Vectorworks was among the pioneering companies to develop BIM-capable software, catering to trained architects, engineers, and designers. It’s worthwhile to invest time in learning Vectorworks shortcuts to optimize your workflow and maximize productivity. Vectorworks prioritizes understanding project setup, honing 2D drafting skills, and creating compelling presentations.
An exceptional feature of Vectorworks is its user-friendly interface, allowing for flexible and intuitive model manipulation. Below, you’ll find a list of Vectorworks shortcuts designed to expedite design work, facilitate quick learning, enhance work efficiency, and make the process more enjoyable. Download the Vectorworks Shortcuts list in PDF format.
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
New
Ctrl + N
Command + N
Open
Ctrl + O
Command + O
Close
Ctrl + W
Command + W
Save
Ctrl + S
Command + S
Page Setup
Ctrl + Alt + P
Command + Option + P
Print
Ctrl + P
Command + P
Exit
Alt + F4
Option + F4
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Undo
Ctrl + Z
Command + Z
Redo
Ctrl + Y
Command + Y
Copy
Ctrl + C
Command + C
Paste
Ctrl + V
Command + V
Cut
Ctrl + X
Command + X
Paste in Place
Ctrl + Alt + V
Command + Option + V
Duplicate
Ctrl + D
Command + D
Duplicate Array
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + D
Command + Shift + Option + D
Select All
Ctrl + A
Command + A
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Layer Options Active Only
Ctrl + Alt + 3
Command + Option + 3
Layer Options Gray Others
Ctrl + Alt + 4
Command + Option + 4
Layer Options Gray or Snap Others
Ctrl + Alt + 5
Command + Option + 5
Layer Options Show Others
Ctrl + Alt + 6
Command + Option + 6
Layer Options Show or Snap Others
Ctrl + Alt + 7
Command + Option + 7
Layer Options Show/Snap/Modify Others
Ctrl + Alt + 8
Command + Option + 8
Zoom – Normal Scale
Ctrl + 3
Command + 3
Zoom – Fit to Page Area
Ctrl + 4
Command + 4
Standard views: Top/Plan
Ctrl + 5
Command + 5
Zoom – Fit to Objects
Ctrl + 6
Command + 6
Set 3D View
Ctrl + 0
Command + 0
Unified View
Ctrl + Alt + L
Command + Option + L
Create Multiple Viewports
Ctrl + Shift + M
Command + Shift + M
Next View
Ctrl + Shift + .
Command + Shift + .
Previous View
Ctrl + Shift + ,
Command + Shift + ,
Class Options Active Only
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 3
Command + Shift + Option + 3
Class Options Gray Others
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 4
Command + Shift + Option + 4
Class Options Gray or Snap Others
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 5
Command + Shift + Option + 5
Class Options Show Others
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 6
Command + Shift + Option + 6
Class Options Show or Snap Others
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 7
Command + Shift + Option + 7
Class Options Show/Snap/Modify Others
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 8
Command + Shift + Option + 8
Rendering – Wireframe
Ctrl + Shift + W
Command + Shift + W
Rendering – Sketch
Ctrl + Shift + S
Command + Shift + S
Rendering Sketch Options
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S
Command + Shift + Option + S
Rendering Open GL
Ctrl + Shift + G
Command + Shift + G
Rendering – Final Quality Renderworks
Ctrl + Shift + F
Command + Shift + F
Rendering – Hidden Line
Ctrl + Shift + E
Command + Shift + E
Rendering – Dashed Hidden Line
Ctrl + Shift + D
Command + Shift + D
Rendering – Final Shaded Polygon
