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SOLIDWORKS Keyboard/Mouse Shortcut Reference

In this article, you’ll find help with:

 

NOTE: To Modify Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Gestures: RMB any toolbar, click Customize…, Keyboard tab LMB = Left Mouse Button, RMB = Right Mouse Button, MMB = Middle Mouse Button (press down the scroll wheel) *Command Search Option can be enabled in System Options > General

SOLIDWORKS Commands

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Bread Crumbs D
Browse Recent Documents R
Shortcut Bar + Command Search S
Command Search W
Rebuild Ctrl + B
Force regen the top level assembly Ctrl + Q
Redraw Ctrl + R
Delete Delete
Repeat Last Command Enter
Toolbars F10
Toggle Selection Filter Toolbar F5
Toggle Selection Filters F6
Line L
Hide component under pointer Tab
Show component under pointer Shift + Tab
Dimension to Arc Min/Max Shift + LMB
Tangent Arc Toggle A
Task Pane Ctrl + F1
Full Screen F11
Spell Checker F7

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Windows Commands

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
New Ctrl + N
Open Ctrl + O
Print Ctrl + P
Save Ctrl + S
Close Ctrl + W
Copy Ctrl + C
Paste Ctrl + V
Cut Ctrl + X
Redo Ctrl + Y
Undo Ctrl + Z
Close Files Ctrl + F4
Close SOLIDWORKS Alt + F4
Select All Ctrl + A
Find/Replace Ctrl + E
Swap Window Ctrl + Tab

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Potentially Problematic

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Filter Edges E
Filter Vertices V
Filter Faces X

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When Dragging Components/Dimensions

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Make a Copy Ctrl + LMB Drag
Move a Dimension to Another View Shift + LMB Drag
Place Without Snapping Alt + LMB Drag

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When Dragging For Selection - Box and Lasso

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Select fully enclosed entities LMB Left to Right
Intersected Entities LMB Right to Left

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Manipulating Components in an Assembly

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Translate Component LMB Drag
Rotate Components RMB Drag
Smart Mates Alt + LMB Drag

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When Selecting Multiple Entities

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Select a Range Hold Shift + LMB
Select and Deselect Individually Hold Ctrl + LMB

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View Manipulation

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Zoom to Fit F
Orientation Spacebar
View Cube Ctrl + Spacebar
Front Ctrl + 1
Back Ctrl + 2
Left Ctrl + 3
Right Ctrl + 4
Top Ctrl + 5
Bottom Ctrl + 6
Isometric Ctrl + 7
Normal To Ctrl + 8
Undo View Change Ctrl + Shift + Z
Zoom In Shift + Z
Zoom Out Z

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Mouse Scroll Wheel and Button (MMB)

DescriptionKeyboard Shortcut
Zoom to Pointer MMB Scroll
Rotate (Pan Drawing) MMB
Pan MMB + Ctrl
Zoom to Center MMB + Shift
Rotate Normal to Screen MMB + Alt
Mouse Gestures: Drag RMB in one of 2 to 12 Directions

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Order of Operations for Creating a Feature

  1. Pick a Plane and Select it
  2. Start the Sketch (Sketch Command)
  3. Orient ‘Normal To’ the sketch (helps to see what you are doing)
  4. Sketch the general Shape
  5. Fully Define the Sketch
        • Add Relations
        • Add Dimensions
        • If still under-defined, pull blue end points to discover freedoms and inaccurate movement. Repeat.

  1. Create Feature, checking the direction in an isometric view

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Generalized Order of Operations for Creating a Model

You will need to ensure you finish each step before proceeding to the next.

  1. Add – Add all material needed for the part
  2. Cut – Cut away excess material to get the final overall shape
  3. Holes – Add holes to the finished shape
  4. Fillets – Add detail features, such as fillets and chamfers

NOTE: This is an efficient order of operations, but there will always be exceptions to the rule

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Fixing Rebuild Errors

  1. Open the part that is problematic
  2. Start at the top of the feature tree, work down in order
  3. Right click the feature – What’s Wrong?
  4. Read the error, find out the following:
    – Where is the problem: Feature, Sketch, or Sketch Plane?
  5. Edit according to the specific Issue: Feature
    -Redefine the feature if selections are lost
    – Verify the feature properties
    – Verify no invalid conditions exist
  6. Edit according to the specific issue: Sketch Plane 
    – Redefine the Sketch Plane
  7. Edit according to the specific issue: Sketch
    – If there are Dangling Entities:
          i. Click the dangling sketch entities
          ii. Look for small read square
          iii. Drag red square to new appropriate entity -OR-
          iv. Delete dangling references and recreate them
          v. Use Display/Delete Relations as needed
    – If Sketch is Over-Defined
          i. Click on ‘Over-Defined’ at the bottom right of the SOLIDWORKS window to start the SketchXpert
         ii. Click ‘Diagnose’ to search for possible solutions
        iii. Browse the suggestions and choose the best option
        iv. Accept the solution and click OK
    – If the Sketch is Invalid (open and closed contour for instance)
          i. Repair Sketch on the sketch toolbar
         ii. Search for problems, use the magnifying glass
    – If the sketch is invalid for the feature type
          i. Tools > Sketch Tools > check Sketch for Feature
    •  

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Technical Support

Get help from our team by Calling us at 800-364-1652 x 2. You can also get assistance by clicking the Technical Support button or the Email Our Experts button below. 

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