Frequently Asked Questions

Overview#

These are quick answers with pointers to the pages that explain more. Because licensing, menus, and limits change between releases, answers that Autodesk's help does not confirm are marked "not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation". Questions are grouped by topic.

Where to find it#

Use the headings below. For anything about a particular command, check the Commands index in this section; for terminology, the Glossary. For problems, see the troubleshooting pages in this section.

Getting started and licensing#

1. Is Fusion free? Autodesk offers a personal-use access type with restrictions (see Personal use vs paid), plus trial, education and startup access types. Plans are paid subscriptions bought in the Purchase Manager. The terms for commercial use are on Autodesk's licence pages, not in the help set. See the Personal use vs paid page.

2. Can I make money with the personal-use license? No. It is for non-commercial use only. Selling parts, designs, or client work needs a commercial or startup license. Read the current terms.

3. How many designs can I edit on the personal-use license? The release notes refer to a limit of 10 editable documents for personal users. How documents are made inactive is not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation.

4. What is the difference between Fusion and Fusion 360? Autodesk's current help calls the product Fusion. Older names are not covered in the help set. This guide says Fusion.

5. Does Fusion work offline? Yes, for a limited time. Click the Job Status icon and toggle Working Online to Working Offline. Offline mode is available for two weeks at a time, then you must reconnect and log in to validate the license. Cache designs, folders or projects first so they are available offline.

6. Which operating systems does Fusion run on? The help set mentions Windows and macOS (separate shortcut columns, a Windows-only Inventor mouse preset, Metal as the macOS default graphics driver). Supported versions and Linux support are not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation; check Autodesk's system requirements.

7. Can I run Fusion on a Chromebook or tablet? Autodesk documents a Fusion web client (not included with personal use or trial). Mobile or tablet apps are not covered in the help set consulted.

8. Do I need a powerful computer? Autodesk's help mirror does not publish requirements. As general guidance, a dedicated GPU and plenty of RAM help. See the Performance page.

9. Where is my data stored? In the Autodesk cloud, in a hub and project, with a local cache. Export archives for your own backups.

10. How do I back up my designs? Export a Fusion archive (.f3z) and a neutral format such as STEP, and store them outside the cloud (general guidance). Check Supported file formats for what your license can export.

Interface and navigation#

11. How do I orbit, pan, and zoom? By default (Fusion preset): middle mouse to pan, Shift plus middle mouse to orbit, roll the middle mouse button to zoom. Change Mouse setup (pan, zoom, orbit) in Preferences > General: Fusion, Alias, Inventor or SolidWorks.

12. My model disappeared. Where did it go? Check body visibility in the browser and make sure the timeline marker is at the end. Fit to window has no documented default key in Design (F6 is documented as Zoom to Fit in Electronics); use the Navigation Bar.

13. How do I find a command? Press S and type, or use the Commands index.

14. How do I change shortcuts? The help documents Electronics shortcuts (Design tab > Shortcuts button > New/Edit/Delete). A Design-workspace "Change Keyboard Shortcut" command is not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation. See the Keyboard shortcuts page.

15. What is the marking menu? The radial menu that appears when you right-click and hold in the canvas.

16. How do I change units? Set the document default in Document Settings in the browser, and the default for new designs in Preferences. See the Units pages in Getting Started and Parametric Design.

17. Why is Y or Z up, and can I change it? Fusion has a default modeling orientation setting in Preferences (Y up or Z up). Changing it affects new designs; existing designs keep their own setting.

18. How do I hide something? Click the lightbulb next to a body or sketch in the browser.

19. What is the Data Panel? The cloud file browser. Toggle it from the Application Bar.

20. Can I use a trackpad? The release notes add orbit for Windows touchpads with Shift plus a two-finger swipe (September 2026 build). A Gesture preset is not listed in the Preferences reference.

Sketching#

21. Why is my sketch blue and not black? Blue means under-constrained, black means fully constrained. Add dimensions and constraints. See Fully constrained sketches.

22. Why won't my profile extrude? The sketch is open, has gaps, or has overlapping curves. See the Failure recipes page.

23. How do I make a line the exact length I want? Press D (Sketch Dimension) and dimension it. Typing the length while drawing is not confirmed in the shortcuts reference.

24. What is the difference between construction and normal lines? Construction lines guide the sketch but do not create profiles. Toggle with X.

25. What does Project do? It brings existing geometry into the active sketch as reference. See Project and include.

26. How do I import a DXF or SVG into a sketch? Use Insert > Insert DXF or Insert SVG and pick a sketch plane. See Text and imports.

27. Why did my sketch change shape when I edited a dimension? It was under-constrained, so elements moved freely. Fully constrain it.

Solid and parametric modeling#

28. What is the timeline? A bar of recorded features showing the order they were created. You can roll back and edit. See the Timeline page.

29. Can I turn off history? Yes; see the Model section of Autodesk help for the design history setting. The exact location is not confirmed here.

