Introduction
AutoCAD is an industry-leading 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) software. Its command-based interface allows for precise drawing creation and modification. This cheatsheet compiles essential AutoCAD commands, organized by function, to help you work more efficiently. Whether you’re a beginner learning the basics or an experienced user looking for a quick reference, this guide will help you navigate AutoCAD’s extensive command library.
Command Interface Basics
Command Entry Methods
- Command Line: Type the command name at the bottom of the screen
- Ribbon: Click icons in the ribbon interface
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Press assigned keys (aliases)
- Dynamic Input: Type near the cursor when dynamic input is enabled
- Right-Click Menus: Access context-sensitive commands
Command Line Tips
- Press Spacebar or Enter to execute commands
- Press Esc to cancel a command
- Press F2 to open command history window
- Use Up/Down Arrows to cycle through recent commands
- Type ‘ (apostrophe) before a command to use it transparently within another command
Essential Drawing Commands
File Management
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| NEW | CTRL+N | Create a new drawing |
| OPEN | CTRL+O | Open an existing drawing |
| SAVE | CTRL+S | Save the current drawing |
| SAVEAS | CTRL+SHIFT+S | Save with a new name or format |
| QUIT | CTRL+Q | Exit AutoCAD |
| CLOSE | CTRL+W | Close the current drawing |
| PLOT | CTRL+P | Print/plot the drawing |
| EXPORTPDF | – | Export drawing to PDF |
| ETRANSMIT | – | Package drawing files for transmission |
| RECOVER | – | Repair a damaged drawing file |
Navigation and View
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PAN | P | Move drawing view without changing zoom level |
| ZOOM | Z | Increase or decrease the display magnification |
| ZOOM ALL | Z+A | Zoom to show all objects in drawing |
| ZOOM EXTENTS | Z+E | Zoom to show all objects with maximum size |
| ZOOM WINDOW | Z+W | Zoom to a rectangular area |
| ZOOM PREVIOUS | Z+P | Return to previous view |
| ZOOM REALTIME | Z+R | Zoom in/out by dragging mouse |
| 3DORBIT | 3DO | Rotate view in 3D space |
| VIEWPORTS | VPORTS | Create multiple views |
| REGEN | RE | Regenerate the drawing display |
Drawing Setup
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| UNITS | UN | Set drawing units and precision |
| LIMITS | – | Set drawing boundaries |
| GRID | F7 | Toggle grid display on/off |
| SNAP | F9 | Toggle snap to grid on/off |
| ORTHO | F8 | Toggle orthogonal mode on/off |
| POLAR | F10 | Toggle polar tracking on/off |
| OSNAP | F3 | Toggle object snap modes on/off |
| OTRACK | F11 | Toggle object snap tracking on/off |
| LAYER | LA | Manage layers |
| LTSCALE | – | Set global linetype scale |
Basic Drawing and Object Creation
Lines and Basic Shapes
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LINE | L | Create straight line segments |
| PLINE | PL | Create polylines (connected line/arc segments) |
| RECTANG | REC | Create a rectangular polyline |
| POLYGON | POL | Create a regular polygon |
| CIRCLE | C | Create a circle |
| ARC | A | Create an arc |
| ELLIPSE | EL | Create an ellipse or elliptical arc |
| SPLINE | SPL | Create a NURBS curve |
| POINT | PO | Create a point object |
| XLINE | XL | Create an infinite construction line |
| RAY | – | Create a semi-infinite construction line |
Advanced Drawing Objects
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| HATCH | H | Create a hatch pattern in enclosed area |
| MTEXT | T or MT | Create multiline text |
| TEXT | DT | Create single-line text |
| TABLE | TB | Create a table |
| MLEADER | MLD | Create a multileader note |
| REGION | REG | Create a region from closed curves |
| WIPEOUT | – | Create a masked area |
| REVISION CLOUD | REVCLOUD | Create a revision cloud |
