Open an autocad drawing

You can open AutoCAD drawings in Visio. We recommend this if you want to quickly open an AutoCAD file without concern for drawing scale.

AutoCAD versions supported

If you are a subscriber of Visio Plan 2, you can open a .dwg or .dxf file from AutoCAD versions 2007 through 2017. If you are not a subscriber, make sure to save the file as an AutoCAD 2007 .dwg or .dxf file before opening it.

Working at the same scale as AutoCAD

If you want to work in the same scale as the AutoCAD file, we recommend preparing for an AutoCAD import, and then importing it instead of opening it.

How to open a AutoCAD drawing

1. Click File > Open > Browse.

2. Next to the File name box, click the All Visio Files dropdown, and then select AutoCAD Drawing.

3. Find the .dwg or .dxf file on your computer, and then double-click it to open it.

   The AutoCAD file will appear as a new Visio drawing.

See Also

Introduction to working with AutoCAD drawings in Visio

Convert an AutoCAD drawing

Unlock an AutoCAD drawing

Change AutoCAD layer properties

Crop an AutoCAD drawing

Change the scale of a CAD drawing