How to Measure Angles in AutoCAD

Measuring angles in AutoCAD is an essential tool that every user should master. Technical drawings, floor plans, and mechanical components, etc. all contain angles that need proper measurements to ensure accuracy and precision in the finished drawing. 

In this article, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of measuring angles in AutoCAD. Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn a new skill or a seasoned user needing a refresher, this guide will ensure you have the knowledge needed to properly measure angles in AutoCAD.

Understanding the Basics of Angles in AutoCAD 

AutoCAD offers various tools and commands, such as the Measure and Angle commands, to help you define and calculate angles accurately. Some angle examples in your drawing that you may want to specify include: 

• Interior angles of a shape
• Rotation angles of a shape or object
• Angles between two lines or shapes
• Angular dimensions of a previously drawn polyline

Practical Steps to Measure Angles in AutoCAD 

Measuring angles in AutoCAD is fairly straightforward when you know the right tools and commands to use. Below are step-by-step instructions for properly and efficiently measuring angles between lines, objects, or points in your AutoCAD drawing.

The 1st command we’re going to cover is the Measuregeom command. This command works for measuring several dimensional properties of objects, but for this example, we’re obviously focused on angular dimensions. Measruregeom displays the measured angle in the command line but won’t annotate the drawing by default.

1. Let us begin by drawing a simple 6-sided polygon.
2. Once drawn, type “mea” to select the Measuregeom command from the dropdown list.
   • You will then want to select angle from the command window that appears.
3. Select a starting point, which in this case will be one of the sides of the polygon.
4. Select the end point, which will be another side of the polygon – Note, your start and end point selections will determine the vertex for your angle.
   • You should now see the angle measurement between the two lines you have selected.

The 2nd command commonly used to measure angles is Dimang.  Dimang is used exclusively for measuring angles between drawn lines and/or objects.  The difference between Dimang and Measuregeom is Dimang displays the angle measurement on your drawing as part of the final layout.

1. You can use the same shape as the first example.
2. Type “dim” in the command line and select dimangular from the drop-down menu.
3. Select your start and end points the same way as we did for Measuregeom.
   • You will notice this time that the annotation format is different.  This is because Dimang is embedding the angular dimension into the drawing to be visible in the finished product.

Troubleshooting Common Issues in Angle Measurement

The steps to measuring angles is simple, however problems can arise for a number of reasons.  Some common issues that you may encounter could include the following:

1. Angle Orientation Issues

• • If the angle measurement shown visually seems completely off, double check your drawing’s user coordinate system (UCS).
  • The default angle orientation in AutoCAD has 0° pointing to the right with increasing angle measurements in the counterclockwise direction.

2. Issues with Object Selection

• • If you’re finding yourself struggling to select lines or objects, you can always zoom into the drawing for better accuracy.
  • Also, it’s important to make sure that objects of interest are not locked or part of hidden layers.

3. Incorrect Display Units

• • Let’s say you want to display your angle in degrees, but you are seeing radians.  Check your units setting using the Units command and verify that the desired units are selected.