| DONUT | DO | Create a filled circle with hole |
| SKETCH | – | Create freehand lines |
3D Modeling Commands
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BOX | – | Create a 3D box |
| SPHERE | – | Create a 3D sphere |
| CYLINDER | – | Create a 3D cylinder |
| CONE | – | Create a 3D cone |
| TORUS | – | Create a 3D torus (donut) |
| EXTRUDE | EXT | Create a 3D solid by extruding a 2D object |
| REVOLVE | REV | Create a 3D solid by revolving a 2D object |
| LOFT | – | Create a 3D solid by lofting between profiles |
| SWEEP | – | Create a 3D solid by sweeping a profile along a path |
| POLYSOLID | PSOLID | Create a 3D wall-like solid |
Editing and Modification Commands
Basic Editing
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ERASE | E | Delete objects |
| COPY | CO | Duplicate objects |
| MOVE | M | Relocate objects |
| ROTATE | RO | Turn objects around a base point |
| SCALE | SC | Resize objects |
| MIRROR | MI | Create mirror image of objects |
| OFFSET | O | Create parallel copies of objects |
| ARRAY | AR | Create multiple copies in a pattern |
| TRIM | TR | Cut objects at an edge |
| EXTEND | EX | Lengthen objects to meet another object |
Advanced Editing
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| FILLET | F | Create rounded corner between objects |
| CHAMFER | CHA | Create angled corner between objects |
| BLEND | – | Create a spline between two curves |
| BREAK | BR | Break an object into two parts |
| JOIN | J | Connect similar objects into one object |
| LENGTHEN | LEN | Change the length of objects |
| STRETCH | S | Move endpoints while connected points stay fixed |
| ALIGN | AL | Align objects with other objects |
| MATCHPROP | MA | Copy properties from one object to others |
| EXPLODE | X | Break a compound object into its components |
Object Selection Methods
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Window Selection | Click and drag from left to right to select objects fully within rectangle |
| Crossing Selection | Click and drag from right to left to select objects crossing rectangle |
| Fence Selection | Create a polyline path that crosses objects to select |
| SELECTSIMILAR | Select all objects similar to currently selected objects |
| QSELECT | Open Quick Select dialog for filtered selection |
| Group Selection | Select named groups of objects |
| SELECTALL | Select all objects in the drawing |
| FILTER | Create complex selection criteria |
Dimension and Annotation Commands
Dimensioning
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DIMLINEAR | DLI | Create linear dimensions |
| DIMALIGNED | DAL | Create aligned dimensions |
| DIMANGULAR | DAN | Create angular dimensions |
| DIMRADIUS | DRA | Create radius dimensions |
| DIMDIAMETER | DDI | Create diameter dimensions |
| DIMORDINATE | DOR | Create ordinate (X or Y) dimensions |
| DIMBASELINE | DBA | Create dimensions from the same baseline |
| DIMCONTINUE | DCO | Create continuous dimensions |
| DIMSTYLE | D | Manage dimension styles |
| DIMTEDIT | DED | Edit dimension text position |
Annotation
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MTEXT | MT | Create multiline text |
| TEXT | DT | Create single-line text |
| LEADER | LE | Create a line with annotation |
| MLEADER | MLD | Create a multileader note |
| QLEADER | – | Create a quick leader |
| SPELL | SP | Check spelling |
| TABLE | TB | Create a table |
| TABLESTYLE | – | Manage table styles |
| TEXTSTYLE | ST | Manage text styles |
| FIELD | – | Insert field text that updates automatically |
Inquiry and Measurement Commands
Object Information
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LIST | LI | Display object properties in text window |
| PROPERTIES | PR or CTRL+1 | Open Properties palette for selected objects |
| MEASUREGEOM | ME | Measure distance, radius, angle, area, or volume |
