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
-
Object Snap
A tutorial giving an overview of all the AutoCAD object snaps (osnaps) with some worked examples. The tutorial also covers the use of temporary tracking points and object snap tracking. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
-
User Co-ordinate Systems
This tutorial describes what UCSs are, why we need them and how to use them. The correct use of UCSs with AutoCAD is the key to producing good 3D models and they can also help with 2D work. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 9 minutes ago
-
ISO Paper Sizes
There has alwas been some confusion over the size of standard ISO drawing sheets with AutoCAD.The stated sizes in the plot dialogue box are not the true ISO sizes. This tutorial explains why and how to plot to scale from Model Space. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 11 minutes ago
-
Site Layout Exercise 2
This exercise is designed to progress your skills in 2D drafting and to test your understanding of layouts and printing to scale from paper space. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 17 minutes ago
-
Selection Methods
Keeping track of and selecting objects in a scene is a crucial part of 3D modelling. Develop a good strategy for naming, selecting, grouping and displaying objects before embarking on a project. This tutorial shows you the way. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 18 minutes ago
-
Exterior Lighting
This tutorial shows you how to set up a standard Sunlight System using a target direct light and including ambient light and standard shadow map settings. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 21 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
Standard texts are hiding somehow can anyone please help??
by Vijay
2 replies
Last post: 5 minutes ago
What are your best practices for working with large DWG files?
by indiancad
2 replies
Last post: 4 hours ago
GitHub vs APPLOAD: Why is our global impact invisible?
by VicoWang
19 replies
Last post: 22 hours ago
Testing DWG compatibility with different CAD applications
by indiancad
0 replies
Last post: 23 hours ago
LISP routine for the distribution of sprinklers and fire detectors in fire protection installations
by Javier Longa
12 replies
Last post: 26 hours ago
Removal of Wipeouts from nested and anonymous nested blocks
by Hsanon
1 reply
Last post: 46 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
GitHub vs APPLOAD: Why is our global impact invisible?
by VicoWang
19 replies
Viewed: 660 times
LISP routine for the distribution of sprinklers and fire detectors in fire protection installations
by Javier Longa
12 replies
Viewed: 731 times
LISP: Find & Replace Without the Lag of AutoCAD's Default Command
by CamDuy
3 replies
Viewed: 529 times
Can CAD be an online battle platform? I decided to try it.
by VicoWang
2 replies
Viewed: 439 times
What are your best practices for working with large DWG files?
by indiancad
2 replies
Viewed: 104 times
Free browser CAD viewer + AI inspection tool — feedback welcome
by ProReadyEngineer
1 reply
Viewed: 245 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
Text Frame on Mtext
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #148
Originally published: October 2016
Yes, you can Enclose Text in Objects from Express Tools — See Michael's Corner, June 2004 — but when using the Text Frame property on Mtext, the frame adjusts when you size the Mtext or change the text content!

Just select your Mtext, open Properties [Ctrl 1], then set Text Frame to <Yes>.
To test it, change the size of your Mtext or edit the content and the frame automatically adjusts!
See all the articles published in October 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
-
10th – 16th August 2026
This week's image is by papagyi
Software used: 3ds Max 9 and V-Ray
-
Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by boofredlay
Software used: SketchUp and V-Ray
-
Two Weeks Ago
This image is by Lazarus
Software used: AutoCAD 2009
-
Three Weeks Ago
This image is by BenGoble
Software used: 3ds Max
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
Shift for fillet radius zero
Do you get fed up having to set your Fillet alternately to a radius value and then to 0 to get a right angle?
You don't have to! Just fillet your lines while holding down Shift and the current default fillet radius value will be ignored.
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.