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
-
Dimensioning
This tutorial describes the options and commands available for dimensioning drawings and how to use them. The correct use of AutoCADs dimension tools is the key to producing clear and concise measured drawings. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
-
AutoCAD 2010: 3D Scale & 3D Align
This tutorial introduces the 3D Scale and 3D Align tools. Although 3D Scale is a bit of a damp squib, 3D Align is very powerful and can get you out of all sorts of scrapes if you know how to use it correctly. Running time: 3min 42sec Format: Video
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
-
AutoCAD to Photoshop
This tutorial demonstrates a number of workflows from quick and simple to high quality. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
-
Object Selection
This tutorial shows you the many ways AutoCAD objects can be selected. Covers the building of selection sets with implied windowing, fences etc. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
-
Basic 3D and Surface Modelling
Although AutoCAD has a number of commands for creating special 3D objects, a lot can be achieved by changing the properties of basic 2D objects like polylines. This tutorial provides a basic introduction to creating and viewing 3D objects. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 6 minutes ago
-
Drawing Aids
All about drawing aids. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 7 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
Copying layouts with vla-CopyObjects breaks drawing
by buntobaggins
7 replies
Last post: 7 hours ago
GNSS on AutoCAD
by PGia
19 replies
Last post: 7 hours ago
Automatically placing borehole tables with leaders without overlap
by MSHR
13 replies
Last post: 14 hours ago
Change text color in AutoCAD Lt Tables Lisp request
by MSHR
3 replies
Last post: 14 hours ago
DIESEL of set/getenv not allowed?
by ScottMC
1 reply
Last post: 17 hours ago
Standard texts are hiding somehow can anyone please help??
by Vijay
0 replies
Last post: 24 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
Copying layouts with vla-CopyObjects breaks drawing
by buntobaggins
7 replies
Viewed: 276 times
Change text color in AutoCAD Lt Tables Lisp request
by MSHR
3 replies
Viewed: 127 times
DIESEL of set/getenv not allowed?
by ScottMC
1 reply
Viewed: 90 times
Standard texts are hiding somehow can anyone please help??
by Vijay
0 replies
Viewed: 64 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
Use the INSERT Osnap on Blocks
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #134
Originally published: June 2014

In Michael's Corner February 2013 I covered the use of the Insert object snap for text. It also happens to be the Osnap you can use for Blocks.
When you need to snap to the insertion point of a block, I don't bother to set it as an Osnap since it's such a seldom-used feature. When the time comes, simply Shift + Right-click to display the Osnap shortcut menu, then click Insert or use the ‘INS’ keyboard shortcut.
See all the articles published in June 2014
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
-
22nd – 28th June 2026
This week's image is by boofrelday
Software used: SketchUp and Podium
-
Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by CADken
Software used: SketchUp and Kerkythea
-
Two Weeks Ago
This image is by Jay C
Software used: Revit
-
Three Weeks Ago
This image is by khama
Software used: AutoCAD 2006
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
Add your name to the status bar
Have you ever wanted to see your name or your company's name displayed on the AutoCAD status bar? If so, you need to know about the modemacro variable. Whatever value you set this variable to will appear on the status bar, just to the left of the dynamic co-ordinate display. To do this, enter "modemacro" at the command prompt and then enter the text you'd like to display.
The assigned value of modemacro remains set only for the current drawing session. If you'd like to see your text displayed every time you start AutoCAD, simply add the following line to acad.lsp:
(setvar "modemacro" "text to display")
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.