How to Turn Off Annotative Scale in AutoCAD?

Steps to Disable Annotative Scale in AutoCAD

Disabling the annotative scale feature in AutoCAD can enhance your productivity by allowing you to manage your drawing scales more effectively. Follow these steps to turn off annotative scaling.

Step 1: Open Your Drawing

Launch AutoCAD 2025 and open the drawing file where you want to disable the annotative scale.

Step 2: Access the Properties Palette

Right-click anywhere in the drawing workspace. From the context menu, select "Properties" to open the Properties palette. This window contains various settings for the objects in your drawing.

Step 3: Identify Annotative Objects

If you want to turn off annotative scaling for specific objects, select those objects in the drawing. The Properties palette will update to show the selected objects’ properties.

Step 4: Modify the Annotative Property

In the Properties palette, find the property labeled "Annotative." This is typically a checkbox or a dropdown menu. Uncheck the box or select "No" to disable the annotative scale for the selected objects. If no objects are selected, you can change the setting for future objects in the same manner.

Step 5: Adjust the Default Scale

If you’re looking to adjust or reset the default annotation scales, you’ll need to access the scale settings.

1. Type the command -SCALELISTEDIT in the command line and hit Enter.
2. Follow the prompts to reset or modify your scale list as necessary.

Step 6: Verify Changes

Once you’ve made these changes, verify that the annotative scale is turned off by checking the properties of your objects or simply drawing new annotations. They should no longer adopt the prior annotation scale settings.

Removing Unwanted Annotation Scales

If you’re looking to clean up unnecessary annotation scales from your drawing, take these additional steps:

1. Type PROP in the command line and press Enter.
2. In the Annotative Scale box, select the right arrow next to the current scale.
3. Choose the scales you wish to remove and click on "Delete," then confirm your selections by clicking "OK."

FAQ

What is the purpose of using an annotative scale in AutoCAD?
Annotative scaling in AutoCAD allows for text and dimensions to automatically adjust in size based on the drawing scale. This is particularly useful for maintaining readability across different viewports and layouts.

Can I turno off annotative scale for multiple objects at once?
Yes, you can select multiple objects simultaneously in your drawing before opening the Properties palette. Change the Annotative property as described, and it will apply to all selected objects.

What happens if I forget to turn off the annotative scale?
If annotative scale remains enabled, your annotations may appear inconsistently sized when viewed in different scales or layouts, potentially leading to confusion and misinterpretation of your drawing.