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
-
Optimisation and Workflow
This tutorial discusses the various ways you can make your modelling work more efficient. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
-
Cameras
Cameras are the main viewing tools in 3D visualisation. This tutorial demonstartes how to create and control cameras. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute 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: 1 minute ago
-
The UCS Icon
All about the UCS icon. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 2 minutes ago
-
Standard mapped materials - Image Maps
Image maps are applied to materials for many different purposes. They have to be scaled and positioned on the object using a UVW Map modifier or a Map Scaler modifier. This tutorial steps you through the process. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 3 minutes ago
-
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: 5 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
0 replies
Last post: 2 hours ago
GNSS on AutoCAD
by PGia
18 replies
Last post: 2 hours ago
Change text color in AutoCAD Lt Tables Lisp request
by MSHR
1 reply
Last post: 3 hours ago
Automatically placing borehole tables with leaders without overlap
by MSHR
12 replies
Last post: 5 hours ago
Copying layouts with vla-CopyObjects breaks drawing
by buntobaggins
4 replies
Last post: 8 hours ago
AI taking over
by BIGAL
18 replies
Last post: 30 hours ago
This Week's Hot Topics
Copying layouts with vla-CopyObjects breaks drawing
by buntobaggins
4 replies
Viewed: 167 times
Change text color in AutoCAD Lt Tables Lisp request
by MSHR
1 reply
Viewed: 45 times
Standard texts are hiding somehow can anyone please help??
by Vijay
0 replies
Viewed: 13 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
-
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
Object Snap Cycling
When drawings get crowded with lots of detail, it can be difficult to select the required snap point with running object snaps. Invariably, the snap point AutoCAD finds is not the one you want. This is where object snap cycling comes to the rescue. With running object snap turned on, hover the cursor close to the snap point you want and hit the Tab key on the keyboard to move between the various possible snap points near the cursor. Keep hitting the Tab key until you find the snap point you want. When you've got it, left-click to select the point.
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.