Using the Keyboard and Mouse with AutoCAD

When using AutoCAD, make note of the keyboard keys and mouse buttons that will assist with the drawing process.

The wheel mouse is very effective in helping you zoom in and out and to pan within the drawing area.

The keyboard is a great way to input commands, such as L for line, and using the spacebar to enter. For some students it is a more efficient way than clicking on tabs and icons in the ribbon.

The function keys are also helpful in toggling ORTHO (F8), OSNAP (F3), and other drawing aids rather than clicking on the icons in the status bar.

For a full list of function keys and keyboard shortcuts, refer to these AutoCAD Shortcuts.