How to Change Highlight Color in AutoCAD

Changing Highlight Color in AutoCAD

Understanding Highlighting in AutoCAD

Highlighting objects in AutoCAD can enhance your workflow by making selected items more visible. The default highlight color can sometimes blend in with the drawing background or other colors, making it difficult to distinguish selected entities. Customizing this color can significantly improve your efficiency and ease of use when navigating your designs.

Step 1: Accessing Options

1. Open the application and navigate to your drawing area.
2. Right-click in the drawing area without selecting any objects to bring up the context menu.
3. From the options that appear, select “Options.”

Step 2: Navigating to the Selection Settings

1. In the Options dialogue box, locate and click on the “Selection” tab.
2. Here, you will find various settings related to how selections are displayed, including options for the highlight color.

Step 3: Changing Highlight Color

1. Look for a setting that specifies the highlight color. This may be labeled as “Selection Color” or something similar, depending on the specific version of AutoCAD you are using.
2. Click on the color box next to this setting. A color palette will open, allowing you to choose your desired highlight color.
3. Select your preferred color and click OK to confirm your selection.

Step 4: Saving Changes

1. Apply the changes you have made by clicking OK on the Options dialog box.
2. Your new highlight color will now be active. You can test it by selecting an object in your drawing area to see how it appears.

Additional Customization Options

• Selection Preview: To enhance the selection experience, consider enabling the selection preview. This feature will show a preview of what will be selected when you click and drag over objects.
• Grips and Highlighting: Remember that changing the highlight color does not affect grip visibility on selected objects, which can still be adjusted through preferences.

How to Turn Off Highlighting

If you find that highlighting is distracting or if you prefer to work without it:

1. Access the options as described in step 1.
2. In the command line, type SELECTIONPREVIEW and hit Enter.
3. Change the setting from 1 (on) to 0 (off) to disable the highlight feature entirely.

FAQ

1. Can I revert to the default highlight color after changing it?
Yes, you can return to the original settings by accessing the Options dialogue and resetting the highlight color to the default value.

2. Will changing the highlight color affect all drawings?
The highlight color setting is typically application-wide and will affect all drawings unless otherwise stated.

3. Can I change colors for different types of objects?
Yes, AutoCAD allows for comprehensive customization, and you can change color properties for various object types through the Layer Properties Manager or Object Properties.