DWG TrueView — The Complete Guide: View, Measure, Plot and Convert DWG Files Without AutoCAD
DWG TrueView is a free Autodesk viewer for 2D and 3D DWG and DXF files. It is meant for people who receive drawings from consultants and have no AutoCAD — project managers, contractors and engineers from other disciplines — and for offices that work on different AutoCAD versions.
Autodesk DWG TrueView
Autodesk
View, measure and plot DWG and DXF files and convert between AutoCAD versions — no AutoCAD licence needed.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Open drawings — DWG and DXF files, 2D and 3D.
- Measurement — distances and areas directly on the drawing.
- Plotting — print sheets to scale.
- PDF creation — for distribution to people with no viewer.
- Version converter — save a DWG to an older or newer AutoCAD version.
Licence and limitations
Autodesk provides the software free of charge and with no subscription; it is free, closed-source software, and use is governed by the Autodesk licence agreement you accept at installation. It runs on Windows only and does not allow editing. To change a drawing you need CAD software.
Related tools
For batch conversion of a whole folder — ODA File Converter. For viewing in a browser without installing anything — Autodesk Viewer. For editing 2D drawings in open software — LibreCAD.
ODA File Converter
Open Design Alliance
Batch conversion of DWG and DXF files between versions, with audit and repair — free for non-commercial use only.
Get it from the vendor
Autodesk Viewer
Autodesk
A free online viewer for more than 80 formats — DWG, RVT, IPT, STEP, SOLIDWORKS and more, right in the browser.
Get it from the vendor
LibreCAD
LibreCAD Project
Lightweight 2D drafting with layers, blocks and dimensions, built around the DXF format.
Get it from the vendorQCAD Community Edition
RibbonSoft
Mature 2D drafting. The Community Edition is free; DWG and the parts library browser are reserved for the paid version.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
The safe choice for opening, measuring and plotting any DWG you receive, and for converting between versions — free, but with no editing.