Open, insert, convert, and save DWG and DXF (AutoCAD) drawings (2024)

If you have AutoCAD objects that you would like to use in your Visio drawing, you can use Visio to open them and convert them to Visio shapes. You can also convert Visio drawings to AutoCAD files.

Note Microsoft Visio supports AutoCAD file formats in the following way: With Visio Plan 2, you can import a .dwg or .dxf file created from AutoCAD versions 2017 or prior. With Visio Standard or Professional, you can import a .dwg or .dxf file created from AutoCAD versions 2007 or prior. If you can’t open a. dwg or .dxf file, its file format may not be supported. As a workaround, in AutoCAD open the file, and then save it to a file format that your Visio product or plan supports. For more information, see How to save an AutoCAD drawing to a previous or older file format and DWG version history.

Open an AutoCAD drawing in Visio

1. SelectFile > Open.

2. Find the folder in which the drawing that you want is kept. Select the folder or selectBrowse.

3. Select the All Visio Files list, and then selectAutoCAD Drawing.

4. Browse to the file and selectOpen.

Insert a DWG or DXF file into an existing Visio diagram

1. On the Insert tab, selectCAD Drawing.

2. Browse to the file and selectOpen.

Convert DWG and DXF objects into Visio shapes

After you import or open an AutoCAD drawing, you can convert it into shapes that you can manipulate in Visio. Please note that converting to Visio shapes cannot be undone.

1. Select an empty space on the diagram to deselect anything that may be already selected.

2. Rest your cursor on the outside edge of the AutoCAD drawing until your cursor changes to this icon:
   

3. Right-click, and then selectCAD Drawing Object > Convert.

4. In the Convert CAD Object dialog box, select the AutoCAD layers you want to convert into Visio shapes.

5. SelectAdvanced for more options. For example, you can choose to delete the converted layers, convert dimensions into dimension shapes, or convert hatch line patterns into shapes.

When you convert a drawing in DWG or DXF format, you convert the last saved spatial view of the CAD drawing. A CAD drawing may have been saved in model space or paper space:

• Model spaceis the primary drawing workspace in which CAD drafters create drawings. When you convert a drawing saved in model space, all objects and text on the layers you select are converted into Visio shapes.

• Paper space is a workspace that is analogous to a sheet of paper, in which CAD drafters can arrange different views of the drawing.

  The following image shows a DWG drawing saved in paper space.

  

  The drawing contains two rectangular viewports. A viewport is a window into the three-dimensional CAD drawing. Each viewport can be set to a different scale or angle.

  When you convert a drawing saved in paper space, only the objects that are not cut off (clipped) by the edge of the viewport are converted into Visio shapes. Objects and text that are cut off are converted into lines. For example, a circle that is completely enclosed by a viewport is converted into a Visio circle shape. A circle that is clipped by the viewport is converted into a series of lines.

Save a Visio diagram as a DWG or DXF file

1. SelectFile > Save As.

2. Browse to find the location or folder where you want to save the drawing.

3. In the Save as type list, selectthe file type you want:

   • AutoCAD Drawing (*.dwg)

   • AutoCAD Interchange (*.dxf)

If your Visio file has more than one drawing page, you must save each page separately.

See also

Introduction to working with AutoCAD drawings in Visio

Prepare for an AutoCAD import

Import an AutoCAD drawing

Convert multiple AutoCAD drawings