This AutoCAD commands cheat sheet covers every shortcut you actually need for the 2027 release. Beyond the basics, it also explains the 9 new commands and 9 new system variables that arrived this year. Granted, the list of additions isn’t huge, but a few of them genuinely change how teams work on shared DWG files.
The short version: AutoCAD 2027 introduced 9 new commands — ASSISTANTOPEN, ASSISTANTCLOSE, CHECKOUT, GEOMETRYCLEANUPOPEN, GEOMETRYCLEANUPCLOSE, GEOMETRYERRORREVIEWCLOSE, PUSHTOFORMAOPEN, PUSHTOFORMACLOSE and VERSIONCOMPARE — plus 9 matching system variables. Everything else in the everyday 2D drafting set (LINE, TRIM, OFFSET, HATCH, and so on) stays unchanged.
Below, you’ll find each new 2027 command explained in plain English. After that comes a complete 2D drafting reference organized by category. Finally, you can print the whole page as a PDF — no sign-up, and no download link to chase.
What’s New in AutoCAD 2027 — All 9 New Commands
AutoCAD 2027 isn’t a sweeping reinvention; rather, it’s a focused set of additions aimed mostly at team collaboration. Below, each of the 9 new commands is grouped by the feature it belongs to, so you can see at a glance what’s worth your attention.
Assistant & collaboration commands
For reference, the complete list also lives on Autodesk’s new commands reference page. Here’s what each one actually does in your day-to-day drafting workflow:
| Command | What it does | AutoCAD | AutoCAD LT |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASSISTANTOPEN | Opens the Autodesk Assistant panel — that is, the AI-enhanced chat introduced in 2027. From there, you can ask how a feature works or describe a task, and it answers without breaking your drafting flow. | ✓ | ✓ |
| ASSISTANTCLOSE | Closes the Autodesk Assistant panel. Naturally, you’d pair this with ASSISTANTOPEN on a toggle button if you keep the assistant within reach. | ✓ | ✓ |
| CHECKOUT | Checks out specific objects from a DWG that a teammate already has open. So, instead of waiting for the file to be released, you edit your checked-out objects in the Trace environment, then submit them for review — the user with read-write access merges or cancels the change. It runs through Forma Data Management. | ✓ | — |
Geometry Cleanup & file commands
| Command | What it does | AutoCAD | AutoCAD LT |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOMETRYCLEANUPOPEN | Opens the Geometry Cleanup palette, which scans your drawing for gaps, overshoots, undershoots and misaligned angles. As a result, it’s especially handy for imported or hand-traced drawings that weren’t drafted cleanly. | ✓ | ✓ |
| GEOMETRYCLEANUPCLOSE | Closes the Geometry Cleanup palette. It’s a simple toggle, so consider assigning it and GEOMETRYCLEANUPOPEN to a toolbar button pair if you clean up files often. | ✓ | ✓ |
| GEOMETRYERRORREVIEWCLOSE | Exits Geometry Cleanup review mode once you’ve stepped through the flagged errors. As a result, you return to standard editing without leaving the palette stuck in review state. | ✓ | ✓ |
| PUSHTOFORMAOPEN | Opens the Push to Forma palette, where you choose which layouts to upload as PDFs to Forma Data Management. Notably, this replaces the old Push to Autodesk Docs workflow. | ✓ | ✓ |
| PUSHTOFORMACLOSE | Closes the Push to Forma palette. Again, pair it with PUSHTOFORMAOPEN for a clean toggle button in your workflow toolbar. | ✓ | ✓ |
| VERSIONCOMPARE | Compares versions of a drawing stored in Forma Data Management, so you can see what changed between saves. In practice, it’s useful when several people touch the same coordinated drawing set. | ✓ | ✓ |
Source: Autodesk AutoCAD 2027 New Commands Reference. ✓ = available, — = not available in this product.
Which 2027 commands actually matter?
Of these, CHECKOUT is by far the most significant. For the first time, more than one person can work on the same DWG without the “who has the file open?” bottleneck. Rather than locking everyone out, it reserves objects, lets you edit them in a non-destructive Trace layer, and routes your changes back for approval. Meanwhile, the Geometry Cleanup commands are the most useful day-to-day addition for anyone wrangling older or imported drawings that need tidying before further work.
