When working in a busy AutoCAD drawing, you may notice objects highlighting as you move your cursor over them. This is Selection Preview, a useful AutoCAD feature designed to show which object will be selected before you click.
While this can make it easier to identify objects, constant highlighting can sometimes become distracting, particularly when working with drawings containing lots of hatches, text, groups or other detailed elements.
The good news is that you can customise how Selection Preview behaves.
We'll show you how to adjust your Selection Preview settings in AutoCAD and choose which objects you want to preview.
What is Selection Preview in AutoCAD?
Selection Preview highlights an object when you move your cursor over it, giving you a visual indication of what will be selected if you click.
Depending on your AutoCAD settings, Selection Preview can appear when:
- No command is currently active
- A command is active and AutoCAD is waiting for you to select an object
You can choose to enable both options, use just one or switch Selection Preview off altogether. You can also prevent particular types of objects from being highlighted.
How to Change Selection Preview Settings in AutoCAD
- Open AutoCAD Options: Start by opening the Options dialog box. One quick way to do this is to right-click within the drawing area when no objects are selected and choose Options. Alternatively, type OPTIONS into the command line and press Enter.
- Open the Selection Tab: Within the Options dialog box, select the Selection tab. Look for the Selection Preview settings towards the bottom of the window. Here you'll find two options controlling when AutoCAD displays a selection preview:
-
- When a command is active
-
- When no command is active
Tick or untick these options depending on how you prefer to work.
For example, if you find objects highlighting every time you move around your drawing distracting, you could disable Selection Preview when no command is active while keeping it available when you're actively selecting objects as part of a command.
This gives you the benefits of Selection Preview when you need it without unnecessary highlighting while navigating your drawing.
How to Stop Certain Objects Highlighting in AutoCAD
You don't have to switch Selection Preview off completely. AutoCAD also allows you to control which types of objects are included in the preview.
From the Selection tab:
- Find the Selection Preview settings.
- Click Visual Effect Settings.
- Locate the Selection Preview Filter options.
- Select the object types you want AutoCAD to exclude from Selection Preview.
- Click OK to save your changes.
- Click OK again to close the main Options window.
It's important to remember that these settings work as exclusions. If you tick an object type, you're telling AutoCAD not to display a Selection Preview for that type of object.
Depending on your workflow, you may want to exclude objects such as:
- Hatches
- Mtext
- Tables
- Groups
AutoCAD also excludes certain objects, including those on locked layers and objects within Xrefs, from Selection Preview by default. You can adjust these settings within the same window if required.
Should You Turn Selection Preview Off?
There's no single setting that's right for every AutoCAD user.
Selection Preview can be particularly helpful when you're working in a detailed drawing and need confirmation that you're about to select the correct object. However, if you regularly work with drawings containing large hatches, lots of text or complex groups, constant highlighting may become distracting.
Rather than turning the feature off completely, try adjusting when Selection Preview appears or excluding the object types that cause the most disruption.
A few small changes can make your AutoCAD workspace feel cleaner and better suited to the way you work.
Make AutoCAD Work Better for You
Selection Preview is just one of the many AutoCAD settings you can customise to create a more efficient working environment.
Taking a little time to adjust AutoCAD around your own workflow can help reduce distractions, make commonly used tools easier to access and improve your day-to-day productivity.
If you'd like to develop your AutoCAD skills further, TMS CADCentre offers instructor-led AutoCAD training, available online or from our Autodesk Authorised Training Centre in Larbert.
Whether you're new to AutoCAD or looking to improve your existing skills, our team can help you find the right training course. Explore our AutoCAD training courses or contact the TMS CADCentre team to find out more.
