Learn AutoCAD with our Free Tutorials
Welcome to CADTutor
CADTutor provides the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly community forum. If you need to learn AutoCAD, or you want to be more productive, you're in the right place. See our tip of the day to start learning right now!
Free Tutorials and More…
The Tutorials section provides over 100 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications. Michael’s Corner is an archive of productivity articles that brings you the best AutoCAD tips and tricks. Our Forum is a lively community where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Downloads area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free images.
Tutorials of the Moment
Recently viewed tutorials
-
Units and Scales
If you're asking yourself "what scale do I draw in?" or "what units should I use?", you need this tutorial. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
-
Entering Survey Data using AutoCAD
These techniques apply to basic CAD programs such as AutoCAD, IntelliCAD, etc. If you have a civil/survey program or add-on, such as Land Desktop, SurvCADD, Eagle Point, etc., then there are built-in tools for entering lines and curves. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
-
Drawing Objects
Getting to grips with AutoCAD's basic drawing tools. This is an ideal start for the AutoCAD beginner. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
-
Stage 6: Lighting and Shadows
Lighting outdoor scenes involves the setup of a Sunlight or Daylight system, together with ambient light. This tutorial uses Quickscape Sunlight and Shadows to automatically setup a Sunlight System with some environment settings and including the use of a Quickscape Light Dome for added natural ambient light. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
-
Preparing an AutoCAD drawing for 3D
This tutorial explains the main issues to consider when drawing in AutoCAD and preparing a drawing for use in 3D work. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
-
AutoLISP Quick Start
This tutorial is designed to help AutoCAD users get to grips with AutoLISP quickly. It demonstartes how to create AutoLISP routines from a standing start. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
CADTutor Tutorials
Our tutorials are comprehensive but straightforward introductions to AutoCAD and related software. They are designed to help beginners get to grips with design workflows as quickly as possible. There are over 100 to choose from, some text/image based and others in video format. Whatever stage you are at in your learning, you should find a tutorial to help.
Forum Latest
Currently Active Topics
quick xyz coordinates text placed from selected points
by pavanetc
6 replies
Last post: 28 minutes ago
Small dot appears near MTEXT and cannot be deleted
by CHAKRADHAR
5 replies
Last post: 3 hours ago
Viewport Inset Generator
by CivilTechSource
4 replies
Last post: 3 hours ago
Bing map Help please
by Decker
5 replies
Last post: 7 hours ago
Lisp exportar todas las presentaciones
by mikarts
11 replies
Last post: 10 hours ago
Hybrid parallel
by PGia
130 replies
Last post: 15 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
quick xyz coordinates text placed from selected points
by pavanetc
6 replies
Viewed: 97 times
Small dot appears near MTEXT and cannot be deleted
by CHAKRADHAR
5 replies
Viewed: 54 times
Change MText Width (after width has been changed))
by ILoveMadoka
4 replies
Viewed: 399 times
XREF PATH - COPY TO CLIPBOARD
by james9710
4 replies
Viewed: 380 times
Cursor color
by CharlieDFW
4 replies
Viewed: 376 times
Viewport Inset Generator
by CivilTechSource
4 replies
Viewed: 133 times
CADTutor Forums
Our forum is a vibrant community of experts and beginners. The main focus is helping beginners get to grips with AutoCAD and to help more advanced users become more productive. The AutoLISP forum is one of the busiest out there, providing expert advice for busy professionals.
AutoCAD Productivity
UCSICON Options
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #146
Originally published: June 2016
Every five years or so I address the UCS icon, so here's your next installment.
General Insights
There is a UCSICON command with these options:
Right-click on the UCS icon to display a shortcut menu with a Properties option where you can dress it up a bit.
When you are in the 2D Wireframe visual style, the UCS icon looks like a stick figure. In any other visual style, the icon is a bit more colorful and 3D looking.Horses can only breath through their nose. [Just checking to see if you're paying attention.]
Click on the UCS icon and you see a square grip at 0,0,0 and round grips at the ends of the axes.To disable the ability to select/click on the UCS icon, set the variable UCSSELECTMODE to <0>.
Note: There's an article on how to dimension 3D objects in Michael's Corner, January 2013. You will find more information on manipulating the UCS icon in that review, too.
See all the articles published in June 2016
Michael's Corner
Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.
Image of the Week
-
15th – 21st December 2025
This week's image is by lulumara
Software used: Solidworks 2009
-
Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by Dorian
Software used: AutoCAD 2008
-
Two Weeks Ago
This image is by mehiar
Software used: 3ds Max
-
Three Weeks Ago
This image is by Titi95
Software used: AutoCAD 2014
Gallery of Work
Over the years, our forum members have contributed hundreds of images, showcasing their amazing work. The images above are just a small selection that demonstrate the wide range of project types our community is involved with. Take a look at our gallery to see all the images published in the last 12 months.
Tip of the Day
AutoCAD Alias Editor
If you're new to AutoCAD or even if you're not and you find it difficult to remember all the keyboard shortcuts to your favourite commands like L for Line and C for Circle or even 3DO for 3DOrbit, then you need to know about the AutoCAD Alias Editor.
Enter ALIASEDIT at the command line and AutoCAD will launch a tiny application window that lists all the shortcuts in alphabetical order. As this is a seperate application, you can keep it minimised on your taskbar until you need it for reference.
Essentially, this editor simply lists the contents of the acad.pgp file where all the command aliases are stored. Those of you who are a bit more adventurous, may even like to use the Alias Editor to create your own aliases or edit existing ones.
Missed a Tip?
Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.