Guide to Using FX Draw Tools and System Requirements
If you have ever tried to draw a neat maths diagram in an ordinary word processor, you will know how frustrating it can be. FX Draw Tools is designed to remove that pain and give you a dedicated workspace where lines, angles, graphs and diagrams behave the way maths teachers and students expect. Before diving into the tools, it helps to make sure your computer and hardware are set up so the software runs smoothly.
System Requirements for FX Draw Tools
- Supported operating systems: FX Draw Tools is fully tested on modern Windows editions, with official support for Windows 10 and later, and many builds also running well on Windows 7, 8 and 11 in both 32‑bit and 64‑bit versions. Some bundles and MultiDocs components highlight best results when combined with recent versions of Microsoft Word, especially Word 2007 or newer.
- Recommended processor (CPU): For comfortable everyday use, aim for at least a dual‑core processor such as an Intel Core i3 or comparable AMD chip, which is more than enough for drawing, graphing and handling multiple diagrams in a document. In practice, any reasonably modern teaching laptop or desktop should be powerful enough unless it is already struggling with office applications.
- Memory (RAM) requirements: A system with 4 GB of RAM is generally recommended as a minimum for smooth use, especially when FX Draw Tools is running alongside Word, PowerPoint and a browser; 8 GB or more provides extra headroom if you habitually leave many applications open. Higher memory is particularly helpful when working with large, image‑heavy documents or several FX Draw diagrams at once.
- Storage space: The program itself is quite compact, typically requiring well under 1 GB of free disk space for installation, with a few hundred megabytes often quoted as sufficient for current versions. However, it is wise to keep a bit of extra space available for saved diagrams, templates and backups of your teaching documents.
- Keyboard: A full‑size keyboard, whether on a laptop or separate USB model, makes a noticeable difference when entering function definitions, parameters and labels. Being able to type quickly while switching between tools keeps your workflow smooth, especially when creating many similar questions.
- Mouse or pointing device: A precise mouse (wired or wireless) is strongly recommended, as it allows accurate placement of points, lines and objects, which is harder to achieve using a trackpad alone. Some teachers also enjoy using a graphics tablet or pen display for sketching with FX Sketch, but this is optional rather than essential.
- Display and resolution: A screen with at least 1366×768 resolution is workable, but a full HD display (1920×1080) or higher gives you more space for toolbars, the drawing canvas and your “container” app (such as Word) side by side. This extra room is particularly pleasant when building MultiDocs or complex worksheets with many diagrams.
- Office software and integration: For the smoothest workflow, pair FX Draw Tools with a modern version of Microsoft Word or a similar word processor, as the software is optimised to place and later edit diagrams inside such documents. If your school uses Word heavily, consider installing FX Draw Tools on the same machines to make inserting diagrams a single‑click action.
Main Tools and Features of FX Draw Tools
When you first open FX Draw, it can look like “just another drawing program”. The real magic appears once you realise that almost every button hides a small family of maths‑aware tools. If you are new, the goal is simple: learn where the core tools live and how to pick the right one quickly, without getting lost in the options.
- Main toolbar buttons: Each of the 15 or so buttons on the left is a “container” for related tools. If you click the small triangle on a button, a dropdown opens with more specific tools (for example, different line types, triangles, quadrilaterals or conics). Choose the tool you want from the dropdown, then draw directly on the canvas using click‑and‑drag.
- Selection tool: Selecting a figure lets you move, resize, rotate or edit it. You can either click directly on a line or object, or drag a rectangle around one or more figures. Selected items show coloured control points you can drag to adjust size, shape or orientation.
- GAD – Geometrically Aware Drawing: GAD is the brain behind FX Draw’s geometric tools. With GAD turned on, the program “senses” important points (midpoints, intersections, angle vertices) and shows small markers, so new lines or shapes automatically snap to those mathematically significant spots. This is what keeps your constructions precise.
- Angle and marking tools: The angle tool does not draw rays; it marks and measures angles that already exist in your diagram. First create the lines, then choose the one‑click angle tool and move your mouse until FX Draw detects an angle. Click to add an angle mark and measurement, which updates automatically if you move the lines.
- Line and polygon tools: Under the line, rectangle and triangle buttons, you will find tools for standard lines, directed networks, polygons, squares and other common shapes. Click your chosen tool, then click‑and‑drag to draw. Control points appear for adjusting vertices and lengths precisely once you select the figure.
