The keyboard shortcuts are keyboard combinations used to launch commands.
For instance, you can press Ctrl+O to open a file or you can press Ctrl+S to save a file (the effect is the same as by clicking Open and Save from the quick access toolbar or from the File menu).
You can also directly type the corresponding keys.
For instance, you can type L to create a line (the effect is the same as when clicking the Line command from the Drawing toolbar in the Menu toolbar).
The following list represents the main keyboard shortcuts that can be used in AutoCAD:
Key combination
Type on keyboard
Existing key
| 1. Displaying | |
| F2 | Toggles text window on/off |
| CTRL + 3 | Activate/deactivate the Tool Palette |
| CTRL + 8 | Activate/deactivate the calculator window |
| CTRL + 9 | Activate/deactivate the command toolbar |
| CTRL+MAJ+P | Activate/deactivate the quick properties interface |
| CTRL + W | Turns object snap tracking on/off |
| REGEN | Update (regenerate) the display |
| TOOLTIPS | Manage the display of the tooltips on the flyout, on the toolbars |
| 2. Managing the DWG files | |
| CTRL + N | Create a new drawing file |
| CTRL + O | Open an existing drawing file |
| CTRL + S | Save the current drawing (Qsave) |
| CTRL + SHIFT + S | Save under a different name (Save as...) |
| Q + ENTER | Quit, close AutoCAD |
| SAVETIME | Program saving operations at regular intervals |
| XR | Open x-reference manager (XREF) |
| 3. Managing the clipboard | |
| CTRL + A | Select all objects |
| CTRL + C | Copy objects to Clipboard |
| CTRL + MAJ + V | Paste the contents of the Windows clipboard as a block object |
| CTRL + SHIFT + C | Copy all selected objects with a base point |
| CTRL + X | Cut all current drawing objects to paste them somewhere else |
| DELETE key | Delete selection |
| U | Return to a previous state |
| REDO | Cancel the "Undo" command |
| 4. Parameters | |
| CTRL + 1 | Turn AutoCAD properties on/off |
| CTRL + D | Toggle coordinate display |
| CTRL + P | Print current drawing |
| CUI | Customize the user interface |
| PL | Draw a polyline - a complex line |
| F3 | Toggle OSNAP |
| F6 | Toggle COORDS |
| F7 | Toggle GRIDMODE |
| F10 | Toggle POLAR |
| F12 | Turn dynamic input on/off |
| 5. Modeling | |
| AJ | Adjust |
| B | Opens the block dialog box to make a block for the current drawing |
| C | Draw a circle |
| CP | Copy |
| CTRL + J | Repeat the last used command |
| X | Explode an object, a volume, a polyline, etc. |
| XL | Straight line |
| M | Move |
| S | Stretch an object |
| SC | Scale an object |
| I | Insert |
| L | Line |
| MI | Mirror |
| OP | Option |
| PE | Edit a polyline |
| PELLIPSE | Convert an elliptical shape into a polyline |
| PL | Polyline |
| EX | Extend a selection (property in AutoCAD LT) |
| RO | Rotate a selection |
| REN | Rename |
| SHIFT + RIGHT CLICK | Select a unique snap mode on a snapshot |
| PU | Purge - open the purge dialog box to remove unused elements |
| WBLOC | Write a block |
| 6. Navigation | |
| MOUSE WHEEL BACK/FORWARD | Zoom by moving the mouse wheel forward or backward |
| SHIFT + MOUSE WHEEL | Scroll vertically and horizontally in the drawing |
| SHIFT + MOUSE WHEEL | Enable/Disable 3D orbit in the drawing (the mouse wheel must be pressed) |
| F8 | Toggle ORTHO MODE |
| ZOOMFACTOR | Regulate in percentage the zoom |
Note : If the CUIx file included in AutoCAD is modified with user-defined keyboard shortcuts, some shortcut keys quoted in the above list might not work.
Identically for the mouse, if the pilot or the configuration is changed, some shortcut keys might not work.
Identically for the mouse, if the pilot or the configuration is changed, some shortcut keys might not work.