Ctrl + Shift + P
Command + Shift + P
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Move
Ctrl + M
Command + M
Move 3D
Ctrl + Alt + M
Command + Option + M
Send to Front
Ctrl + F
Command + F
Send Forward
Ctrl + Alt + F
Command + Option + F
Send to Back
Ctrl + B
Command + B
Send Backward
Ctrl + Alt + B
Command + Option + B
Align to Grid
Ctrl + –
Command + –
Align/Distribute
Ctrl + =
Command + =
Align/Distribute 3D
Ctrl + Shift + =
Command + Shift + =
Rotate Left 90
Ctrl + L
Command + L
Rotate Right 90
Ctrl + Shift + R
Command + Shift + R
Flip Horizontal
Ctrl + Shift + H
Command + Shift + H
Flip Vertical
Ctrl + Shift + V
Command + Shift + V
Set Working Plane
Ctrl + \
Command + \
Trim
Ctrl + T
Command + T
Join
Ctrl + J
Command + J
Join and Fillet
Ctrl + Alt + J
Command + Option + J
Join – no Trim
Ctrl + Shift + J
Command + Shift + J
Convert to Group
Ctrl + K
Command + K
Convert to Mesh
Ctrl + Alt + R
Command + Option + R
Convert to 3D Polys
Ctrl + Alt + O
Command + Option + O
Convert to NURBS
Ctrl + Alt + N
Command + Option + N
Group
Ctrl + G
Command + G
Ungroup
Ctrl + U
Command + U
Edit
Ctrl + [
Command + [
Exit
Ctrl + ]
Command + ]
Show Guides
Ctrl + Alt + G
Command + Option + G
Hide Guides
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + G
Command + Shift + Option + G
Unrotate 3D Objects
Ctrl + Shift + 0
Command + Shift + 0
Add Surface
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + A
Command + Shift + Option + A
Clip Surface
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + C
Command + Shift + Option + C
Intersect Surface
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + I
Command + Shift + Option + I
Compose
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + P
Command + Shift + Option + P
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Add Solids
Ctrl + Alt + A
Command + Option + A
Subtract Solids
Ctrl + Alt + S
Command + Option + S
Intersect Solids
Ctrl + Alt + I
Command + Option + I
Section Solids
Ctrl + Alt + T
Command + Option + T
Extrude
Ctrl + E
Command + E
Multiple Extrude
Ctrl + Alt + E
Command + Option + E
Extrude Along Path
Ctrl + Alt + X
Command + Option + X
Tapered Extrude
Ctrl + Alt + U
Command + Option + U
Sweep
Ctrl + Alt + W
Command + Option + W
Create Fillet Surface
Ctrl + Alt + Y
Command + Option + Y
Create Planar Caps
Ctrl + Alt + Q
Command + Option + Q
Create Surface from Curves
Ctrl + Alt + K
Command + Option + K
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Palettes – Snapping
Ctrl + Shift + C
Command + Shift + C
Palettes – Attributes
Ctrl + Shift + A
Command + Shift + A
Palettes – Navigation
Ctrl + Shift + N
Command + Shift + N
Palettes – Working Planes
Ctrl + Shift + K
Command + Shift + K
Palettes – Activate Object Info Palette
Ctrl + ‘
Command + ‘
Palettes – Object Info
Ctrl + I
Command + I
Palettes – Resource Manager
Ctrl + R
Command + R
Palettes – Visualization
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + V
Command + Shift + Option + V
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Organization
Ctrl + Shift + O
Command + Shift + O
User Origin
Ctrl + 9
Command + 9
SmartCursor Settings
Ctrl + 8
Command + 8
Plug-in Manager
Ctrl + Shift + Z
Command + Shift + Z
Workspace Editor
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + W
Command + Shift + Option + W
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Number Instruments
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + N
Command + Shift + Option + N