New System Variables in AutoCAD 2027
System variables are settings you type directly at the command line — in other words, no dialog required. In total, AutoCAD 2027 added nine of them. Several are tied to the new CHECKOUT and Geometry Cleanup features, whereas others fine-tune background processing and block extraction:
2D Drafting Commands Cheat Sheet — Full List by Category
This is the reference most people actually need day-to-day. Specifically, each command is organized by workflow category, with the shortcut alias you type at the command line plus the full command name. Importantly, these work across current and most prior versions of the software, so they won’t go stale next year.
Draw Commands
Modify Commands
View & Navigation Commands
Annotation & Dimensioning
Layers & Properties
Blocks & References
Utility & Productivity
Save This Cheat Sheet as a Free PDF
Print this page as a PDF
Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac), then choose Save as PDF as the destination. Navigation and non-essential UI are hidden automatically when printing, so what you get is a clean command reference sheet.
Command Line Tips Most People Don’t Know
You don’t need to type the full command name. Instead, type the alias and press Space or Enter — both confirm the command. In fact, most experienced drafters use Space because it’s faster than reaching across the keyboard for Enter.
Press Escape, not Enter, to cancel. If you press Enter at the wrong moment, it repeats the last command instead of clearing it. Escape, on the other hand, cleanly exits whatever you’re in, every time.
Right-click after selecting objects. Rather than memorizing a command for every operation, select your geometry first and right-click. As a result, the context menu surfaces the most relevant actions for that selection — a faster workflow for less common edits.
Command history is scrollable. The command line at the bottom logs your recent entries. Additionally, you can press F2 to open the full history window, which helps when you can’t remember exactly what you typed two steps ago.
Faster object selection
Use the FENCE selection method for complex picks. Instead of a crossing window, type F at the “Select objects” prompt to draw a fence line that selects everything it crosses. It’s faster for grabbing objects across a busy drawing. Learn more in our FENCE command walkthrough.
Speed up multi-object selection with CP. Similarly, the Crossing Polygon (CP) mode lets you draw an irregular polygon to select everything inside it — far more precise than a rectangular crossing window in tight areas. There’s a full breakdown in our CP command guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the new commands in AutoCAD 2027?
AutoCAD 2027 added 9 new commands: ASSISTANTOPEN and ASSISTANTCLOSE (the AI-powered Autodesk Assistant panel), CHECKOUT (object-level editing of a DWG someone else has open, via Forma), GEOMETRYCLEANUPOPEN, GEOMETRYCLEANUPCLOSE and GEOMETRYERRORREVIEWCLOSE (the Geometry Cleanup workflow), PUSHTOFORMAOPEN and PUSHTOFORMACLOSE (uploading layouts to Forma Data Management), and VERSIONCOMPARE (comparing drawing versions). Nine new system variables were added alongside them.
Is there a free AutoCAD commands PDF cheat sheet I can download?
Yes — this page works as one. Press Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P on Mac), select Save as PDF, and you get a clean printable reference. The page CSS hides navigation and non-essential elements automatically when printing. Autodesk also maintains an official full command reference online if you need the complete list beyond 2D drafting commands.
What is the command shortcut for LINE in AutoCAD?
The shortcut for LINE is L. Type L and press Enter or Space, click your start point, then your end point. Press Enter again to end the command, or keep clicking to draw connected segments. Press Escape to cancel mid-command.
Which AutoCAD commands should I learn first?
For anyone new to 2D drafting, start with five draw commands — L (Line), C (Circle), REC (Rectangle), PL (Polyline) and H (Hatch) — and then add five modify commands: M (Move), CO (Copy), TR (Trim), O (Offset) and E (Erase). Finally, add LA (Layer) and Z (Zoom), and you have a functional working set for most technical drawing tasks.
Do AutoCAD shortcuts work in alternative CAD software?
Most standard commands do. IntelliCAD-based tools like SmartCAD use the same command architecture — the same aliases, the same drafting logic and the same DWG file compatibility. LINE, TRIM, OFFSET, MIRROR, HATCH, XREF, PLOT and hundreds more work identically. The exceptions are the cloud-specific commands such as CHECKOUT and PUSHTOFORMA, which require Autodesk’s Forma platform.
What is the difference between AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT for commands?
AutoCAD LT is the 2D-only version, so it doesn’t support 3D modeling, LISP scripting or some advanced features. For everyday 2D drafting, the command set is nearly identical. In 2027, CHECKOUT is the main exception: it’s tied to full AutoCAD with an active Forma Data Management connection. The Geometry Cleanup and Push to Forma commands are available more broadly.
What are the system requirements for AutoCAD 2027?
Our AutoCAD 2027 system requirements guide covers the full breakdown — operating system, RAM, GPU and storage recommendations for different workload types.
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