30. Difference between a body and a component? A body is geometry; a component is a container that can hold bodies, sketches, and joints, and is required for joints and independent motion. See Components vs bodies.

31. How do I make a hole with threads? Use the Hole command and its thread options. See Hole and thread.

32. Why did my fillet fail? Usually radius too large or edge order. See the Failure recipes page.

33. How do I mirror a body? Use Create > Mirror, pick the body, pick the plane.

34. What is Press Pull? A direct-edit command (Q) that moves faces or extrudes profiles. See Press Pull.

35. How do I make equal spacing patterns? Use Rectangular or Circular Pattern with Distribution set to Extent or Spacing.

36. What are parameters? Named values that drive dimensions. See Parameters dialog.

37. How do I change a dimension later? Double-click the feature in the timeline, or edit the parameter in Change Parameters.

38. Can I use equations in dimension fields? Yes, such as width / 2 or 5 mm + clearance. See Units and expressions.

39. Can I make a part family or variants? Yes, with Configurations (the Configure tab; some features such as Configuration Rules number lists are noted as Design Extension in the release notes). See Configurations.

Assemblies#

40. How do I assemble parts? Create components, add joints, and ground one. See Joints.

41. Why do my parts move when I drag one? They are not grounded or joints are loose. Ground a base component. See Rigid groups and grounding.

42. What is an as-built joint? A joint that keeps components where they currently are. See As-built joints.

43. Where do I get standard fasteners? Insert > Insert McMaster-Carr Component. See McMaster-Carr and standard content.

44. Can I link parts between files? Yes, with external references. See External references.

45. How do I make a BOM? Use the BOM tool in Design or a parts list in a drawing. See BOM and parts lists.

Surface, mesh, and import/export#

46. Can I import STL files and edit them? Yes, as meshes; to edit as solids convert them. See Mesh to B-Rep.

47. Which file formats can I export? The list depends on your license: see Autodesk's Supported file formats table, which has Personal Use and Export columns. A blank Personal Use cell means the format needs a commercial subscription.

48. What format do I send to a 3D printer? STL or 3MF are common; many slicers also read STEP. Use Make > 3D Print where available.

49. What format do I use for laser cutting? DXF or SVG from a sketch, flat pattern, or drawing.

50. How do I export a drawing as PDF? Use the Drawing workspace's Output or Export commands. See Export PDF, DWG, DXF.

51. Why is my STL faceted? Increase the refinement in the 3D print or export dialog.

52. Why does imported geometry have no history? Imports are dumb solids. Use direct tools or rebuild features.

Rendering, simulation, manufacturing, drawing#

53. How do I render? Use the Render workspace. See In-canvas render.

54. Is rendering free? Not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation for personal use. Cloud computing services are covered under Cloud Credits and Flex tokens.

55. Is simulation available on personal use? Not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation. The Simulation Extension includes simulation and generative design technologies; extension options depend on your Fusion access type. See Personal use vs paid.

56. How do I cut a part on a CNC? Use the Manufacture workspace with a setup and toolpaths. The Manufacturing Extension adds 3- to 5-axis machining, nesting and fabrication, and metal additive.

57. How do I create a drawing? From the Design workspace, use File > New Drawing > From Design, or the equivalent. See Drawing workspace overview.

58. Why is my drawing view blank? Views need the design saved and accessible; refresh or reselect the design.

59. How do I put a screw hole to scale for printing? Add clearance with user parameters. See User parameters and equations.

Troubleshooting#

60. Fusion crashes. What do I do? Follow the escalation ladder in Crashes, bugs, and cache clearing.

61. I cannot sign in. See Sign-in, licensing, and sync problems.

62. A command is missing or grayed out. Check workspace, active environment, license, and extension entitlement (the About dialog has a Refresh button for licenses).

63. Why is it slow? See Performance tuning.

64. How do I recover an earlier version? Use Version History in the Data Panel.

65. Can I get help from people? Yes, the Autodesk forums and communities. See Learning resources.

66. How do I report a bug? Reproduce with a minimal file and post on the forum or contact support.

Tips and pitfalls#

Tip: When you cannot find an answer, search the Autodesk forum with the command name and the word "Fusion". Many questions have an official reply.

Warning: Do not trust old tutorials blindly. Menus and features have moved. Compare screenshots with your version.

Tip: Build a personal FAQ in a notes app as you learn. Note the question, answer, and the date. It will outlast this page.

Warning: For licensing or legal questions, do not rely on any third-party summary (including this guide). Read Autodesk's current terms.

Options reference#

Practice exercise#

1. Pick ten questions above that you did not know the answer to.
2. Look up each in Fusion or in the linked page and confirm the answer for your version.
3. Annotate any that differ and mark them with the date.

Expected result: you have a verified, personalized FAQ and know where to look when a question is not here.

Related#

• Glossary (this section)
• Personal use vs paid (this section)
• Learning resources (this section)
• Licenses and plans (Getting Started)