AUTOCAD Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield AUTOCAD facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which command allows you to add the current viewport's annotation scale to an annotative object that does not yet support that scale? → OBJECTSCALE
2. What does the 'New VP Freeze' column in the Layer Properties Manager control? → Whether the layer will be automatically frozen in any newly created viewport
3. What professional practice should be followed when using AutoCAD's PURGE command before submitting a drawing? → Run PURGE to remove unused layers, blocks, linetypes, and styles to reduce file size
4. In AutoCAD, what is 'layer reconciliation' used for? → Identifying and resolving unreconciled layers added by xrefs or other external sources
5. Which command lets you query an AutoCAD object's properties to verify that it meets a specified design criterion, such as an exact wall thickness? → PROPERTIES or MEASUREGEOM
6. What is the purpose of dimensions in AutoCAD? → To accurately display measurements of objects, distances, and angles on a drawing
7. What is the OFFSET command? → Creating a parallel copy of an object at a specified distance
8. What is the purpose of the DIMTOH system variable in AutoCAD dimensioning? → Toggles horizontal text alignment in oblique dimensions
9. Which action most effectively reduces the risk of accidentally deleting critical design data in AutoCAD? → Locking layers that contain critical geometry
10. What effect does setting DIMSOXD to ON have on a dimension? → Suppresses arrowheads when they are placed outside extension lines
11. A drafter receives a drawing where all dimensions appear broken (showing '???'). The most likely QA fix is to: → Change the dimension style to use a different font
12. Which system variable controls whether new objects are created on the current layer regardless of the layer of objects being copied? → CLAYER
13. A QA reviewer notices a drawing has dozens of unused layers prefixed 'DEFPOINTS'. What is the correct action? → Leave them; DEFPOINTS is a required system layer
14. A subcontractor's team is using AutoCAD LT while you use full AutoCAD. Which feature will NOT be available to them when they open your shared DWG file? → 3D solids and surface modeling tools
15. What is the first step in risk assessment for AutoCAD - AutoCAD Design Certification professionals? → Identifying potential hazards and vulnerabilities in the specific context
16. What does the PUBLISH command in AutoCAD allow you to do? → Batch plot multiple layouts or drawings to PDF or plotter
17. A project manager wants drawings to automatically load a specific layer standard on creation. The best approach is to: → Embed the standard layers in the company .dwt template file
18. A CAD manager notices that drawings frequently open with missing fonts replaced by substitutes. Which risk management action addresses this? → Establishing and distributing a standard font set and including fonts in the transmittal
19. What is the purpose of the Layer 0 in AutoCAD? → It is the default layer that exists in every drawing and is used as a base for blocks
20. A fire-protection engineer must show a sprinkler head symbol at 200 locations. Which approach is fastest and most manageable? → Create a block definition and INSERT or use tool palette to place it 200 times
21. What is DWF (Design Web Format) primarily used for in AutoCAD workflows? → Sharing drawings for review without giving access to the source DWG file
22. Under ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements reflected in architectural CAD drawings, what is the minimum clear door width for accessible routes? → 32 inches
23. In a visual lisp routine, where do you make changes? → Visual LISP editor
24. Which layer property controls whether objects can be selected and edited? → Locked
25. A mechanical designer must ensure a bolt-hole pattern is exactly 30° apart around a center point. Which tool accomplishes this most efficiently? → ARRAY with Polar type
26. Which practice reduces the risk of coordinate system conflicts when collaborating on a large civil or site AutoCAD project? → Establishing a shared project base point and common coordinate system for all drawings
27. Which AutoCAD command creates a composite 2D solid region by subtracting one region from another? → SUBTRACT
28. Which AutoCAD command generates a report listing all blocks inserted in a drawing, supporting evidence-based quantity take-off verification? → DATAEXTRACTION (Data Extraction Wizard)
29. What is the function of the rotation command? → Rotates objects around a basepoint
30. A CAD standards audit reveals that dimension styles are not enforced across project drawings. What specific risk does this create? → Inconsistent tolerances and text heights cause misinterpretation of design intent