| DISTANCE | DI | Measure distance between two points |
| AREA | AA | Calculate area and perimeter |
| MASSPROP | – | Calculate mass properties of 3D solids |
| ID | – | Display coordinates of a point |
| DBLIST | – | List database information for all objects |
| STATUS | – | Display drawing statistics |
| TIME | – | Display timing information for drawing |
Comparison: Quick vs. Precise Measurement Methods
| Method | Advantages | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| DISTANCE command | Precise point selection, shows all measurements | Exact measurements between specific points |
| AREA command | Calculates complex shapes, shows perimeter and area | Calculating space or material requirements |
| Quick Properties | Fast access to basic dimensions | Getting quick size information while drafting |
| Dynamic dimensions | Shows measurements during creation | Creating objects with precise dimensions |
| Object snaps | Ensures measurement from exact geometric points | Ensuring accuracy in measurements |
| MEASUREGEOM | Multiple measurement types in one command | Various measurement needs in sequence |
Advanced Commands and Features
Blocks and References
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BLOCK | B | Create a block definition |
| INSERT | I | Insert a block into the drawing |
| WBLOCK | W | Write objects to a new drawing file |
| XREF | XR | Manage external references |
| XBIND | – | Bind xref objects to current drawing |
| REFEDIT | REFEDIT | Edit blocks and references in-place |
| XCLIP | – | Clip external reference display |
| XREFOVERRIDE | – | Override xref layer properties |
| BEDIT | BE | Open Block Editor |
| PURGE | PU | Remove unused blocks, layers, etc. |
Layout and Plotting
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LAYOUT | LO | Create and manage layouts |
| PAGESETUP | – | Specify page settings for plotting |
| MVIEW | MV | Create and control viewports |
| PLOT | CTRL+P | Plot a drawing |
| VIEWBASE | – | Create base view from model space |
| VIEWSECTION | – | Create section view from model view |
| VIEWDETAIL | – | Create detail view from model view |
| SHEETSET | – | Manage drawing sheet sets |
| PUBLISH | – | Publish multiple drawings to DWF/PDF |
| EXPORTPDF | – | Export drawing to PDF |
Data and Attributes
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ATTDEF | ATT | Define an attribute for a block |
| ATTEDIT | -ATE | Edit attribute values |
| DATAEXTRACTION | DX | Extract attribute data to a table |
| DATALINK | – | Connect drawing to external data |
| PARAMETERS | – | Manage parameters and constraints |
| PARAMETRICMANAGER | – | View and edit parameter relationships |
| BCPARAMETER | – | Add parameter to a block |
| FIELDS | FI | Insert updated data in text objects |
| PROPERTIES | CTRL+1 | View and modify object properties |
| TABLE | TB | Create tables from data |
CAD Standards and Collaboration
Standards and Checking
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARDS | – | Manage CAD standards files |
| CHECKSTANDARDS | – | Check drawing for standards violations |
| LAYER | LA | Manage drawing layers |
| LAYERSTATE | – | Save and restore layer settings |
| PURGE | PU | Remove unused elements |
| AUDIT | – | Check drawing database integrity |
| CLEANSCREEN | CTRL+0 | Toggle clean screen mode |
| MARKUP | – | Import markup data |
| COMPARE | – | Compare two versions of a drawing |
| BAUTHORPALETTE | – | Open tool palette for standards tools |
Collaboration and Data Sharing
| Command | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ETRANSMIT | – | Package a set of files for transmission |
| PUBLISH | – | Publish drawings to DWF, PDF or plotter |
| SHARE | – | Share drawing online |
| DWGPROPS | – | Set and view drawing properties |
| EXPORTDWF | – | Export drawing to DWF format |
| EXPORTPDF | – | Export drawing to PDF format |
