AutoCAD, the renowned drafting software used by architects, engineers, and designers, offers a myriad of commands to streamline the design process. While the software's graphical interface is powerful, mastering keyboard shortcuts can significantly enhance your productivity. Here's a rundown of some essential AutoCAD keyboard shortcuts that can save you time and effort.

Basic Navigation

Zoom and Pan

Z + Enter + E: Zoom Extents – Fits the entire drawing within the view.
Z + Enter + A: Zoom All – Displays the whole drawing.
P: Pan – Moves the view to a different part of the drawing without altering its scale.

Drawing Commands

Line and Shapes

L: Line – Draws a straight line segment.
C: Circle – Draws a circle.
REC: Rectangle – Draws a rectangle.
POL: Polygon – Draws a polygon with a specified number of sides.

Editing Commands

E: Erase – Deletes selected objects.
M: Move – Moves selected objects to a different location.
C + O: Copy – Copies selected objects.
TR: Trim – Trims objects to meet the edges of other objects.
EX: Extend – Extends objects to meet the edges of other objects.
RO: Rotate – Rotates selected objects around a base point.
MI: Mirror – Creates a mirrored copy of selected objects.

Precision Tools

Object Snaps

OS: Opens the Object Snap settings dialog box.
F3: Toggle Object Snap – Turns on/off the object snap feature.
F8: Toggle Ortho Mode – Restricts cursor movement to horizontal and vertical directions.

Measure and Dimension

DI: Distance – Measures the distance between two points.
D: Dimension – Creates dimension lines for measuring the size of objects.
A: Arc – Draws an arc.

Layer Management

LA: Layer Properties Manager – Opens the Layer Properties Manager.
L + A: Layers All – Turns on and thaws all layers.
L + T: Layers Thaw – Thaws all layers.

Utility Commands

U: Undo – Reverses the last action.
CTRL + Z: Undo – Alternative shortcut for undo.
R: Redo – Reapplies the last action that was undone.
CTRL + Y: Redo – Alternative shortcut for redo.

Advanced Tips

Block and Group Commands

B: Block – Creates a block definition from selected objects.
I: Insert – Inserts a block or drawing into the current drawing.
G: Group – Groups objects into a named set for easy selection.

Annotation and Text

T: Text – Creates a single-line text object.
MT: Multiline Text – Creates a multiline text object.
DIM: Dimension – Adds dimension annotations to objects.

Conclusion

Mastering these AutoCAD keyboard shortcuts can dramatically increase your efficiency and precision when working on complex designs. By integrating these shortcuts into your workflow, you'll spend less time navigating menus and more time focusing on what you do best—creating exceptional designs. Happy drafting!

AutoCAD Cheat Sheet