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DWG to DWG — convert to an older version online
Need to open a DWG file in AutoCAD 2007, 2010 or 2013, or share it with someone on an older CAD program? Here’s the most reliable way to do it — and why DXF gets the job done better than DWG version conversion.
Why DXF, not DWG?
True DWG version conversion — for example, saving a DWG 2018 file as DWG 2007 — requires the full AutoCAD application. It can’t be done in a browser, because the binary format is proprietary to Autodesk.
But the underlying goal — opening your drawing in older or different software — is actually solved more reliably by converting to DXF. DXF is an open interchange format that AutoCAD has supported since R12, and it’s understood by every major CAD program on the market.
The converter below produces a DXF file from your DWG. It opens in AutoCAD 2007, 2010, 2013 and every version since — and in BricsCAD, ZWCAD, LibreCAD, FreeCAD and most other CAD programs. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
How it works
Open your DWG
Drag any .dwg file onto the tool, regardless of which AutoCAD version it was saved in.
Convert to DXF
The drawing is rewritten as a plain-text DXF — the most universally compatible CAD format.
Open in your CAD software
Open the .dxf in AutoCAD 2007, 2010, 2013 or any other CAD program. Nothing was uploaded.
Where the DXF output opens
DXF is the most widely supported CAD format. This is what you can open the converted file in.
DWG version conversion vs. DXF — what’s the difference?
Both approaches let you open the file in older or different software — they just go about it differently.
Saves to a specific DWG release
Produces a .dwg file tagged as “AutoCAD 2007 format” or similar. Requires full AutoCAD to perform — not possible in the browser. The result only opens in software that recognises that specific binary version.
Opens in every version and program
Produces an open, text-based .dxf that every version of AutoCAD and virtually every other CAD program can read. Works in the browser, no installation. More broadly compatible than targeting a specific DWG version.
Need to view the drawing without any software?
Use the DWG Viewer to open it directly in your browser. Or try DWG to PDF to produce a version anyone can open. For full CAD, SmartCAD starts at $395 — one-time.
Questions
Can I convert a DWG file to an older DWG version online?
True DWG version downconversion — for example DWG 2018 to DWG 2007 — requires the full AutoCAD application and can’t be done in a browser. However, converting to DXF achieves the same goal: DXF opens in every version of AutoCAD from R14 onward and in virtually every other CAD program, making it more broadly compatible than any specific DWG version.
How do I open a newer DWG file in an older version of AutoCAD?
Convert the DWG to DXF using the tool above. DXF is an open interchange format that AutoCAD has supported since version R12, so it opens reliably across all AutoCAD releases. Download the DXF and open it directly in your older AutoCAD.
Why is DXF more compatible than DWG across versions?
DWG is a binary format that Autodesk changes with each AutoCAD release, so a newer DWG file may not open in older software. DXF is a text-based format Autodesk designed specifically for interchange between different programs and versions — it describes the same drawing geometry in a way that any CAD application can implement.
Will the DXF file open in AutoCAD 2007, 2010 or 2013?
Yes. DXF is supported in AutoCAD 2007, 2010, 2013 and all other versions. It also opens in BricsCAD, LibreCAD, ZWCAD, FreeCAD, DraftSight and most other CAD programs.
Does converting to DXF lose any drawing data?
Standard entities — lines, polylines, circles, arcs, text, layers and blocks — convert across cleanly. Very specialized AutoCAD object types may not fully carry over, which is also true of AutoCAD’s own Save As Older Version feature.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The DWG file is converted locally in your browser and is never uploaded, so confidential drawings stay private.