| SAVE | – | Save the current drawing |
| DWGCOMPARE | – | Compare two drawing files |
| DXFOUT | – | Export drawing in DXF format |
| COMMUNICATE | – | Access online sharing options |
Common Challenges and Solutions
Troubleshooting Command Issues
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Command not found | Verify command is typed correctly and available in your AutoCAD version |
| Command works differently | Check if command modifiers (CTRL, SHIFT) are active |
| Can’t select objects | Check if selection filters or command prerequisites are limiting selection |
| Command fails silently | Check command line for error messages (press F2) |
| Unexpected command behavior | Check system variables that might affect command (FILTERMODE, PICKFIRST, etc.) |
| Missing command options | Type the full command name instead of alias to see all options |
| Command history disappeared | Press F2 to show command history window |
Managing Complex Drawings
| Challenge | Solution Commands |
|---|---|
| Slow performance | PURGE, AUDIT, OVERKILL, Layer management |
| Too many objects | LAYER FREEZE, VIEWPORTS, XREF instead of INSERT |
| Drawing accuracy | OSNAP, OTRACK, UNITS precision setting |
| Drawing organization | LAYER, GROUP, BLOCK, XREF |
| File size management | PURGE, AUDIT, -PURGE, OVERKILL, WBLOCK |
| Complex editing | FILTER, QSELECT, GROUP, LAYISO |
Best Practices and Productivity Tips
Command Efficiency Tips
- Learn keyboard shortcuts for frequently used commands
- Use command aliases (shortened versions of commands)
- Create custom keyboard shortcuts via the CUI command
- Use command line options by typing the first letter of the option
- Keep commonly used commands in a tool palette (TOOLPALETTES)
- Create custom ribbon panels with your most-used commands
- Use transparent commands (prefix with apostrophe) during other commands
- Set up your own custom commands with LISP or AutoCAD scripts
Custom Keyboard Shortcut Examples
| Function | Suggested Shortcut | Command |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Properties | CTRL+SHIFT+P | QPMODE |
| Toggle Grid | F7 | GRID |
| Toggle Osnap | F3 | OSNAP |
| Layer Manager | CTRL+L | LAYER |
| Quick Select | CTRL+SHIFT+S | QSELECT |
| Properties Palette | CTRL+1 | PROPERTIES |
| Clean Screen | CTRL+0 | CLEANSCREEN |
| View Manager | CTRL+V | VIEW |
| Command Line | F2 | COMMANDLINE |
| QuickCalc | CTRL+8 | QUICKCALC |
Resources for Further Learning
System Variables Worth Knowing
| Variable | Description | Common Settings |
|---|---|---|
| CMDDIA | Controls dialog display for commands | 0=Command line, 1=Dialog box |
| FILEDIA | Controls file dialog display | 0=Command line, 1=Dialog box |
| MIRRTEXT | Controls text mirroring behavior | 0=No mirror, 1=Mirror |
| PICKFIRST | Controls select-then-command ability | 0=Off, 1=On |
| PICKADD | Controls selection behavior | 0=Replace, 1=Add to selection |
| OSMODE | Controls object snap settings | Sum of snap mode values |
| ORTHOMODE | Controls orthogonal drawing | 0=Off, 1=On |
| PELLIPSE | Controls ellipse type | 0=True ellipse, 1=Polyline ellipse |
| PLINETYPE | Controls polyline creation type | 0=Old style, 1=Optimized |
| VISRETAIN | Controls xref layer settings retention | 0=Don’t save, 1=Save |
Where to Learn More
- Official Autodesk Knowledge Network: help.autodesk.com/AutoCAD
- AutoCAD blog: blogs.autodesk.com/autocad
- Autodesk University: au.autodesk.com
- CAD forums: forums.autodesk.com
- YouTube tutorials: Autodesk AutoCAD channel
- LinkedIn Learning/Lynda.com AutoCAD courses
- Local Autodesk User Groups
- AutoCAD Certification preparation resources
This cheatsheet covers many essential AutoCAD commands, but AutoCAD has hundreds of commands and variations. For comprehensive information, consult the official AutoCAD documentation or use the HELP command within AutoCAD.