CAD tip # 6787:

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How to import a PDF file into AutoCAD?

AutoCAD 2010 (and higher) can directly read in files in the PDF format - it imports them as underlays. The contents of PDF files is not converted to AutoCAD entities (see below), but it is displayed as an underlay (xref). You can use osnaps to snap the drawed or edited AutoCAD objects to the lines in PDF files.

The underlay (PDF, DWF or DGN) behaves the same as other external references (xrefs) in the DWG format. To attach a PDF underlay, you can use the PDFATTACH command or the more general ATTACH command.

During the command you can choose specific page(s) in multipage PDF files, the scale, rotation and the insertion point (lower left). If the PDF file is updated, also its contents in AutoCAD is updated.

PDF underlay (CZ version shown)

Since AutoCAD version 2017 you can convert imported vector PDF files to AutoCAD entities (including hatches, dashed lines and texts - OCR). See also the MPDFIMPORT utility to import multi-page PDFs in one go.

ACAD2010ACLT2010ADT2010ACADM2010Civil2010

*CAD

12.7.2009 174110× FAQ

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this tip shared by ARKANCE experts applies to: AutoCAD 2010 · AutoCAD LT 2010 · AutoCAD Architecture 2010 · AutoCAD Mechanical 2010 · Civil 3D 2010 ·

See also:
Tip 14472:	Overview of CAD formats supported in Inventor 2026 (import/export/AnyCAD).
Tip 14347:	PDFIMPORT - No objects were imported.
Tip 14075:	Overview of CAD formats supported in Inventor 2025 (import/export/AnyCAD).
Tip 13622:	Bulk import pages from a multi-page PDF into AutoCAD.
Tip 13286:	Markup assistant with intelligent character recognition.

Selected tip: Newly created entities do not plot.

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