AutoCAD ARC Command: How to Draw Arcs Step by Step
Draws an arc from three points or from combinations of center, angle, radius and direction.
- Command
- ARC
- Aliases
- A
- English name
- Arc
The AutoCAD ARC command draws a portion of a circle. By default you pick a start point, a second point on the arc and an end point, and the arc passes through all three.
The Center and End options at the command line switch to other combinations such as start-center-end, start-center-angle or start-end-radius. The Arc drop-down on the ribbon lists all of these methods ready to use.
Arcs are drawn counterclockwise by default, so the order of the start and end points decides which side the arc bulges toward.
How to use it
- Type ARC or A and press Enter.
- Pick the start point, or type C (Center) to start from the center.
- Pick a second point on the arc, or type E (End) to specify the end point.
- Finish with the end point, angle, direction or radius, depending on the method.
Options
- Center (C)
- Lets you specify the center point of the arc.
- End (E)
- Asks for the end point instead of a second point on the arc.
- Angle (A)
- Sets the included angle of the arc.
- Direction (D)
- Sets the tangent direction at the start point.
- Radius (R)
- Asks for the radius after the start and end points.
Notes and tips
- If the arc appears on the wrong side, swap the order of the start and end points; arcs are drawn counterclockwise.
- Hold Ctrl while drawing to flip the arc direction.
- For a tangent arc between two lines, FILLET is usually quicker than ARC.