Basics
This section covers the basic AutoCAD web app controls.
Getting Started
First, go to web.autocad.com in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge (Chromium based) on Windows or Mac. Sign in using your Autodesk account, or create an account if you don't already have one.
Once you're signed in, you'll see the Homepage, also known as the file manager. Click New Drawing to begin a new drawing.
Give the drawing a name and choose whether you want to use the Metric or Imperial drawing template, then click Open to launch the AutoCAD web app.
The Command Palette
In the bottom left of the screen, you'll see a list of the most commonly used AutoCAD tools, or "commands" which is what they're called in the AutoCAD universe. These tools are sorted into Draw, Annotate, and Modify groupings.
The Command Line
At the heart of AutoCAD is the Command line, which is docked at the bottom left of the drawing area. Here you'll see prompts, options, and messages.
You can enter commands directly in the Command line instead of clicking them in the command palette. Many long-time AutoCAD users prefer this method. Notice that you don't need to click in the Command line to enter a command. If you simply start typing, the characters you type will display here.
Also notice that as you start to type a command, it completes automatically. So if you start the LINE command, you can simply type 'L' and then press Enter.
When several possibilities are available such as in the example below, you can make your choice by clicking it or using the arrow keys and then pressing Enter or the Spacebar.
Command Prompts
When a command is active, command prompts tell you what to do next. Or, if there are multiple options, those options can be selected by clicking the option you want within the prompt.
The Mouse
Most people use a mouse as their pointing device, but other devices have equivalent controls.
View
The easiest way to change your view is by using the wheel on your mouse.
- Pan a view in any direction by holding the wheel down and then moving your mouse.
- Zoom in or out by rolling the wheel.
Units
After you start a new drawing, you'll first decide what the length of one unit represents—an inch, a foot, a centimeter, a kilometer, or some other unit of length. For example, the objects below could represent two buildings that are each 125 feet long, or they could represent a section from a mechanical part that is measured in millimeters.
Unit Display Settings
Click Settings 
on the right side of the header, and go to the Units tab. Here you can control several unit display settings including the following:
- Format. For example, a decimal length of 6.5 can be set to display as a fractional length of 6-1/2 instead.
- Precision. For example, a decimal length of 6.5 can be set to display as 6.50, 6.500, or 6.5000.
If you plan to work in feet and inches, set the unit type to Architectural, and then when you create objects, specify their lengths in inches, or by using (') for feet and (") for inches. If you plan to use metric units, leave the unit type set to Decimal. Changing the unit format and precision does not affect the internal precision of your drawing. It affects only how lengths, angles, and coordinates are displayed in the user interface.
Reminders and Recommendations
- To enter a command, press Enter or the Spacebar, and to repeat the previous command, press Enter or the Spacebar. Most AutoCAD users press these keys a lot!
- Remember to look at the command prompts in the command line. If you get lost or stuck, or don't know how to operate a command, these prompts may help you figure out what you need to do next.
- To cancel a command in progress or if you ever feel stuck, press Esc. Pressing Esc will take you back to the "neutral" state of AutoCAD, where nothing is active.
- Always create your models at full size (1:1 scale). You'll specify the scale for printing a drawing on a standard-sized sheet later.