How to Copy and Paste Sketch Elements in FreeCAD

Copying and pasting sketch elements within FreeCAD can be done directly inside an active sketch using built-in transformation tools, across different sketches using standard keyboard shortcuts, or via the Carbon Copy feature. This guide covers the quickest, most reliable methods to duplicate geometry and constraints within the same FreeCAD document.

Method 1: Duplicate Elements Within the Same Sketch

To copy specific lines, arcs, or shapes inside an open sketch without leaving edit mode:

  1. Double-click your sketch in the tree view to enter Edit Mode.
  2. Select the geometry elements you want to duplicate. You can click individual lines while holding Ctrl or drag a selection box around them.
  3. In the Sketcher toolbar, locate the transformation tools dropdown (often grouped under the Clone or Rectangular Array icon).
  4. Click the Clone or Copy tool (available in FreeCAD 0.20 and later).
  5. Click in the 3D viewport to specify the base point, move your cursor to the desired location, and click again to place the copied elements.

Note: Cloned geometry retains dimensional relationships relative to the original, while copied geometry creates independent elements.

Method 2: Copy and Paste Between Different Sketches

To duplicate elements from one sketch into another sketch within the same document:

  1. Double-click the source sketch to enter Edit Mode.
  2. Select the geometry you want to transfer.
  3. Press Ctrl + C (or Cmd + C on macOS) to copy the selection.
  4. Close the source sketch by clicking Close in the Tasks panel.
  5. Create a new sketch or double-click an existing target sketch to open it.
  6. Press Ctrl + V (or Cmd + V on macOS). The elements, along with their internal constraints, will paste into the active sketch at their original coordinates.

Method 3: Use the Carbon Copy Tool

The Carbon Copy tool is ideal when you need to replicate an entire sketch's geometry into a new sketch on a different plane or location:

  1. Create and open your new, empty target sketch.
  2. In the Sketcher toolbar, click the Create Carbon Copy tool.
  3. In the 3D view or the Tree View, click on the existing source sketch you wish to duplicate.
  4. All geometry and constraints from the original sketch will be copied into your active sketch.
  5. Hold Ctrl when clicking to make the constraints independent, or leave it as default to maintain linked dimensions between the two sketches.