LightBurn: Learn to Cut and Engrave Like a Pro in 2025

Explore the LightBurn user interface by navigating the main menu, toolbars, icons, panels, and the workspace to manage layers, objects, and laser settings.

Configure Lightburn after installation by adjusting beginner mode, smoothing edges, field rendering, and units to quickly start working, with options for millimeters or inches and snapping tools.

Increase efficiency with keyboard shortcuts in LightBurn. Use the version 1.3 hotkey editor to customize shortcuts, with search, export, and import options.

Import bitmap and vector image files into Lightburn to use ready-made logos and graphics in your projects, by selecting import from the file menu and opening the image.

Choose the selection tool from the left toolbar and click objects to select them. Hold shift to add objects, hold ctrl to deselect, and drag left-to-right or right-to-left to select.

Use the draw lines tool to set starting and ending points and connect nodes. Drag to create curved lines or press shift for vertical, horizontal, or 45-degree lines; then escape.

Master drawing rectangles, ellipses, and polygons in LightBurn using center-drag and from-center techniques. Adjust polygon sides in the Object Properties panel to create triangles, octagons, and other regular polygons.

Convert a square to a path, reveal and edit nodes, add and delete nodes with i and d, and create adjustable curves by dragging and point adjustments.

Explore the edit nodes extension to convert objects to paths, smooth nodes with s, turn curves into straights with l, and add nodes with m or i.

Draw overlapping circles with the Create Ellipse Tool, then select the cutaway sections of path tool from the left hand menu to remove lines at intersections, merging the circles.

Select the text tool, edit and format text in LightBurn, change font and size, adjust spacing and alignment, apply bold, uppercase, or italic styles, and transform with stretch, rotate, curve.

Use the text editing tool to create the letter m, set font and size, convert to a path, add nodes with I, flip the triangle, and adjust with arrow keys.

Align bottom edges with the arrange menu or Alt+down arrow, connect rectangles with a circle, weld the shapes, and measure distances with the measure tool (Alt+N) switching to inches.

Use offset shapes tool in LightBurn to create shifted copies around an object, choose internal or external offsets, and apply rounded, beveled, or corner styles for laser cutting and engraving.

Use the weld all selected shapes together tool to merge multiple closed, overlapping shapes into a single element, as demonstrated by stacking a circle over a square.

Combine two overlapping shapes into a single object using the boolean union (A+B) tool, preserving the total area and generating a new shape that covers the combined region.

Use the boolean difference tool to subtract one shape from another, overlapping a square and a polygon, then select both and apply the subtract (A-B) command from the left menu.

Learn how to create the overlapping portion of two shapes using boolean intersection by placing two circles, selecting both, and applying the boolean intersection tool.

Use the boolean assistant to perform path operations like difference and intersection on overlapping shapes, producing a new path as the result.

Create an array of the selected shapes lets you build repeating patterns from chosen objects, configuring columns, rows, spacing, and column offset to arrange specific items.

Use the circular array tool to duplicate objects around a center, set copies and degrees, and apply the array, starting with a triangle by drawing a polygon with three sides.

Learn to round corners quickly in LightBurn by using the click corners to round them tool, converting a square to a path, and dragging a blue handle to adjust curvature.

Group and ungroup objects in LightBurn to edit multiple elements together. Use the arrange menu or Ctrl+G/Ctrl+U to group, move, rotate, and scale while editing individual items.

Select an object or group, flip horizontal for a mirror image or flip vertical for a vertical reflection, and ungroup to apply inversion to a single element.

Select an object or group, then use the rotate option to set 90 degrees. Press the dot for clockwise rotation and the comma for counterclockwise rotation, applying to multiple objects.

Use the arrange menu to align and center multiple shapes, applying equalize centers, and left, right, top, or bottom edge alignment for precise layouts.

Distribute objects with equal spacing by centers or edges using horizontal and vertical distribution tools, including distribute horizontally and distribute centered vertically.

Lock selected shapes to keep the 90 by 90 mm square magnets unchanged while duplicating or creating a three by three array, then unlock to modify.

import a graphic, draw a polygon or ellipse to create a mask, assign it to auxiliary layer T1, and apply mask to the image to reveal a masked shape.

Explore LightBurn's four-point warp selection to adjust text and wall perspective, using control to drag corners for vertical symmetry and shift for horizontal symmetry.

Use the 16 point deformation tool to fit the inscription to the rounded side of a pizza slice, adjusting font size and point positions to align edges and center.

Use the two-point rotate tool to rotate triangles around a pivot, align and arrange them across layers, and drag corners to fit a hem.

Split ready made shapes into parts using the break apart command from the arrange menu to divide shapes into separate lines, such as a musical note.

Explore how to use Lightburn's copy along path feature to clone shapes along a path, adjusting copies, spacing, and rotation, with squares, circles, and a rectangle demonstrated.

