Tips and Tricks
LightBurn is packed with tools that speed up the process of getting from idea to finished product. We've listed some of our most useful learning tools and workflow optimization features below — check them out to become a LightBurn ace.
Click a header below to jump to a page with additional or related information.
Tooltips and Topic-Aware Help¶
To help users learn how to use LightBurn, we've included Tooltips and a Topic-Aware Help feature in the software.
Tooltips are brief descriptions of the action a tool performs. To reveal a Tooltip, briefly hover your cursor over anything you'd like to learn more about.
When you press F1 while hovering over a tool, LightBurn's Topic-Aware Help function launches the relevant documentation page in your default web browser.
Note
If you're using a Mac, hold the Fn key while pressing F1.
Quick Tip Videos¶
Check out our YouTube channel to see dozens of short videos with tips and tricks for using LightBurn effectively.
We're always producing new videos with time-saving tips — be sure to subscribe while you're there so you never miss out.
Single-Key Align Tool Shortcuts¶
You can perform most of the Align commands with single-key shortcuts when the Workspace — the area where you create and edit graphics — is in active focus.
What does it mean for a window to be in focus?
There are several windows in LightBurn that accept user input — when a window is clicked on, it is in focus, and accepting input.
If a window other than the Edit Window is in focus, click anywhere in the Workspace to bring it into focus.
| Align Option | Icon | Action | Hotkey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Align Vertical Centers |  |
Aligns selected objects along their vertical centers. | C |
| Align Horizontal Centers |  |
Aligns selected objects along their horizontal centers. | E |
| Align Left |  |
Aligns selected objects along their left edges. | L |
| Align Right |  |
Aligns selected objects along their right edges. | R |
| Align Bottom |  |
Aligns selected objects along their bottom edges. | B |
| Align Top |  |
Aligns selected objects along their top edges. | T |
Arrow Key Nudging Modifiers¶
You can use your keyboard's arrow keys to move objects in your Workspace by set increments.
These hotkeys only work when you have objects selected and the Edit Window (Workspace) — the area where you create and edit graphics — is in focus.
What does it mean for a window to be in focus?
There are several windows in LightBurn that accept user input — when a window is clicked on, it is in focus, and accepting input.
If a window other than the Edit Window is in focus, click anywhere in the Workspace to bring it into focus.
- The Left, Right, Up, and Down arrow keys nudge your selection by 5 mm, by default.
- Hold Ctrl/Cmd while pressing an arrow key to nudge your selection 1 mm, by default.
- Hold Shift while pressing an arrow key to nudge your selection 20 mm, by default.
- Hold Ctrl/Cmd+Shift while pressing an arrow key to nudge your selection 0.1mm, by default. This value is always 1/10th of the Ctrl/Cmd nudge increment.
You can adjust the nudge distance of each arrow key and modifier in the Units and Grids tab of the Settings window, under Shape Move Increments.
Single-Key Rotation Shortcuts¶
You can rotate objects by set increments using hotkeys.
These hotkeys only work when you have objects selected and the Edit Window/Workspace — the area where you create and edit graphics — is in focus.
What does it mean for a window to be in focus?
There are several windows in LightBurn that accept user input — when a window is clicked on, it is in focus, and accepting input.
If a window other than the Edit Window is in focus, click anywhere in the Workspace to bring it into focus.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Rotate 90° clockwise | . | . |
| Rotate 90° counterclockwise | , | , |
| Rotate 45° clockwise | Shift+. | Shift+. |
| Rotate 45° counterlockwise | Shift+, | Shift+, |
| Rotate 15° clockwise | Ctrl+. | Cmd+. |
| Rotate 15° counterclockwise | Ctrl+, | Cmd+, |
| Rotate 5° clockwise | Ctrl+Shift+. | n/a |
| Rotate 5° counterclockwise | Ctrl+Shift+, | n/a |
Tab Key Selection Cycling¶
Press Tab to cycle your selection sequentially through objects or Grouped objects in your Workspace.
Sequence is determined by the order in which the objects were created.
Automatic Guidelines¶
LightBurn features two types of automatic guidelines to help you align objects relative to one another, or along vertical or horizontal planes.
-
Alignment Guides are temporary visual guides that indicate when an object's edge or center is aligned to an edge or center of another object in your Workspace.
-
Draggable Guidelines are persistent lines set to the T1 Tool layer — they are perfectly vertical or horizontal by default, and you can snap other objects to them.
Snapping¶
LightBurn's automatic Snapping tools help align objects to other shapes in your Workspace, or to the Workspace grid itself — when you move objects close to a valid location, they will snap to that point.
As you hover your cursor over an object, the icon will change to indicate when it is over a node, line, midpoint, center, or intersection. Use these Snapping points when selecting, moving, or creating objects to ensure exact alignment.
| Snapping Point | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Node |  |
The cursor is over any node in a vector graphic, or the corner of an image. |
| Midpoint |  |
The cursor is over the exact halfway point between two nodes. |
| Center |  |
The cursor is over the center point of an object. |
| Intersection | |
The cursor is over the intersection of two lines. |
| Line |  |
The cursor is over a line, but not a node, midpoint, or intersection on that line. |
Number Pad Jogging¶
You can use a keypad to Jog your laser. In order to use keypad Jogging, you must enable Numlock on your keyboard, and the Edit Window / Workspace — the area where you create and edit graphics — must be in focus.
