Our verdict: DWG TrueView is the most faithful free way to open AutoCAD drawings, because it comes from the company that created the DWG format. It views 2D and 3D drawings and converts them to older or newer DWG versions. It cannot edit drawings, and it needs about 4 GB of disk space, a lot for a viewer.
About DWG TrueView
DWG TrueView is a free viewer from Autodesk, the maker of AutoCAD and of the DWG format itself. It opens 2D and 3D DWG and DXF files without an AutoCAD license, so drawings look the way the sender saw them.
Besides viewing, it converts drawings forward and backward between DWG versions as far back as AutoCAD Release 14, so colleagues with older AutoCAD releases can open them. You can also measure distance, mass and volume, plot to a plotter and create PDF, DWF, DWFx, JPG or PNG files.
What it does well
- Accurate DWG viewing. Opens 2D and 3D DWG files of any version with Autodesk's own engine.
- DWG version conversion. Save drawings to earlier or later DWG versions, back to Release 14.
- DXF support. Opens DXF drawings as well as DWG.
- Measure tools. Get distance, mass and volume information from a drawing.
- Plot and publish. Plot sheets or publish them to PDF, DWF, DWFx, JPG and PNG.
Who it is for
Good fit
Clients, contractors and colleagues who receive AutoCAD drawings but do not have AutoCAD.
Look elsewhere
Anyone who needs to edit drawings, and Mac or Linux users.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free, from the creator of DWG
- Faithful rendering of AutoCAD drawings
- Converts between DWG versions
- No AutoCAD license needed
Cons
- View only: no editing
- Needs 4 GB of disk space and 8 GB RAM
- Windows only
How to install DWG TrueView
On the Autodesk page open the drop-down next to Install and click Download; the downloaded file builds the full installer and fetches the setup files. Requirements: 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, 8 GB RAM, 4 GB of disk space and .NET 8.
Questions about DWG TrueView
Is DWG TrueView free?
Yes. Autodesk provides it as a free viewer; no AutoCAD license is required.
Can DWG TrueView edit DWG files?
No. It views, measures, prints and converts drawings, but editing needs AutoCAD or another CAD program.
