Boosting speed in Archicad often comes down to cutting out repetitive steps, and a few targeted shortcuts can make everyday edits feel almost instant. This article highlights four powerful keyboard workflows in Archicad 29 that help rotate, copy, resize, and match styles with minimal clicks.
Fast 90-degree rotation
Rotating elements usually means setting a pivot point and dragging with the mouse, which quickly adds up over a full workday. Archicad 29 introduces a direct shortcut that rotates elements in clean 90‑degree steps from their center.
Press Ctrl+R on Windows or Command+R on macOS to rotate any selected element or group of elements 90 degrees.
The rotation uses the individual element’s center or the shared center of the selection, so you do not need to define a pivot first.
To rotate back just as quickly, use Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows or Command+Shift+R on macOS to reverse the direction by 90 degrees.
Create linear copies on the fly
Aligning a series of copies is much faster when you let Archicad handle the spacing and count. Instead of dragging each copy manually, use a dedicated shortcut to generate a whole line of elements in one go.
Select the element you want to copy, then press Ctrl+U on Windows or Command+U on macOS.
In the dialog, define how many copies you need and the distance between them.
Confirm, and Archicad creates a sequence of evenly spaced copies along the chosen direction.
Precise resizing with numeric input
Manual stretching can be quick for rough adjustments but less ideal when you need exact dimensions. Using a shortcut to bring up numeric resizing lets you scale elements with full control over size and reference points.
Select the element or group to resize, then press Ctrl+K on Windows or Command+K on macOS.
Enter the desired size or scale factor, and choose the reference point from which the resizing should be applied.
Confirm to update the element to the exact new dimension, without trial‑and‑error dragging.
Copy and paste styles instantly
Transferring appearance or settings from one element to another often involves opening dialogs and manually matching parameters. A simple click‑based workflow lets you copy styles directly from one element and apply them to another without breaking your rhythm.
Hold Alt+Click on Windows or Option+Click on macOS to pick up the settings or style from an existing element.
Then use Ctrl+Alt+Click on Windows or Command+Option+Click on macOS on the target element to apply those settings.
Shortcut cheat sheet
Task
Windows
Mac
What it speeds up
Rotate 90°
Ctrl‑R
Command‑R
Rotates selection instantly from center/shared center
Rotate 90° (reverse)
Ctrl‑Shift‑R
Command‑Shift‑R
Reverses rotation direction instantly
Multiply in a line
Ctrl‑U
Command‑U
Creates a row of copies with set count + spacing
Precise scaling
Ctrl‑K
Command‑K
Numeric resizing from a chosen reference point
Pick up attributes
Alt‑Click
Option‑Click
Samples element settings fast
Inject attributes
Ctrl‑Alt‑Click
Command‑Option‑Click
Applies sampled settings fast
To deepen your skills and explore more advanced workflows, check out the Learn Archicad! program.
