• AutoCAD

Explore the AutoCAD user interface

View a demo of the basic tools in the AutoCAD user interface.


00:05

After startup, you’ll see the Start tab.

00:09

Here you can use the Open button to open a drawing

00:12

or the drop-down to open a sheet set

00:15

or explore the sample drawings.

00:18

Use the New button to create a drawing from the default drawing template file

00:22

or the New drop-down to browse available templates,

00:25

get more templates online or use the Create sheet set wizard.

00:31

View the most recently used documents, open and save files to your connected drives,

00:36

and explore various online learning content.

00:41

We also provided easy access to important online resources like the What’s New,

00:46

Online help, AutoCAD mobile app, AutoCAD web app, and more.

00:53

In the Announcements area you’ll receive information about product updates,

00:57

surveys, and Have You Tried articles.

01:00

And in Connect you can sign into your Autodesk account

01:03

to access online services or send us feedback.

01:08

The drawing area is where you create and modify objects to represent your design.

01:13

In the upper-left corner of the drawing area are the Viewport controls.

01:17

Here you toggle the display of the ViewCube and other viewing tools,

01:21

control the number of viewports,

01:26

select a named or preset view,

01:31

or select a visual style.

01:37

The ViewCube allows you to rotate the view of your drawing

01:39

to see it from a different viewpoint.

01:46

The Navigation bar provides access to the Steering Wheel, Pan,

01:50

Zoom and Orbit tools and ShowMotion.

01:54

Use the Menu button in the lower-right corner to customize the Navigation Bar.

01:60

The drawing area also contains the UCS icon which displays the

02:03

positive directions of the X, Y and Z axes.

02:09

When you hover over a drawing file tab you’ll see preview images of the model and layouts.

02:15

Right-click on any drawing file tab for additional options.

02:19

Drag a file tab from the application window, creating a floating window.

02:24

This makes it easy to move the drawing onto another monitor.

02:30

To return a floating window to the application, drag the title bar to the files tab.

02:38

Above the file tab is the ribbon.

02:40

The ribbon organizes commands and tools into tabs and panels.

02:45

For example, the Draw panel on the Home tab contains tools to create objects,

02:50

such as lines, circles, and ellipses; while the Modify panel contains tools to modify objects,

02:58

such as Move, Copy, and Rotate.

03:04

The Quick Access toolbar displays frequently used tools.

03:07

You can easily customize this to include the tools you like to use.

03:14

Click the application button to create, open, or publish drawings, or to search for commands.

03:22

In the lower-left corner of the drawing area are the controls to switch between model space –

03:27

where you’ll do most of your drawing – and paper space:

03:31

the Layout tabs that allow you to control which area of the drawing to publish,

03:35

and at which scale. You can add more layouts by clicking on the plus sign.

03:42

Use the command line to start a command and provide input for the current command.

03:48

As you enter a command, AutoComplete will suggest a list of matching commands.

03:55

From the command line you can access other content such as layers,

03:58

blocks, hatch patterns and more.

04:04

After typing a command name or input, press Enter.

04:08

Dynamic input, displays the command prompts next to the cursor.

04:16

At the bottom of the application window is the application status bar.

04:20

The status bar displays common drafting aids, annotation scaling tools,

04:25

and workspace customization tools.

04:28

Use the Workspace control to change to a 3D modeling workspace

04:32

where you can create solid, surface, or mesh models.

04:37

Tool Palettes contain tools to aid in the creation of your design.

04:42

Tool Palettes can also be customized with additional tools and content.

Video transcript

00:05

After startup, you’ll see the Start tab.

00:09

Here you can use the Open button to open a drawing

00:12

or the drop-down to open a sheet set

00:15

or explore the sample drawings.

00:18

Use the New button to create a drawing from the default drawing template file

00:22

or the New drop-down to browse available templates,

00:25

get more templates online or use the Create sheet set wizard.

00:31

View the most recently used documents, open and save files to your connected drives,

00:36

and explore various online learning content.

00:41

We also provided easy access to important online resources like the What’s New,

00:46

Online help, AutoCAD mobile app, AutoCAD web app, and more.

00:53

In the Announcements area you’ll receive information about product updates,

00:57

surveys, and Have You Tried articles.

01:00

And in Connect you can sign into your Autodesk account

01:03

to access online services or send us feedback.

01:08

The drawing area is where you create and modify objects to represent your design.

01:13

In the upper-left corner of the drawing area are the Viewport controls.

01:17

Here you toggle the display of the ViewCube and other viewing tools,

01:21

control the number of viewports,

01:26

select a named or preset view,

01:31

or select a visual style.

01:37

The ViewCube allows you to rotate the view of your drawing

01:39

to see it from a different viewpoint.

01:46

The Navigation bar provides access to the Steering Wheel, Pan,

01:50

Zoom and Orbit tools and ShowMotion.

01:54

Use the Menu button in the lower-right corner to customize the Navigation Bar.

01:60

The drawing area also contains the UCS icon which displays the

02:03

positive directions of the X, Y and Z axes.

02:09

When you hover over a drawing file tab you’ll see preview images of the model and layouts.

02:15

Right-click on any drawing file tab for additional options.

02:19

Drag a file tab from the application window, creating a floating window.

02:24

This makes it easy to move the drawing onto another monitor.

02:30

To return a floating window to the application, drag the title bar to the files tab.

02:38

Above the file tab is the ribbon.

02:40

The ribbon organizes commands and tools into tabs and panels.

02:45

For example, the Draw panel on the Home tab contains tools to create objects,

02:50

such as lines, circles, and ellipses; while the Modify panel contains tools to modify objects,

02:58

such as Move, Copy, and Rotate.

03:04

The Quick Access toolbar displays frequently used tools.

03:07

You can easily customize this to include the tools you like to use.

03:14

Click the application button to create, open, or publish drawings, or to search for commands.

03:22

In the lower-left corner of the drawing area are the controls to switch between model space –

03:27

where you’ll do most of your drawing – and paper space:

03:31

the Layout tabs that allow you to control which area of the drawing to publish,

03:35

and at which scale. You can add more layouts by clicking on the plus sign.

03:42

Use the command line to start a command and provide input for the current command.

03:48

As you enter a command, AutoComplete will suggest a list of matching commands.

03:55

From the command line you can access other content such as layers,

03:58

blocks, hatch patterns and more.

04:04

After typing a command name or input, press Enter.

04:08

Dynamic input, displays the command prompts next to the cursor.

04:16

At the bottom of the application window is the application status bar.

04:20

The status bar displays common drafting aids, annotation scaling tools,

04:25

and workspace customization tools.

04:28

Use the Workspace control to change to a 3D modeling workspace

04:32

where you can create solid, surface, or mesh models.

04:37

Tool Palettes contain tools to aid in the creation of your design.

04:42

Tool Palettes can also be customized with additional tools and content.

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