- Fill and shading tools: Closed shapes “know” how to fill themselves. Select a rectangle, polygon or region, go to the Fill toolbar and pick the fill style, colour and opacity you want. You can even move the fill within the shape and change it later, because FX Draw treats shading as something you can re‑edit, not a one‑time action.
- Compass and arc tools (secret power feature): The built‑in compass tools let you work almost exactly like a real pair of compasses. First, set the radius by clicking a centre and a point on the circumference. After that, each click creates a circle (or arc) with that radius, perfect for repeated constructions such as congruent circles or arcs in classical geometry.
- Function graphing tool: One of the toolbar buttons opens a function graphing mode. Sweep out a rectangle on the canvas to define the graph area, then enter functions to plot. You can switch between Cartesian, polar or parametric graphs and adjust axes, scales and styles from the properties panel.
- Marked point and annotation tools: The marked point tool can drop simple points (A, B, C, …) or automatically add labels as you drag. For more detailed labels, hover over a figure to show its information, right‑click and choose to add an annotation. This is a quick way to label sides, angles or lengths without manually typing text boxes.
- Grouping and ungrouping objects (secret workflow booster): When you create a diagram made of many pieces, select all the parts and use the Group option (or keyboard shortcut) to treat them as one object. You can then move, rotate or resize the entire construction in one step. Ungroup later if you need to edit components individually.
- Galleries and reusable diagrams: The gallery features allow you to save commonly used diagrams (for example, standard triangles, grids or exam layout elements) and insert them into new documents. Over time, this becomes a personal library of ready‑to‑use diagrams that saves a huge amount of drawing time.
Tips for Mastering FX Draw Tools to Become Proficient
Once you understand the basic tools, the next step is to make FX Draw feel natural and fast, so you can build diagrams almost without thinking. The aim here is to turn common actions into simple habits, using a mix of workflow tricks and a few essential shortcuts.
Key Habits for Faster Diagramming
- Start with one tool family at a time: Focus on lines and polygons first, then move on to angles, filling regions and finally graphing, instead of trying to learn everything in one go.
- Use GAD intelligently, not all the time: Keep Geometrically Aware Drawing on for precise constructions, but temporarily disable it when you just need a quick freehand layout so the snapping does not get in your way.
- Build a personal gallery of favourites: Every time you finish a diagram you are likely to reuse (grids, standard triangles, number lines), save a clean version to your gallery so future worksheets become drag‑and‑drop instead of redraw‑from‑scratch.
- Practise editing properties, not redrawing: Get used to right‑clicking figures (or using the properties button) to change line thickness, arrows, fills or labels, instead of deleting and starting again.
- Group complex diagrams: After finishing a multi‑part construction, group the pieces so you can move, resize or reuse the whole thing easily; ungroup only when you need to tweak details.
- Combine FX Draw with Word or PowerPoint layouts: Keep FX Draw open while editing documents, and alternate between inserting new diagrams and editing existing ones, so the two tools feel like one workflow.
- Watch short official video chapters: The “Introduction to FX Draw” video series is split into small lessons (dropdown toolbars, GAD, filling regions, galleries), which makes it easier to master one concept at a time during short practice sessions.
Essential Shortcuts Table
Here is a simple shortcut‑style table for smoother use (these may vary slightly by system, but the pattern is helpful):
| Action | Shortcut / Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Select multiple figures | Ctrl + click each figure | Adds or removes figures from the selection |
| Select by rectangle | Click‑drag around figures | Everything inside the rectangle is selected |
| Open properties of figure | Right‑click figure | Edit style, fill, labels, grid, etc. |
| Group selected figures | Group command/button | Treats many objects as one, easier to move/resize |
| Ungroup figures | Ungroup command/button | Breaks a group back into individual pieces |
We are now three steps into our lesson plan (setup, main tools, and mastery tips), so you are over halfway towards using FX Draw confidently. Next we will look at common usage errors and troubleshooting.
FX Draw Tools Price Comparison
Here's a list of FX Draw Tools prices on various platforms (Marketplaces).
| Shop | Price |
|---|---|
 |
$29.99 |
 |
$24.99 |
 |
$19.99 |
 |
$9.99 |
Available Payment Methods
- Paypal
- Credit/Debit Card
- Crypto (BTC, USDT, and more)
Limited Time Offer!