Learn to adjust text to a path by bending subtitles into an arc or undulating curves, applying path to text, and previewing the result in the engraving workflow.

Learn to weld letters for connected text in Lightburn by using the welded option with negative horizontal area field, or convert to path, edit nodes, and apply boolean union.

Learn to quickly select all shapes on a specific cutting layer using the edit menu, then move or resize the selected elements across layers.

Use the cut shapes tool to divide a design into sections, enabling pieces larger than the laser area, and let the last selected closed shape serve as the cutting tool.

Organize laser projects with 30 layers plus two auxiliary layers, assign objects to layers, manage top-to-bottom order, and switch between line and fill modes for cut or engrave.

Compare fill layer and offset fill layer in LightBurn to see how engraving paths differ, and note how offset fill dramatically reduces time from 42 minutes to under 7.

Discover how sublayers let you apply different cut and burn settings on a single layer, enabling engraving and cutting with multi-level depth and up to 11 sublayers in a project.

Use air assist during cutting to improve quality and remove smoke and debris, while turning it off for engraving to prevent blown edges; adjust speed and air pressure.

Test raster images to optimize laser settings by running material-specific tests, then convert traced images into vectors to cut or engrave with chosen speed and power.

Use LightBurn's built in material test to generate a parameter sampler and discover the optimal laser power and speed for cutting three millimetres thick plywood with a ten-watt laser.

Explore how starting point choices affect engraving in LightBurn, with nine starts, a green start marker, and the laser head moving left to right and up to engrave a graphic.

learn to use lightburn variable text with a csv file to place dog names on a bone shape, referencing csv columns with percent signs and creating a five-by-five namesakes grid.

Learn to create a hotel room keychain using LightBurn by applying variable text to produce sequential numbers, assembling a house-shaped keyring with a hole and aligned engraving.

Discover how tabs and bridges let you cut one object from another while keeping the internal shape, and learn to create bookmarks, adjust spacing, and power settings in LightBurn.

Enable perforation mode to create fold lines by alternating cut and break values along a line, such as two-millimeter cut and one-millimeter break, aiding folds in paper or cardboard.

Create and manage graphics libraries by importing images, dragging thumbnails onto the canvas, and organizing separate libraries for engraving and cutting to speed up designs.

Generate qr codes with LightBurn's qr code generator. Create codes for content up to 2000 characters, wifi access, or contact details, then scan with a mobile code reader to verify.

Lightburn's cutting optimization settings streamline laser cutting by sorting by layer or group, prioritizing objects, selecting optimal starting points and directions, and removing overlapping lines to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Master draggable guidelines in LightBurn 1.5 to align shapes with horizontal and vertical snap lines, and manage guides by creating, grouping, locking, unlocking, deleting, and drawing shapes to size.

Position objects relative to each other with the alt key in LightBurn 1.5, snapping to guidelines, aligning top, bottom, left, and right edges, or centering one inside another for layouts.

Master corner modification in LightBurn 1.5 by using the new corner handle to adjust radii and concave rounding on rectangles, dragging horizontally or vertically to achieve precise shapes.

Learn to create polygons in LightBurn 1.5 with an extra handle to adjust number of sides, drag to decrease or increase sides, and use a clipping layer to increase transparency.

Use the taper warp tool in Lightburn 1.5 to correct engravings on conical objects, automatically calculating perspective corrections so designs like mountain engravings on a thermos stay undistorted.

Discover lightburn 1.6 changes with bug fixes, new corner rounding via control key and blue dot, and swap x y output for laser, plus device setting to switch workspace orientation.

Design a four-corner leaf decoration by creating a wheel, shaping leaves, and copying along a path with rotate copies, flips, and alignment, then connect shapes for a finished motif.

Create a decorative plaque in LightBurn by drawing a 30 cm by 15 cm rectangle, aligning centered text, and applying a negative corner radius of -20 to achieve concave corners.

Create a gift ticket in LightBurn by arranging snowflake, Christmas, tree, and gift images around 6 cm square and hexagon; center, cut a string hole, and engrave the name.

Design a Christmas tree bauble in LightBurn by arranging circle cutouts 10x10 cm and 12x12 cm, add tree, snowflake, star, and text, set cutting and engraving layers.

Design and engrave a mountain signpost by building a 200x100 mm rectangle, adding trail colors, text for peak and ascent time, and mounting holes with proper layers.

Create a box design using an online generator by setting millimeter units, internal or external dimensions, thicknesses, and open or closed options, then export an SVG and assign cutting layers.

Create a commemorative communion angel by resizing and centering the angel and symbol, adding a name and date, and outlining with offset shapes for engraving, cutting, and the base.

Learn to engrave a pen by defining a 60 by 6 mm area with a 3 mm margin, then position text using a center-left start and layer T2 for alignment.

Create a personalized pizza board in lightburn by drawing a 35 cm circle, centering upper text, adding a pizza image, converting to curves, and grouping for engraving.

