AutoCAD Cheat Sheet – Essential Commands & Shortcuts

 

AutoCAD is one of the most powerful CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software tools used by engineers, architects, and designers worldwide. However, with hundreds of commands and functions, it can be difficult to remember them all.

That’s where a Cheat Sheet comes in handy—your quick reference guide to the most-used commands and shortcuts in AutoCAD.

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1. Drawing Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
LINE	L	Draws straight lines between two points.
POLYLINE	PL	Creates a continuous multi-segment line.
CIRCLE	C	Creates a circle by center & radius/diameter.
ARC	A	Draws an arc by various point options.
RECTANGLE	REC	Creates a rectangle using two opposite corners.
POLYGON	POL	Draws a closed shape with equal-length sides.
ELLIPSE	EL	Creates an ellipse or elliptical arc.
HATCH	H	Fills a closed area with a pattern or solid color.
POINT	PO	Places a point marker at specified coordinates.

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2. Editing Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
MOVE	M	Moves objects from one location to another.
COPY	CO	Copies objects to another location.
ROTATE	RO	Rotates objects around a base point.
MIRROR	MI	Creates a mirror image of objects.
OFFSET	O	Creates parallel lines or concentric circles.
TRIM	TR	Cuts objects at an intersection.
EXTEND	EX	Extends objects to meet another object.
FILLET	F	Rounds or fillets corners between two objects.
CHAMFER	CHA	Bevels the edges between two objects.

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3. Annotation Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
TEXT	T	Creates a single-line text object.
MTEXT	MT	Creates multi-line text with formatting options.
DIM	D	Creates dimensions for objects.
LEADER	LE	Creates a leader with annotation text.
TABLE	TB	Inserts a table into the drawing.

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4. Viewing Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
ZOOM	Z	Zooms in or out of the drawing.
PAN	P	Moves the view without changing zoom.
REGEN	RE	Regenerates the drawing display.
ORBIT	3DO	Rotates the view in 3D space.

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5. Layer & Property Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
LAYER	LA	Manages drawing layers.
MATCHPROP	MA	Copies properties from one object to another.
PROPERTIES	PR	Displays the Properties palette.
COLOR	COL	Changes the color of selected objects.

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6. Block & Group Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
BLOCK	B	Creates a block from selected objects.
INSERT	I	Inserts a block into the drawing.
WBLOCK	WB	Writes a block to a separate file.
GROUP	G	Groups objects together for selection.

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7. Utility Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
DIST	DI	Measures distance between two points.
AREA	AA	Calculates the area of a closed object.
ID	ID	Displays the coordinates of a point.
TIME	TIME	Displays statistics about the drawing.

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Pro Tips for Using AutoCAD Efficiently

• Use Object Snaps (OSNAP) to draw with precision.

• Customize your workspace to keep frequently used commands handy.

• Memorize shortcuts for commands you use daily to speed up work.

• Use layers effectively to keep drawings organized.

• Practice often—speed comes with familiarity.