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DWG DXF DWF Viewer
open AutoCAD 3D and 2D files

CATIA Siemens-NX CREO SolidWorks Solid Edge Autodesk Rhino JT STEP X_T DWG-DXF-DWF DGN-IFC PDF-PRC-U3D IGES-SAT-VDA DAE-FBX-glTF 3MF-STL PLY-3DS-WRL-OBJ

What are DWG, DXF and DWF files?

  • Files with the file extension DWG and DXF are native files of the CAD/CAM software Autodesk AutoCAD or Autodesk Inventor.Both formats are mostly used for 2D drawings, but can also contain 3D solids. Pure 2D files, pure 3D files and mixed 2D/3D files are possible.
  • DWG is the central native Autodesk AutoCAD format. DXF is a format originally developed by Autodesk for data exchange between operating systems. Compared to DWG, DXF offers fewer functions, but can be loaded by more CAD applications.
  • DWF is a web-based, highly compressed vector format developed by AutoCAD. It was designed for presenting and sharing designs without the need for specialized CAD software, allowing all project participants to access the data.

Autodesk-Viewer für DWG und DXF

DWG, DXF and DWF Versions

  • The DWG and DXF versions are based on AutoCAD development. However, the version numbering is not very intuitive. File version AC1027 is valid for AutoCAD 2013 to 2017. The current file version is AC1032 and is valid for AutoCAD 2018 until now. The first six bytes (characters) of a DWG file show the version. In a DXF file, the version is specified in the header area. The DXF variable is $ACADVER. (06/2025)
  • There are two main versions of DWF: the older version, DWF (Design Web Format), and the newer, XML-based format, DWFx. DWFx is the most current version and is often used to exchange design data with people who don't have AutoCAD installed.

DWG, DXF and DWF - Characteristics

Due to the close relationship, DWG files can be used in Autodesk AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor. However, a DWG file created with Inventor can only be modified in Inventor. A DWG file created with AutoCAD can only be modified in AutoCAD.

The DXF format is suitable for exchange between Autodesk programs and with third-party software, but does not offer any special Autodesk functions, e.g. from Autodesk Civil 3D, Revit and Inventor. DXF files are ASCII-coded and significantly larger than binary DWG files

DWF files contain vector-based data and, for 3D models, triangulated data (MESH). DWF and DWFx are intended for publication only and not for further editing in CAD software.

How do I open DXF, DWG, and DWF files?

All three formats can be opened with Autodesk programs such as AutoCAD and Inventor. DXF and the newer DWF/DWFx files are also supported by numerous other applications. For example, DWFx files can also be viewed in the Microsoft XPS Viewer.

Autodesk offers various viewing solutions with DWG TrueView, AutoCAD Web, and the Autodesk Viewer, ranging from free without registration to registration and paid.

The 3D-Tool CAD Viewer opens DWG, DXF, DWF, and DWFx files in 3D and 2D and, in addition to being easy to use, offers numerous measurement and analysis tools. 3D-Tool can be tested free of charge for 14 days.

How do I convert DWG, DXF, and DWF files?

Converting DWG to DXF is possible with DWG TrueView from Autodesk.

Converting 3D DWG to STEP or 3D DXF to STEP with converter software only works for exact geometries (BREP). Triangulated models (MESH) cannot be converted to STEP, IGES, CATIA, SolidWorks, or other CAD formats. This means that converting 3D DWF or 3D DWFx to CAD formats is impossible.

3D-Tool Premium includes the 3D NativeCAD Converter. In addition to DXF and DWG models, it converts models from many common CAD systems into the 3D exchange formats STEP, IGES, SAT, and Parasolid X_T, which are supported by many CAD/CAM programs. DWF models can be converted to other visualization formats such as 3MF, FBX, 3D PDF, or 3D HTML.

Test the DXF-DWG-WF Viewer and Converter

3D-Tool is a CAD viewer with many native CAD interfaces, including Inventor, and professional measurement functions, shape analysis and wall thickness analysis.

  • Open, dimension, comment, and publish DWG/DXF/DWF (3D and 2D) to the 3D Tool Free Viewer.
  • Publish DWG/DXF/DWF (3D) as 3D PDF or save as STL, 3DS, PLY, WRL, OBJ, PLY.
  • Convert DWG/DXF (3D-BREP) to STEP, IGES, SAT, X_T, and JT.
  • Convert DWG/DXF/DWF (3D-MESH) to 3D product visualizations such as 3D HTML, FBX, Collada, 3MF, and glTF.

Free and non-binding 14-day trial with all functions, the Autodesk interfaces and the 3D-Native CAD Converter. The demo key activates all 3D interfaces, such as CATIA, Siemens NX, SolidWorks, Creo, STEP, SAT.

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