Design a clock face in LightBurn, add a guitar image, arrange numbers 1–12 around the circle with the circular array tool, and assign to cutting and fill layers.

Design an educational clock in LightBurn by creating concentric circles, aligning and offsetting elements, and building circular arrays for 12 hours and 60 minutes with engraved numerals and 2400 hours.

Generate a 40 by 40 cm puzzle grid and export an SVG. Import into LightBurn, engrave and cut after gluing the image to plywood.

Design a multi-layer compass in LightBurn by creating concentric circles, assigning cutting and auxiliary layers, and using copy along path to form spokes, cardinal directions, and a compass rose.

In LightBurn, build a napkin holder by shaping a 150 mm wide by 50 mm high base and walls, array, align, group, and apply boolean operations to create a path.

design a three-dimensional chalice for first holy communion souvenir with an eight-wall base, a lid, a wafer element, and openwork side patterns; calculate plywood wall dimensions and assemble with glue.

design a 20 cm ruler by loading a file from the graphics library, placing a 202 mm wide by 40 mm high rectangle on the cutting layer, and adding graphics.

Personalize the LightBurn interface by resizing icons and fonts via the gear icon in the top panel and the left and right sliders in Programs General Settings across all panels.

Turn on the filled rendering option in the general settings (gear icon) to show filled shapes on the artboard; cutting-layer objects remain unfilled, and performance may slow on complex projects.

Learn to run LightBurn in multiple windows with version 1.4 or later by creating new windows from the file menu and switching between them.

Add notes to Lightburn projects by opening the show notes window via the file menu or ctrl+alt+n, then enter and save comments for automatic display.

Enable a custom job checklist in Lightburn to review laser speed, power, air, and focal length before starting a task, using device settings to edit and confirm it.

Close unclosed shapes in LightBurn by manual node editing or automatic closing with the close selected paths with tolerance command. Adjust the tolerance slider to join ends.

Learn to fix unclosed shapes to fill in LightBurn by previewing, stretching lines to enclose them, removing the original shape, and applying an offset.

Master precise scaling in LightBurn by resizing objects or entire projects using corners, or entering exact dimensions in millimeters, inches, or percentages to fit limited space.

Learn to rotate objects in lightburn with keyboard shortcuts: dot for 90° clockwise, comma for 90° counterclockwise, and shift or control for 45° or 15° in either direction.

Explore LightBurn's 'select shapes smaller than' feature by identifying and selecting figures smaller or equal to the active shape, with hands-on practice using circles, squares, and polygons.

learn to adapt a LightBurn design for different material thicknesses by resizing slots and depth, increasing indentations from 3 mm to 6 mm, and increasing pleats.

Learn to draw a star in LightBurn by turning a five-sided polygon into a path, flipping vertically, adding mid-side nodes with the i key, and shaping it on a layer.

Create a small circle, draw a regular polygon above it, flip vertically, form a five-copy circular array, then connect, ungroup, and remove inner elements to reveal the star.

Split the star, center the circle on the node, and copy along path to place circles evenly along the lines; then offset and ungroup to finalize holes without overlap.

Learn to create holes along the heart shape inside its edge using LightBurn tools. Use an auxiliary rectangle, boolean operations, copy along path, and external offset to craft the pattern.

Learn to copy objects along a path in LightBurn by selecting the path, using the set point tool, and applying copy along path to place items correctly.

Explore two offset break techniques for geometric shapes in LightBurn: triangular array with copies and boolean diff, and circular array with a circle and rectangle, followed by node adjustments.

Draw a circle, convert to path, edit nodes to remove one, press L to turn the curve into a straight line, creating a half circle.

Learn to draw a gear wheel in LightBurn by creating a 100 mm circle, 12 teeth, converting to paths, and using circle array and boolean joins.

Set the cutting starting point in Lightburn by converting the object to a path, selecting the set starting point tool, and choosing a node, then previewing to adjust direction.

Diagnose laser power loss by inspecting and cleaning the lens, possibly replacing it, and ensure the max rotation speed is set correctly in device settings, using 1000 instead of 255.

Learn to nest elements on plywood in LightBurn to maximize sheet usage, reduce waste and labor costs by arranging designs, adjusting spacing, and exporting optimized SVGs.

Organize the right panel in lightburn by grouping windows into tabs, dragging to create or select panels, and reordering tabs for a streamlined cutting and engraving workflow.

Learn to use automatic z-axis height adjustment to lower the laser head by 1 mm per pass, enabling deeper cuts through thicker materials like 20 mm plywood, with safe limits.

Verify dimension accuracy with a 200 mm square cut; calibrate the axis via Machine Settings and Axis Calibration, then retest with another 200 mm square to confirm and adjust.

Create a bee on a honeycomb by drawing a hexagon, setting five columns and five rows, and using offset shapes with the boolean assistant to subtract and refine the outline.