Top 30 LightBurn Tips and Tricks to Speed Up Productivity

Whether you're just getting started or already cutting like a boss, mastering LightBurn can seriously streamline your laser workflow. These 30 productivity-boosting tips are organized from beginner to advanced—so you can level up no matter where you are on your laser journey. And if you want even more pro tips, we’ve got 20 bonus tricks waiting for you over on Patreon.

🟢 BEGINNER: Getting Comfortable & Confident

1. Understand Selection Behavior

• Left to right drag selects everything the box touches.

• Right to left drag selects only fully enclosed objects.

2. Pan Your Canvas Like a Pro

• Use the middle mouse button or Space + drag to move around.

• Hit Ctrl+0 (Win) or Cmd+0 (Mac) to zoom to your workspace.

3. Right-Click a Layer to Blink It

Temporarily isolate objects on a layer by right-clicking that layer—LightBurn will make those items blink.

4. Frame Before You Fire

Always use the Frame button before starting a job:

• Use "Move Laser To" > Top Right of design

• Box Frame frames the whole square boundary

• Rubber Band Frame hugs the shape’s contours

5. Use 'Cut Selected Graphics'

Toggle this on to cut or engrave only what’s selected—great for multi-part jobs or quick edits.

6. Zoom In/Out With Scroll Wheel

Zooms around your cursor (not the canvas center). Handy for precision work.

7. Group & Ungroup

• Ctrl+G = Group

• Ctrl+U = Ungroup Perfect for moving and editing multiple items quickly.

8. Preview is Essential

Always click Preview before sending to your laser to check cut order, travel time, and results.

9. Get the Right Measurement Units

Go to Edit > Settings > Units & Grids and choose inches for layout, mm/sec for speed.

10. Material Test Grids Are Game-Changers

Use test grids to dial in ideal settings for new materials. Save material, time, and headaches.

11. Lock Aspect Ratio

Click the lock icon to maintain proportions. Grab corners to scale with ratio locked.

12. Rotate Objects in Increments

Hold Shift while rotating to snap to 15° or 45°—ideal for clean alignments.

13. Practice on Cardboard First

Run test cuts on scrap cardboard before burning through good materials. Cheap, easy, and safe!

14. Use the Art Library

Save reusable elements like logos, tags, and jigs for quick drag-and-drop into future projects.

15. Use Keyboard Shortcuts Often

• Ctrl+C = Copy

• Ctrl+X = Cut

• Ctrl+V = Paste (wherever your cursor is)

• Ctrl+D = Duplicate

• Ctrl+Z = Undo

• Ctrl+S = Save

• ESC = Switch to selection tool

🟡 INTERMEDIATE: Workflow, Efficiency & Power Moves

16. Use Layers to Organize Workflow

Assign colors by function: Red = Cut, Blue = Score, Black = Engrave. Stay organized!

17. Create Grid Arrays

Use Tools > Array to lay out rows and columns of repeated designs—great for tags, coasters, or production runs.

18. Customize Optimization Settings

Cut inner shapes first so pieces fall out cleanly. Use path optimization to reduce laser travel time.

19. Create and Use Material Libraries

Store your ideal speed/power combos by material. Easily reuse and adjust based on your machines.

20. Use Print & Cut for Alignment

Perfect for:

• Lining up pre-printed items

• Oversized pass-through projects

• Re-aligning after a missed cut

21. Score Registration Marks on All Files

Add crosshairs to your files so you can re-align if needed. Great backup if a cut doesn’t finish clean.

22. Use Cut Order Priority

Right-click shapes and assign cut priority—manually control the order for precision.

23. Use the Offset Tool

Quickly make outlines, backers, or framed borders. Huge time saver for ornaments and signs.

24. Tab Cuts for Small Pieces

Use manual tabs only to hold pieces in place during cutting. No more tiny parts falling through the honeycomb!

25. PRO TIP: Clear the Bed Quickly

Use Offset + Tabs to create a frame that holds all your tiny parts in place. Lift it out in one go.

🔴 ADVANCED: Pro Productivity & Power User Tools

26. Use Variable Text for Personalization

Use CSV files to auto-fill names, numbers, etc. on items like medals, keychains, or school supplies.

27. Set Up Multiple Devices

Run multiple lasers from the same LightBurn install. Quickly toggle between machines.

28. Use the Cut Shapes Tool

Tools > Cut Shapes lets you:

• Split designs to fit your bed

• Crop artwork without re-editing the file

29. Build a Jig to Skip Framing

Cut a full-bed-sized rectangle into MDF. Align all new designs to the lower-left—skip framing completely!

30. Start Where You Left Off

Had a power outage or pause mid-job? Use Preview > Start Here to resume from any point in the job timeline.

🌟 Want Even More?

We’ve packed another 20 expert LightBurn tips into a bonus spreadsheet—available right now on our Patreon:
🔗 Laser Nerd Alert: Bonus LightBurn Tips on Patreon