AutoCAD might be the one piece of software that the civil engineering and architecture industries rely on the most. As a computer-aided design program (the same category as competing programs like SolidWorks), it vastly simplifies designing complex structures, at least when compared to doing all of that on paper.

However, being software, it is prone to crashes. There’s a whole lot of productivity and revenue that can be lost when AutoCAD crashes. Instead of frequently dealing with that frustration, let’s go over how to fix AutoCAD crashes so you can keep your designs intact and your workflow unimpeded.

Common Causes of AutoCAD Crashes

Before you jump into fixes, it is important to understand, why does AutoCAD crash? There are several things that can result in crashes, from the hardware to the software, so let’s dive into them.

• Hardware Issues: Very complex projects can require a lot of RAM and if your system has too little, it can result in crashes. Overheating components can fail and take AutoCAD down with them. A failing storage drive can affect how AutoCAD reads important files and result in the program failing.

• Software Conflicts: It’s been established that antivirus software can sometimes affect the performance of AutoCAD (and other applications); it’s not a new thing. Applications open in the background can hog system resources and potentially cause AutoCAD to crash.

• Corrupted Files: If crucial AutoCAD system files or OS files get corrupted, the moment AutoCAD needs to call on them, it’ll result in glitching or a crash.

• Operating System Problems: If you don’t update your operating system — and I’m not only talking about huge jumps from Windows 10 to 11 — you may eventually encounter bugs (that might have been solved with updates) that cause AutoCAD to crash. The same applies to keeping your drivers updated.

• AutoCAD Settings: Using incompatible or buggy plugins, poorly written scripts, and extremely large drawings, can potentially lead to AutoCAD crashing.

Immediate Steps to Take When AutoCAD Crashes

If AutoCAD crashes in front of you, then there are a few things you can do. 

The first thing to do is to look carefully at the error code, as it can give you insight into exactly what might have caused the error, especially when there’s an error code. 

If you have any intensive apps open in the background, I’d recommend that you close them. Also, check whether your hard drive might have run out of space.

Once you’ve done these, you can try and restart AutoCAD. Sometimes a crash is a one-off thing and you won’t have to deal with another one for a very long time. Might as well learn some new keyboard shortcuts once you’re crash-free.

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In-Depth Solutions for Persistent Crashes

If you can’t stop these crashes from happening, it’s about time that you give some AutoCAD crash solutions a test run. There’s no harm in doing this, and for most people, before you even run through the entire list of fixes, you’re likely to have solved the problem already. Let’s get into them.

• Disable Hardware Acceleration: Hardware acceleration switches some of AutoCAD’s processing to your system’s GPU. With it enabled and problems with your GPU, it can lead to crashes, so turning it off can be a major potential fix (especially if your crashes started happening after changing your GPU, updating the drivers, or turning on hardware acceleration).

• Repair or Reinstall AutoCAD: In the case where AutoCAD files are corrupted or missing, repairing or reinstalling the program can help. Reinstalling is more of a definitive fix since you need to uninstall the app entirely before installing it again, and it’s the only option for AutoCAD 2022 and newer. With older versions (on Windows alone), you still have the option to repair.

• Manage Plugins and Add-ons: Most AutoCAD plugins are made by third parties, so sometimes, there are compatibility issues or bugs that can slip under the radar. Start by updating all your plugins. If that doesn’t fix the problem, you can disable the ones you don’t need, which should hopefully clear any conflicts.

• Optimize System Performance: Making sure your computer’s hardware resources are optimized can also help mitigate crashes. For instance, ensure your graphics drivers are up to date and free up space on your hard drive (if it is very full). If you can, add more RAM to your system or even upgrade most of your hardware entirely.

Preventing Future Crashes

Troubleshooting AutoCAD crashes can give you an idea of what might be causing your crashes, and once you get a good idea of that, preventing future crashes from happening becomes so much easier. Here are some things you can try:

• Regular Updates: Make sure to keep all the necessary software updated as much as you can (not just when you’re dealing with crashes). This includes AutoCAD itself, your operating system, and your computer’s drivers (the graphic drivers most importantly).

• Routine Maintenance: On the physical side, cleaning out dust from the internals and fans can help avoid overheating. Cleaning up unused files can prevent your disk space from maxing out. Even though antiviruses don’t always play nice with AutoCAD, scanning for malware occasionally helps.

• Backup and Recovery Plans: Crashes probably happen to everybody, but you can minimize how many times they happen. Backing up your AutoCAD files to the cloud or an external drive can protect you in the event of a major AutoCAD crash.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you’ve tried everything I’ve written out in this article but nothing has helped you defeat the crashes and it is severely affecting your productivity, it might be time to reach out to AutoCAD support (you definitely pay enough for it). At this point, you might finally be able to get definitive help for the problem, allowing you to get your workflow back on track. Speaking of your workflow, the right tutorials by your side can get you learning AutoCAD even faster.

Conclusion

When AutoCAD keeps crashing, fix it by updating your drivers, turning off hardware acceleration, reinstalling AutoCAD, or disabling any newly installed plugins. There’s a lot you can try out before you escalate to official customer support.

I definitely recommend that you try these tips out right away if you’ve been dealing with a lot of crashes. Let us know in the comments if there are any vital tips to mitigate crashes, what your experience with any of these fixes is, and if you have any questions.

FAQs:

1. What are some alternatives to AutoCAD?

   • AutoCAD alternatives include SolidWorks, SketchUp, BricsCAD, LibreCAD, and many others.

2. How do I enable Automatic Save on AutoCAD?

   • Right-click in the drawing area and click “Options”. Go to the “Open and Save” tab, and then tick the Automatic Save option. Enter a number of minutes to specify how often you want the periodic saves.

3. How do I reset AutoCAD to default settings?

   • In Windows, open the Start menu, select “All Apps”, and locate the AutoCAD folder. Inside, launch the app called “Reset Settings to Default” to start the process. On Mac, open the program menu and click “Reset AutoCAD”.

4. How can I learn more about AutoCAD?

   • There are all sorts of free and paid AutoCAD courses that you’ll find on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, YouTube, etc.

5. What are the best GPUs to reduce AutoCAD crashes?

   • Nvidia’s Quadro series of GPUs are very expensive, but for good reason. They are reliable, with extended driver support, and will have the least crashes of any GPU.