How to Set Drawing Scale in LibreOffice Draw

Configuring drawing scale ratios such as 1:50 or 1:100 in LibreOffice Draw allows you to create accurate floor plans, technical schematics, and scaled diagrams. This guide explains how to access the application settings to define predefined or custom scale ratios, adjust unit measurements, and ensure dimension lines accurately reflect real-world proportions on your canvas.

Accessing the Scale Settings

LibreOffice Draw manages drawing scales at the application preferences level rather than per individual object.

  1. Open LibreOffice Draw.
  2. Navigate to the options menu:
    • Windows / Linux: Click Tools in the top menu bar and select Options.
    • macOS: Click LibreOffice in the application menu bar and select Preferences.
  3. In the left-hand sidebar of the Options window, expand the LibreOffice Draw section.
  4. Select General.

Setting the Drawing Scale Ratio

Once inside the General settings pane:

  1. Locate the Scale section on the right side of the window.
  2. Click the dropdown menu next to Drawing scale.
  3. Select your desired standard ratio, such as 1:50 or 1:100.
  4. If your target scale is not in the predefined list, type the custom ratio directly into the field (e.g., entering 1:25 or 1:500).
  5. Directly above the scale setting, ensure the Unit of measurement (such as Centimeter, Millimeter, or Inch) is set to match your project requirements.
  6. Click OK or Apply to save the changes.

Verifying Scale with Dimension Lines

After applying the drawing scale, standard shapes and measurement tools will automatically calculate lengths according to the selected ratio:

  1. Click and hold the Lines and Arrows icon on the main toolbar to open the dropdown palette.
  2. Select the Dimension Line tool.
  3. Click and drag on your page to measure an object or distance.
  4. The dimension line will display the scaled real-world distance rather than the physical page measurement (for example, a 2 cm line on the screen will read as 1 m or 2 m depending on whether a 1:50 or 1:100 scale is applied).