Add only a subset of components to PCB in KiCad

Question

In the KiCad PCB Editor, when I click "Update PCB with changes made to schematic", all missing components are added to the PCB. How can I add only a specific selection of components? (For example only the ones that are selected in the Schematic Editor.)

The problem of adding all components at once is that they are not arranged like in the schematic, not even approximately, so arranging them takes a lot of time.

Answer 1

If you don't mind that footprints without symbols (if any) will be deleted:

• In the Schematic Editor, select the symbols you don't want to add. To do this, you can for example select all by pressing Ctrl+A, and then deselect the ones you want to add by holding Ctrl+Shift and drawing rectangles around them.
• Delete them. (Don't forget to undo this in the last step.)
• In the PCB Editor, click "Update PCB with changes made to schematic".
• Select "Delete footprints with no symbols".
• Click "Update PCB".
• Go back to the Schematic Editor and undo the deletion of the other symbols by pressing Ctrl+Z.