5 AutoCAD Tools You’re Not Using (But Should Be)
Save hours on block edits, view alignment, and annotation
Hey All,
TGIF!
Hope you’re having a great week and ready to relax and recharge this weekend.
This week at work, I had a Junior drafter/designer reach out for some help and any tips that might speed up drafting on a project they were working on.
One question that came up about replacing a bunch of blocks with a new design reminded me of something from when I was just starting out..
Most AutoCAD users, even experienced ones, never use the Express Tools built right into the ribbon.
So this week’s email is all about saving time, cleaning up drawings, and unlocking 5 of my favorite underused AutoCAD tools.
Let’s get into it 👇
Quick AutoCAD Tip:
Use BURST instead of EXPLODE on Blocks with Attributes
BURST lets you explode a block without losing the attribute text values. Unlike EXPLODE, it keeps the visible info as regular text. Great for cleaning up symbols, title blocks, or callouts while keeping your drawing readable.
Command: BURST
Location: Express Tools tab > Block panel
PS. watch today’s video to see it in action and learn some tips along the way!
5 Must-Try AutoCAD Express Tools for New & Experienced Users:
Express tools in AutoCAD can be hidden game changers, whether you're replacing blocks across a drawing, batch-labeling rooms, or aligning viewports with model space.
In today’s video I cover:
The exact commands (and what they do)
My real-world use cases
A couple that no one talks about but I use weekly
Watch the video here:
5 AutoCAD Express Tools That Will Instantly Save You HOURS!
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Tech/Tool Tip:
BricsCAD Shape – Free 3D Conceptual Modeling for Designers
If you’re doing early-stage design or architectural visualization, check out BricsCAD Shape. It’s a lightweight, free tool designed for 3D modeling with DWG compatibility, making it easy to brainstorm, iterate, and collaborate before moving into full CAD or BIM workflows.
Why it’s great for engineers & designers:
DWG native (no conversion headaches)
Super intuitive push/pull modeling
Works well with AutoCAD and BricsCAD environments
Great for conceptual site, architecture, or infrastructure design
Definitely worth playing with if you want something compatible with your CAD workflows or an alternative to Sketchup!
Learn more: https://www.bricsys.com/en-intl/shape/
That’s it for this week!
If you try any of the tools from the video, let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear what worked (or what surprised you).
Catch you next week with another tip, and don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube if you haven’t yet we’re getting soooo close to 100,000! CAD Intentions Youtube
As always, thank you so much for reading and watching, I am super excited for the rest of the year, growing the content, tutorials, and blog with you all.
Cheers and happy Drafting!
Brandon
P.S. If you enjoyed this, feel free to forward it to a teammate or designer friend!