Copy Layouts in AutoCAD (3 Extremely Simple Methods)

learn how to copy layouts in autocad

Today we are discussing the topic of How to Copy Layouts in AutoCAD. I am going to explain 3 different methods, each suitable for a different occasion so you can choose the best one for you!

Creating Layouts from scratch every time can be very time-consuming and annoying. This is why the idea to Copy an already created Layout in the drawing or Import a layout from an older AutoCAD Drawing you’ve worked on is great!
Two of the tricks we are going to look at will help us Copy a Layout from Another Drawing file, while the last one will let us create a copy of a layout in the current drawing.

Copy Layout from another Drawing in AutoCAD

Often times when starting a new project or just a new drawing, we may want to use an already existing template. This template can include preset viewports, title block, text fields, etc. Alternatively, we may want to Import a preset Layout setup used in older a drawing. So to Copy a layout from another drawing in AutoCAD, follow the steps below:

  1. First, in the current drawing Right-Click on a Layout Tab below, and choose From Template…
  2. Next, a window will pop-up called Select Template from file, here navigate to the file you want to Copy a layout from and hit Open. It can be either Drawing file .dwg or a Drawing template .dwt.
  3. Finally, AutoCAD will ask which layouts do you want to Import in the current drawings. Choose the ones you need and hit Open.

    You can chose more than one!

That was it, you successfully Copied a Layout from another Drawing!

Import Layout from an Active Drawing

The second Trick will let us copy a layout from another currently Active Drawing. I really like this one, as I don’t have to navigate to the directory of the other file. It can be really helpful when you are using a lot of different layouts and not all of them are arranged in templates.
To import a layout from active drawing follow these steps:

  1. In the new drawing, type on the command line ADCENTER to open the Design Center.
  2. There, go to Open Drawings tab and click on Layouts, under the drawing you are going to use as a template.
  3. At Right side, you will see all the layouts in that drawing. Right-Click on the one you want to import and hit Add Layout(s)

Note: You can select more than one layout from the list and add those at once!

Copy Layouts in the Current Drawing

The last method will let us copy already created layouts in the current Drawing. It is quite basic but can still save us lots of time! To make a Copy of Layouts in the current Drawing, follow the steps below:

  1. Right-Click on the Layout you want to copy.
  2. Select Move or Copy…
  3. A window will pop up, there select where to paste the copied Layout and dont forget to check Create a copy mark.
  4. Hit OK!

The new Copy of the chosen Layout will be placed before the layout selected in the Move or Copy window.

If you found this information useful. Don’t forget to check our other AutoCAD Tips for more great Tips and Tricks just like this one!

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