Auto Number Positions
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + O
Command + Shift + Option + O
Focus Instruments
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + F
Command + Shift + Option + F
Replace Instruments
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + R
Command + Shift + Option + R
Find and Modify
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + M
Command + Shift + Option + M
Label Legend Manager
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + L
Command + Shift + Option + L
Refresh Instruments
Ctrl + /
Command + /
Basic Palette Shortcuts
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
2D Locus
0
0
keys
1
1
Line
2
2
Arc
3
3
Rectangle
4
4
Polyline
5
5
Circle
6
6
Fillet
7
7
2D Polygon
8
8
Symbol Insertion
Alt + 0
Option + 0
Callout
Alt + 1
Option + 1
Double Line
Alt + 2
Option + 2
Quarter Arc
Alt + 3
Option + 3
Rounded Rectangle
Alt + 4
Option + 4
Freehand
Alt + 5
Option + 5
Oval
Alt + 6
Option + 6
Chamfer
Alt + 7
Option + 7
Double-line Polygon
Alt + 8
Option + 8
Flyover
Shift + C
Shift + C
Triangle
Shift + T
Shift + T
Eyedropper
Shift + E
Shift + E
Attribute Mapping
Shift + A
Shift + A
Offset
Shift + –
Shift + –
Clip
Shift + N
Shift + N
Move by Points
Shift + M
Shift + M
Selection
X
X
Pan
H
H
Zoom
C
C
Visibility
V
V
Reshape
–
–
Rotate
Alt + =
Option + =
Mirror
=
=
Split
L
L
Connect or Combine
;
;
Move Page
Alt + Z
Option + Z
Trim
Alt + Shift + L
Option + Shift + L
Regular Polygon
Alt + Shift + R
Option + Shift + R
Spiral
Alt + Shift + S
Option + Shift + S
3D Modelling Tool Shortcuts
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Flyover
Shift + C
Shift + C
Set Working Plane
Shift + 1
Shift + 1
Align Plane
Alt + Shift + 1
Option + Shift + 1
Push or Pull
Shift + R
Shift + R
3D Locus
Shift + 0
Shift + 0
NURBS Curve
Shift + 7
Shift + 7
Sphere
Shift + 3
Shift + 3
Hemisphere
Alt + Shift + 3
Option + Shift + 3
Fillet Edge
Shift + F
Shift + F
Chamfer Edge
Shift + J
Shift + J
Shell Solid
Shift + G
Shift + G
Loft Surface
Shift + K
Shift + K
Extract
Shift + L
Shift + L
Create Contours
Shift + H
Shift + H
Project
Shift + ;
Shift + ;
Analysis
Shift + ‘
Shift + ‘
Visualization Tool Set Shortcuts
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Flyover
Shift + C
Shift + C
Walkthrough
Shift + U
Shift + U
Translate View
Shift + V
Shift + V
Rotate View
Shift + W
Shift + W
Light
Shift + Z
Shift + Z
Attribute Mapping
Shift + A
Shift + A
Cycles through Modes Shortcuts
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
1st group
U
U
2nd group
I
I
3rd group
O
O
4th group
P
P
5th group
[
[
6th group
]
]
Snapping Palette Settings Shortcuts
Action Vectorworks Shortcuts Windows Vectorworks Shortcuts Mac
Snap to Grid
A
A
Snap to Angle
S
S
Smart Points
D
D
Smart Edge – 2D only
F
F
Snap to Working Plane – 3D only
F
F
Snap to Object
Q
Q
Snap to Intersection
W
W
Snap to Distance
E
E
Snap to Tangent – 2D only
R
R
Standard View Shortcuts
Action Vectorworks Shortcut keys Windows Vectorworks Shortcut keys Mac
Top/Plan or Rotated Top/Plan
0
0
Left Isometric
1
1
Front
2
2
Right Isometric
3
3
Left
4
4
Top
5
5
Right
6
6
Left Rear Isometric
7
7
Back
8
8
Right Rear Isometric
9
9
When seeking an alternative to Vectorworks, two crucial factors to consider are reliability and ease of use. LibreCAD meets both criteria, making it an excellent substitute for Vectorworks. Take a closer look at the LibreCAD Shortcuts provided below.
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