20 Essential AutoCAD Shortcuts and Command Aliases Every Beginner Should Know

Here is a secret that every fast AutoCAD user knows: they barely touch the ribbon. Instead, they type a letter or two on the keyboard and keep their eyes on the drawing.

In this post, I'll give you the 20 command shortcuts (called aliases) that matter most for beginners, plus the function keys and key combinations you'll use every day. Learn these and you'll draw noticeably faster. If you're just joining the series, start with Part 1.

What is a command alias?

Every AutoCAD tool has a full command name, like LINE or CIRCLE. An alias is a short version of that name. Instead of typing LINE, you can just type L.

How to use an alias

1. Make sure nothing is being drawn and you're not in the middle of another command. Press Esc if you're unsure.
2. Type the alias, for example L. You don't need to click the command line first. Just start typing.
3. Press Enter or the Spacebar.
4. Follow the prompts on the command line.

Tip: you can press the Spacebar instead of Enter almost anywhere in AutoCAD. Your left hand can stay on the keyboard while your right hand holds the mouse.

Drawing commands

Alias	Command	What it does
L	LINE	Draws straight lines
C	CIRCLE	Draws circles
A	ARC	Draws arcs
REC	RECTANG	Draws rectangles
PL	PLINE	Draws polylines, where connected segments act as one object
H	HATCH	Fills an area with a pattern

Editing commands

Alias	Command	What it does
M	MOVE	Moves objects
CO	COPY	Copies objects
RO	ROTATE	Rotates objects around a point
SC	SCALE	Makes objects bigger or smaller
TR	TRIM	Cuts away parts of objects at an edge
EX	EXTEND	Stretches objects to meet an edge
F	FILLET	Rounds a corner between two lines
O	OFFSET	Makes a parallel copy at a set distance
MI	MIRROR	Makes a mirror image of objects
E	ERASE	Deletes objects

Text, dimensions, layers, and view

Alias	Command	What it does
T	MTEXT	Adds multi-line text
DLI	DIMLINEAR	Adds a horizontal or vertical dimension
LA	LAYER	Opens the Layer Properties manager
Z	ZOOM	Zooms the view. Follow with E and Enter to zoom to everything in your drawing

That's 20 aliases. Don't try to memorize all of them at once. Start with the five you use the most: L, C, M, CO, and TR. Add a few more each week.

Function keys: your status bar toggles

Remember the helpers on the status bar from our interface tour? You can switch each one on or off with a function key, without moving the mouse:

Key	What it toggles
F3	Object Snap, which snaps to endpoints, midpoints, and centers
F7	Grid display
F8	Ortho mode, which locks lines to horizontal and vertical
F9	Snap mode
F10	Polar Tracking, for drawing at set angles
F12	Dynamic Input, which shows measurements next to your cursor
F2	Opens the full command history window

If you remember only two, make them F8 (Ortho) and F3 (Object Snap).

Key combinations everyone should know

Keys	What it does
Esc	Cancels the current command. Press it twice to clear any selection
Enter / Spacebar	Confirms, or repeats the last command if nothing is running
Ctrl+Z	Undo
Ctrl+Y	Redo
Ctrl+S	Save. Do this often
Ctrl+A	Select everything
Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V	Copy and paste
Ctrl+1	Show or hide the Properties palette
Ctrl+9	Show or hide the command line

Mac users: the Command key (Cmd) replaces Ctrl for most of these, and the function keys may need the Fn key held down.

Mouse shortcuts

• Scroll the wheel to zoom in and out.
• Hold the wheel down and move the mouse to pan.
• Double-click the wheel to zoom to show your whole drawing.
• Right-click to open a menu, or to confirm like Enter, depending on your settings.

Try it: a 5-minute practice drill

1. Open a blank drawing. Press F8 to turn Ortho on.
2. Type REC, press Space, then click two corners to draw a rectangle.
3. Type C, press Space, and draw a circle inside it.
4. Type CO, press Space, select the circle, and copy it to a new spot.
5. Type M, press Space, and move the copy somewhere else.
6. Type O, press Space, enter a distance like 10, select the rectangle, and click outside it to make an offset copy.
7. Press Ctrl+Z a few times to undo, then Ctrl+Y to redo.
8. Double-click the mouse wheel to zoom to everything.

Repeat the drill until the aliases feel natural. It gets faster every time.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Typing while a command is running. If your alias isn't working, press Esc and try again.
• Forgetting to press Enter or Space after the alias.
• Expecting every computer to be identical. Aliases can be customized, so a shared or company computer might use different ones. If an alias behaves oddly, type the full command name instead.
• Turning on Ortho and forgetting it. If you can't draw a slanted line, check that F8 isn't on.

Quick recap

• An alias is a short keyboard version of a command, such as L for LINE.
• Start with L, C, M, CO, and TR, then add more over time.
• F3 and F8 are the two function keys beginners use the most.
• Esc cancels, Space confirms or repeats, and Ctrl+Z undoes.
• Practice with a small drill until it feels natural.

Let's learn together

Which shortcut will save you the most time? Let me know.

• Follow this blog using the Follow or Subscribe option on the site, so each new lesson reaches you as soon as it's published.
• Leave a comment below. Tell me your favorite shortcut, or one you wish existed, and I might feature it in a future post.
• Share this post with a friend or classmate who is learning AutoCAD. A shared cheat sheet makes everyone faster.
• Ask for the cheat sheet. I'm turning this post into a printable one-page cheat sheet. Follow the blog so you don't miss it.

Up next

Next post: Setting Up Your First Drawing, where we choose units, limits, and templates, so your drawings start out right every time. After that, we'll start drawing lines, circles, and rectangles for real.

Stuck on a shortcut or a command? Drop your question in the comments and I'll help you sort it out.