Last reviewed 16 Sept 2026 · 8 min read
AutoCAD user interface
AutoCAD (Autodesk) has evolved from menu- and toolbar-based versions to the ribbon interface (introduced in AutoCAD 2009). Main parts:
| Element | Function |
|---|---|
| Application menu (the "A" button) | New, Open, Save, Save As, Export, Print, Publish, drawing utilities |
| Quick Access Toolbar | Frequently used commands — New, Open, Save, Undo, Redo, Plot; customisable |
| Ribbon | Tabs (Home, Insert, Annotate, Parametric, View, Manage, Output, …) containing panels (Draw, Modify, Layers, Annotation, Block, Properties, …) with tool buttons |
| File tabs | Switch between open drawings |
| Drawing area | Workspace where objects are drawn |
| Crosshairs / cursor | Pointing and selection |
| UCS icon | Shows orientation of X and Y (and Z) axes of the current coordinate system |
| ViewCube and Navigation bar | View orientation (mainly 3D), pan, zoom, orbit |
| Command line (command window) | Type commands and options; shows prompts and history — essential for following command sequences |
| Status bar | Drafting aids toggles (grid, snap, ortho, polar, osnap, otrack, dynamic input, lineweight, transparency, annotation scale), coordinates, workspace switching |
| Model and Layout tabs | Model space (full-size drawing) and paper space layouts (sheets for plotting) |
| Properties palette (Ctrl+1) | View/edit properties of selected objects |
Workspaces — predefined interface arrangements, e.g. Drafting & Annotation, 3D Basics, 3D Modeling.
Entering commands
- Ribbon buttons.
- Command line — type the full command or its alias (short form) and press Enter/Spacebar.
- Right-click (shortcut) menus, dynamic input tooltips near the cursor.
- Repeat last command — press Enter or Spacebar at the command prompt.
- Cancel a command — Esc.
- Undo — U / Ctrl+Z; Redo — Ctrl+Y.
Common command aliases
| Alias | Command | Alias | Command |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | LINE | E | ERASE |
| C | CIRCLE | CO / CP | COPY |
| A | ARC | M | MOVE |
| PL | PLINE | RO | ROTATE |
| REC | RECTANG | SC | SCALE |
| POL | POLYGON | MI | MIRROR |
| EL | ELLIPSE | O | OFFSET |
| H | HATCH | TR | TRIM |
| DT | TEXT (single line) | EX | EXTEND |
| T / MT | MTEXT | F | FILLET |
| LA | LAYER | CHA | CHAMFER |
| B | BLOCK | AR | ARRAY |
| I | INSERT | X | EXPLODE |
| Z | ZOOM | P | PAN |
| DLI | DIMLINEAR | D | DIMSTYLE |
| MA | MATCHPROP | ST | STYLE |
| UN | UNITS | OP | OPTIONS |
Function keys and drafting aids
| Key | Function |
|---|---|
| F1 | Help |
| F2 | Expanded command history (text window) |
| F3 | Object Snap (OSNAP) on/off |
| F4 | 3D Object Snap |
| F5 | Isoplane cycling (top/right/left) — isometric drafting |
| F6 | Dynamic UCS |
| F7 | Grid display |
| F8 | Ortho mode (horizontal/vertical only) |
| F9 | Snap mode |
| F10 | Polar tracking |
| F11 | Object snap tracking |
| F12 | Dynamic input |
Drafting aids
- GRID — visual reference pattern (not plotted).
- SNAP — restricts cursor movement to specified intervals.
- ORTHO — constrains lines to horizontal and vertical directions.
- POLAR tracking — tracks along set angle increments (e.g. 15°, 30°, 45°, 90°); ortho and polar cannot both be on.
- OSNAP (object snaps) — snap precisely to geometric points: Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Node, Quadrant, Intersection, Extension, Insertion, Perpendicular, Tangent, Nearest, Apparent intersection, Parallel, Geometric center. Temporary override: Shift + right-click menu.
- OTRACK (object snap tracking) — tracks alignment paths from acquired snap points.
- Dynamic input — shows prompts, lengths and angles at the cursor.
- Lineweight display (LWT) toggle; Selection cycling; Isometric drafting mode.