items in Factorio can be pinned to several areas:
- Top-left of the screen (technology and production info)
- Sidebars with crafting or blueprint details
- HUD (heads-up display) showing temporary statistics or tasks
These pinned windows are designed to help, but knowing how to remove them when they’re no longer useful is key to keeping your gameplay efficient and visually tidy.
How to Unpin Items in Factorio
Unpinning Recipes and Items from the Crafting Menu
When crafting, you can pin a recipe to the screen by clicking the small pushpin icon on a recipe. If you want to unpin it, follow these steps:
- Look for the pinned recipe on your HUD, typically located on the left side of the screen.
- Hover over the pinned recipe window or icon until a small pushpin or ‘X’ icon appears.
- Click the pushpin again to toggle it off or click the ‘X’ to remove it entirely.
This works for crafting menus involving assembling machines and manual crafting.
Unpinning Research and Technologies
When you open the technology screen and pin a research topic to monitor progress, it appears at the top-left of the screen. To unpin it:
- Hover your mouse over the research display at the top of the screen.
- Look for a small ‘X’ or an unpin icon (depending on the version).
- Click that icon to remove it from your view.
This won’t cancel the research it only hides the progress window from your screen.
Unpinning Blueprints and Ghost Entities
If you’ve pinned a blueprint or are viewing ghost entities via blueprint books, sometimes the interface will pin a window with item requirements or ghost instructions. To unpin these:
- Click on the blueprint icon or window that was created when you opened the blueprint book.
- Find the small unpin or close icon, often in a corner of the panel.
- Click to remove the pinned window or drag it out of view if it cannot be dismissed.
Some players accidentally pin multiple blueprints and become confused about how to clear them. Going through them one by one is the safest approach.
Shortcuts and Interface Tips for Managing Pinned Elements
Keyboard Shortcuts
Factorio has customizable keyboard shortcuts that allow players to interact with the UI more effectively. While there is no universal shortcut specifically for unpin, you can:
- UseF1 to F4to toggle different views and overlays that may contain pinned windows.
- Use theescape keyto close most pop-up menus and windows.
- PressShift + Right Clickto interact with certain interface components.
If you’re unsure which key does what, check the Controls tab in the Options menu for a detailed list of shortcuts.
Dragging and Closing UI Panels
In Factorio, most UI panels can be dragged across the screen. If a pinned panel is blocking your view, but you don’t want to remove it completely, simply click and hold the top of the panel, then move it to a less intrusive spot. If you decide to close it later, use the small X usually located in a corner.
Why You Might Want to Unpin Items
Improved Visual Clarity
As your factory expands, the screen becomes increasingly crowded with belts, inserters, machines, and logistics bots. Keeping unnecessary panels pinned reduces your field of vision. Unpinning rarely used items helps maintain focus on building and efficiency.
Better Performance on Lower-End Systems
Though Factorio is optimized for most systems, reducing active UI elements may slightly improve performance on lower-spec machines. This is particularly helpful in megabase builds or multiplayer sessions with a lot of moving parts.
Reducing Distractions in Combat Zones
During battles with biters or when managing turret defense lines, having a clean UI ensures that you’re not accidentally clicking on floating panels. This can make a real difference when trying to deploy or retreat under pressure.
Advanced UI Management Techniques
Using Mods to Customize the Interface
For advanced players, mods can further enhance the UI experience. Some mods allow you to create toggleable panels, grouped pins, or shortcut bars. These mods can add additional layers of customization to help manage what appears on your screen and when. Always ensure that mods are compatible with your Factorio version before installation.
Using Blueprint Organizer Features
Blueprint books and libraries can also clutter your view if not organized well. Make sure to:
- Use named tabs within your blueprint books
- Pin only the necessary blueprints during planning
- Unpin the book or close it after placing your layout
This will help keep your game space clean and reduce confusion during construction phases.
Troubleshooting: When You Can’t Unpin
Check for Buggy Mods or UI Glitches
If you encounter a situation where you cannot unpin something, it’s possible a mod or UI bug is causing the issue. Try the following:
- Save and reload your game
- Disable mods temporarily to see if the issue resolves
- Reset UI positions from the Options menu
Rebind Controls
In some rare cases, a custom keybind might interfere with the UI interaction. Go to Settings â Controls and reset the keybinds to default. This often solves unexpected UI behavior.
Knowing how to unpin in Factorio is a small but essential skill that contributes significantly to a smooth gameplay experience. Whether you’re dealing with crafting menus, pinned research, blueprints, or interface clutter, removing unwanted UI elements can keep your screen clean and your mind focused. Use mouse interactions, shortcuts, and customization options to your advantage, and remember that even in a game as complex as Factorio, simplicity in interface management leads to better control and productivity. Keep your factory running and your screen clear.