Get the best price on FX Draw Tools.
| Product | Price | Promo |
|---|---|---|
| FX Draw Tools 2019 | $39.99 | $9.99 |
| FX Draw Tools 2020 | $49.99 | $19.99 |
| FX Draw Tools 2021 | $59.99 | $24.99 |
| FX Draw Tools 2023 | $69.99 | $29.99 |
| FX Draw Tools 2024 | $79.99 | $34.99 |
| FX Draw Tools 2025 | $89.99 | $39.99 |
| FX Draw Tools v21.10 | $119.99 | $49.99 |
Visit the Store to find out more about FX Draw Tools!
Usage Errors and Troubleshooting in FX Draw Tools
Even though FX Draw Tools is quite friendly, there are a few common mistakes that can slow you down or make diagrams behave in unexpected ways. The good news is that most of them are easy to avoid once you know what to look for.
Common Errors Explained
- Error: Drawing without selecting the right tool first
Beginners often try to draw straight away and wonder why nothing appears, or why the wrong object is created. Always check which tool is active on the toolbar before you start clicking and dragging.
- Error: Forgetting GAD is turned on (or off)
Geometrically Aware Drawing can cause lines to “snap” to points you did not intend, or, if turned off, can make it hard to line things up precisely. Knowing whether GAD is currently active avoids many “wonky” diagrams.
- Error: Redrawing instead of editing properties
Many new users delete a figure and redraw it just to change thickness, colour or labels. This wastes time and breaks carefully aligned constructions.
- Error: Mixing up selection and drawing actions
Clicking on the canvas with a drawing tool selected will create new objects when you only meant to select or move existing ones. This often leaves stray points and lines scattered around the page.
- Error: Inserting diagrams into Word as static images only
If you paste or insert diagrams in a way that breaks the link back to FX Draw, you lose the ability to edit them later, which is frustrating when you need to tweak an exam or worksheet.
Troubleshooting Table: Errors and Solutions
| Error | What typically happens | Simple solution |
|---|---|---|
| Using the wrong tool | Shapes or lines appear that you did not expect | Glance at the active toolbar button before drawing; change to the correct tool first |
| GAD causing unwanted snapping | Lines “jump” to points or angles are hard to place freely | Toggle GAD off for free placement; turn it back on for precise constructions |
| Redrawing for small changes | Time wasted, layout becomes inconsistent | Right‑click and edit properties (style, fill, labels) instead of deleting |
| Creating instead of selecting | Extra stray objects appear on the canvas | Switch to the selection tool when you want to move or resize existing figures |
| Non‑editable diagrams in Word | You cannot reopen a diagram to edit it | Insert diagrams using the FX Draw integration so they remain editable |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Hardware and Workflow
No, FX Draw Tools is quite light; any reasonably modern Windows machine with at least a dual‑core processor, around 4 GB of RAM and a few hundred megabytes of free storage is usually enough for smooth everyday use alongside Word or PowerPoint.
FX Draw Tools is intended for modern Windows environments, with official documentation emphasising current Windows versions and integration with recent editions of Microsoft Word as the best‑supported setup.
A reliable mouse (or graphics tablet if you enjoy sketching), a full‑size keyboard, and a screen with at least HD resolution all help with placing points accurately, entering labels quickly and keeping the canvas and toolbars visible at the same time.
New users are usually encouraged to start with selection, lines, polygons and angle‑marking, then move on to grids, filling regions and simple graphing using the main toolbar and dropdown variations of each tool.
Yes, focusing on one tool family at a time, practising editing properties instead of redrawing, and following the short official training videos or playlist gives most users a “clicking point” within a couple of focused sessions.
Typical errors include drawing with the wrong tool selected, forgetting whether GAD snapping is on or off, and inserting diagrams into Word in ways that stop them being editable later, all of which can be prevented by checking the active tool, the GAD status and using the recommended integration options.
Efofex provides an online reference manual, a support FAQ and a structured video series that together cover everything from basic selection and GAD to galleries, grouping and more advanced constructions.
Yes, many teachers and tutors use it as a kind of “digital board” with a projector or screen share, constructing and adjusting diagrams live to illustrate concepts during one‑to‑one or small‑group teaching.