Image
What is a .dwg file?
A .dwg file is a CAD drawing, normally from AutoCAD — technical plans stored as precise geometry rather than pixels.
This extension has been used by more than one format
20 different formats have claimed .dwg over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 1.0 · fmt/21
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 1.2 · fmt/22
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 1.3 · fmt/23
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 1.4 · fmt/24
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2.0 · fmt/25
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2.1 · fmt/26
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2.2 · fmt/27
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2.5 · fmt/28
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2.6 · fmt/29
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion R9 · fmt/30
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion R10 · fmt/31
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion R11/12 · fmt/32
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion R13 · fmt/33
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion R14 · fmt/34
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2000-2002 · fmt/35
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2004-2005 · fmt/36
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2007-2008 · x-fmt/455
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2010/2011/2012 · fmt/434
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2013/2014 · fmt/531
- AutoCAD DrawingVersion 2018/2019/2020/2021 · fmt/1395
How to open a .dwg file
- WindowsAutoCAD
- WindowsFree DWG TrueView
- WindowsLibreCAD or DraftSight for basic viewing
- MacAutoCAD for Mac
- MacOnline Autodesk Viewer
How to convert a .dwg file
- Export to .dxf for other CAD programs, or plot to PDF for sharing.
MIME type
When a .dwg file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
image/vnd.dwgThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .dwg.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| AutoCAD Drawing | 1.0 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/21 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 1.2 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/22 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 1.3 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/23 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 1.4 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/24 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2.0 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/25 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2.1 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/26 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2.2 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/27 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2.5 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/28 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2.6 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/29 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | R9 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/30 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | R10 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/31 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | R11/12 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/32 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | R13 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/33 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | R14 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/34 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2000-2002 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/35 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2004-2005 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/36 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2007-2008 | image/vnd.dwg | x-fmt/455 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2010/2011/2012 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/434 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2013/2014 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/531 |
| AutoCAD Drawing | 2018/2019/2020/2021 | image/vnd.dwg | fmt/1395 |