Sep 6 • Jordan Felber

How to Change Units in AutoCAD

Related Course - AutoCAD for Landscape Design

Knowing how to change units in AutoCAD is one of the most important steps before you begin drafting. Units define the measurement system that tells AutoCAD whether “10” means 10 inches, 10 feet, or 10 meters. Without setting them correctly, even the simplest drawing can end up at the wrong scale, leading to confusion and wasted time.

In professional practice, precision isn’t optional — it’s essential. Landscape designers, architects, and engineers all rely on exact measurements to ensure that plans translate seamlessly into built projects. If you’re spacing trees, laying out patios, or importing plats of survey, your work depends on accurate unit settings from the very beginning. A simple oversight here can result in drawings that don’t align with real-world dimensions.

The good news is that setting your units in AutoCAD takes only a few seconds, and once you understand the process, it becomes second nature.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll break down why units matter, what they control, and the exact steps to set them up correctly. By the end, you’ll know how to avoid scaling errors, collaborate more effectively, and work with confidence on every new drawing.


TABLE OF CONTENTS:
  • Overview of Units in AutoCAD
  • Step 1: Access the Units Command
  • Step 2: Configure the Drawing Units
  • Step 3: Confirm Insertion Unit Settings
  • Best Practices for Managing Units in AutoCAD
  • How to Learn AutoCAD to Create 2D Landscape Designs
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Overview of Units in AutoCAD

Units in AutoCAD do more than define measurement — they establish a common language across disciplines. An architect may draft in feet and inches, while a civil engineer works in decimal feet, and an international consultant may send files in metric. If your drawing isn’t set to the correct units, importing or exporting files between these professionals can result in scaling errors, misaligned geometry, and hours of rework. Aligning units at the start ensures smoother collaboration and prevents costly mistakes when drawings are exchanged.

Correctly managing units also reduces professional liability. Inaccurate scaling can ripple through a project, from surveys to construction documents. A misinterpreted unit could mean a patio is built several feet too small or a property line is incorrectly drawn, leading to disputes, delays, or compliance issues. By standardizing units, you protect not only the accuracy of your drawings but also your reputation as a reliable collaborator.

For professionals, units are a safeguard as much as a setting. They allow you to interpret imported data correctly, maintain consistency across drawings, and ensure construction teams can trust your dimensions. Whether you’re coordinating with architects, engineers, surveyors, or contractors, establishing and confirming units eliminates guesswork and provides a shared foundation for every stage of the project.

Learn AutoCAD for Landscape Design

Join over 1,000+ past students. Enroll Here to Learn More

Step 1: Access the Units Command

The UNITS command is AutoCAD’s control center for defining how measurements are interpreted. It allows you to set the length format, precision, and insertion scale that determine how drawings interact with real-world dimensions.

Think of it as establishing the language your file will use before any geometry is created. By opening the Drawing Units dialog box, you’re setting the framework that ensures accuracy and compatibility throughout the project.

Step 1.1

In your current drawing, type UNITS into the command line.

Step 1.2

Press Enter on your keyboard. This will open the Drawing Units dialog box, where you’ll configure all settings related to units.

Step 2: Configure the Drawing Units

Once the Drawing Units dialog box is open, the next step is to configure how your drawing will interpret and display measurements. This setup defines both the format of distances — such as architectural feet and inches, decimal feet, or metric units — and how objects brought in from outside files are scaled.

These settings not only impact how you draft but also how your work integrates with surveys, Xrefs, and consultant drawings. By carefully configuring these options, you establish a consistent framework that keeps your project accurate and aligned with industry standards.

Step 2.1: Set the Length Type

Choose a length type that matches your project needs.
  • For landscape design, Architectural is most common since it uses feet and inches in a familiar format.
  • Other options include Decimal, Engineering, Fractional, and Scientific — though these are less common for landscape work.

Step 2.2: Set the Insertion Scale

This is one of the most critical steps.
  • If you’re in the U.S. working on residential projects, choose Feet or Inches.
  • Example: If you set units to Feet, typing “20” means 20 feet. If you set units to Meters, typing “20” means 20 meters.

Step 2.3: Press Okay to Apply Settings

Press Okay to confirm units of measurement from the Dialog Box and return back to Model Space to check dimensions.

Step 3: Confirm Insertion Unit Settings

AutoCAD may display a warning when your chosen units don’t match its default insertion settings. This prompt ensures that blocks, Xrefs, and external files scale correctly, making it important to confirm the recommended insertion units before continuing. If you’re working with a pre-existing file, this warning box may also appear, reminding you to double-check that your drawing’s settings align with the original file.

Step 3.1: Confirm with “OK”

Press "OK" to return back to Model Space.
screenshot of the options command in autocad with the "files" tab selected with "Support File Search Path" expanded

Best Practices for Managing Units in AutoCAD

By following these best practices, you’ll avoid most unit-related problems and save yourself hours of frustration.
  • Always set units before you start drawing. Make this the very first step in any new project.
  • Save a template file with your preferred units. This way, every new drawing starts off correctly.
  • Confirm units when collaborating. Ask engineers, architects, or surveyors what units they use before importing their files.
  • Double-check when printing. Ensure your plot scale matches the drawing units so the final print is accurate.

Learn AutoCAD for Landscape Design

Join over 1,000+ past students. Enroll Here to Learn More

How to Learn AutoCAD to Create 2D Landscape Designs

Learning AutoCAD can feel overwhelming at first, but mastering the right workflow is essential if you want to create accurate 2D landscape designs. For professionals, it’s not just about knowing the commands — it’s about using AutoCAD efficiently to save time, avoid errors, and deliver polished plans that align with industry standards. Without proper training, it’s easy to fall into habits that lead to scaling mistakes, inconsistent linework, or drawings that aren’t construction-ready.

To make the learning curve easier, we’ve developed AutoCAD for Landscape Design, an online course built specifically for landscape professionals and designers. The program walks you step-by-step through the process of drafting site plans, organizing layers, and producing professional drawings from start to finish.

What sets this course apart is the included Level 2 CAD Library with 285+ pre-built landscape symbols — trees, shrubs, hardscape elements, and more. Instead of redrawing common objects from scratch, you can drag and drop ready-made CAD blocks into your projects, saving hours on every plan. This streamlined approach not only boosts efficiency but also ensures you’re using AutoCAD the right way from the beginning, helping you avoid costly mistakes later in the design process.

If you’re ready to take AutoCAD beyond the basics and apply it directly to your landscape design work, explore the course here.

Learn AutoCAD for Landscape Design

Join over 1,000+ past students. Enroll Here to Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change units in AutoCAD?

Type UNITS into the command line and press Enter. In the Drawing Units dialog box, choose your Length Type and Insertion Scale (feet, inches, meters, etc.), then click OK.

What is the default unit in AutoCAD?

AutoCAD itself is unitless by default. It interprets numbers based on the insertion scale you set. If no units are defined, it assumes inches.

Why are my AutoCAD drawings the wrong scale?

This usually happens when the units in your drawing don’t match the units of the file you imported. For example, if your drawing is set to inches but the survey is in feet, the imported file will appear 12 times larger or smaller than expected.

Can I switch between metric and imperial units in AutoCAD?

Yes. Simply open the UNITS command and change the insertion scale from Inches/Feet to Millimeters/Meters (or vice versa). Be sure to rescale existing geometry if you’re converting a drawing that already has objects placed.