What does it mean for a window to be in focus?
There are several Windows and Toolbars in LightBurn that accept user input — when a window is clicked on, it is in focus and accepting input.
If a window other than the Edit Window is in focus, click anywhere in the Workspace to bring it into focus.
Each press will move your laser by amount entered in the Distance field, at the rate set in the Speed field. If Continuous Jog is enabled, the laser will Jog until you release the key.
Galvo Framing Mode Nudging, Rotating, and Rescaling¶
If you're using a Galvo laser, you can use your keyboard to nudge, rotate, and rescale graphics while framing.
| Key(s) | Result |
|---|---|
| Left / Right / Up / Down | Move graphics by 1 mm |
| Shift + arrow keys | Move graphics by 5 mm |
| Ctrl + arrow keys | Move graphics by .2 mm |
| Page Up | Scale graphics up |
| Page Down | Scale graphics down |
| . (period) | Rotate graphics 15° clockwise |
| , (comma) | Rotate graphics 15° counter-clockwise |
| Shift+. (period) | Rotate graphics 5° clockwise |
| Shift+, (comma) | Rotate graphics 5° counter-clockwise |
| Ctrl+. (period) | Rotate graphics 45° clockwise |
| Ctrl+, (comma) | Rotate graphics 45° counter-clockwise |
If your keyboard doesn't have Page Up or Page Down, try using Fn+Up or Fn+Down.
Equation Support in Number Boxes¶
Each of the fields in the Numeric Edits Toolbar accepts equations — enter the appropriate symbols for addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), or division (/) and press Enter to perform a calculation.
The XPos, YPos, Width, and Height fields accept units of measurement as well.
If you are working in millimeters, but you want to create a shape that is 5 inches wide, you can enter 5in or 5" into the width field and LightBurn will convert it to millimeters for you.
This works in the opposite direction too — if you're working in inches, you can enter mm or cm and LightBurn will convert the values to inches.
Copy and Paste From Other Applications¶
You can copy text, vector graphics, and images from other design software, and paste them directly into your LightBurn Workspace.
Drag and Drop From the File Browser¶
Drag and drop graphics saved in supported file formats directly from your system's file browser into your LightBurn Workspace.
Automatic File Backups¶
LightBurn automatically saves backups of your projects as you work. Auto-saves are stored in the same location as you saved the original file, with _backup appended to their name. If you’ve never named a file, the auto-save will be in your computer's Documents folder.
You can adjust the frequency of auto-saves in your Settings.
Auto-Start a Job on Send¶
The Send button, if your laser supports it, transfers the current job to the laser as a named file, so you can select and run it from the laser's controller.
When you use Start, the controller begins running the job as soon as sufficient data has reached the controller. Using Send instead of Start can sometimes help prevent file corruption during transfer.
Hold Shift while clicking Send to have the laser immediately start the job after the entire project has been sent.
Note
The Send option is only available for DSP lasers.
Pause and Stop From the Keyboard(../Reference/LaserWindow.md#stop)¶
While your laser is running, you can use your keyboard's Pause key to Pause the laser and Ctrl+Break to Stop it. Break is typically on the same key as Pause, but more compact keyboards may not have this key.
Reset to Default Layout¶
Reset to Default Layout restores the layout of the full LightBurn window to the same format it was in when you first installed and opened LightBurn. If you've made lots of changes to your layout that you want to reverse all at once, or you've lost sight of the Laser Window, Cuts / Layers Window, Color Palette, or any other default windows or toolbars, use this option to get them back.
Resetting the layout doesn't reset anything else — your preferences, devices, and libraries are all preserved.
Go to Window → Reset to Default Layout to re-open and re-dock all default windows in their original order, while closing any that are not visible by default.
Holding Shift while clicking to open LightBurn will also reset the layout.
Load Preferences Backup¶
The Load Prefs Backup command allows you to import preferences from a timestamped list of automatic backups. Click a backup in the list to see the list of Devices available in that backup, on the right side of the window.
Click Load to restore the settings from the selected backup, or Cancel to close the window and maintain your current settings.
Reset to Default Settings¶
Follow these steps to restore LightBurn to the same settings as when you first installed — be aware that you will also lose any device profiles you've created in this process.
- Open LightBurn.
- Go to File → Open Prefs Folder.
- Close LightBurn.
- Delete the contents of the prefs folder, which should contain a pair of files called
prefs.iniandprefs.old. - Re-open LightBurn. All settings should be reset to default, and all devices will be removed.
That’s it. When you re-run you’ll be asked to set up your laser again, and everything will be as new.
Note
While this process can be helpful in cases where you have a great many incorrect settings and want to start over, we recommend trying Load Prefs Backup or Reset to Default Layout before a full reset.
Setting Up a New Computer¶
LightBurn has tools to help you move your settings and devices from an existing installation to a new computer without any hassle.
The migration process starts with exporting a User Bundle from the existing installation and importing it into the new installation.
For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.