CAD tip # 2229:

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How to convert .DWF files back to the DWG format?

DWF is an "digital plot" file. And like you can digitize/vectorize/scan a paper drawing, you can also convert/recover DWF files back to DWG (using third party utilities) - but in both cases you will loose substantial amount of information, structure and precision of the original drawing.

Both DWF/DWFx and PDF were meant to be used as reference (read-only, unchangeable) drawings - you can underlay them directly in AutoCAD (like xrefs), switch their layers, etc.

Conversion to the editable DWG format is not an intended operation with DWF files. DWF is a vector format containing only "low-intelligence" (plotting) entities so it cannot be fully recovered (changed) back to a standard DWG drawing.

Nevertheless, you can try the ICDWFIN [url verified 2/2005] or the DWF Importer [url verified 9/2016] or the DWF to DWG Converter [url verified 9/2016] to read your DWFs back into AutoCAD.

DWF files with markups from DWF Composer (Design Review) can be read/displayed (round-trip) in AutoCAD/ADT/Map (2005+) and Revit (8+). Run the Markup manager (Ctrl+7) and switch to the DWF geometry (Alt+4).

Since AutoCAD 2007 you can directly read in (attach, import) a DWF file into AutoCAD using the DWFATTACH command.

Since AutoCAD 2009 you can use _DWFATTACH to attach (underlay) also DWFx files. The DWF/DWFX/PDF underlay functionality is now integrated in the AutoCAD XREF manager.

ACAD2016ACAD2010ACAD2008ACAD2007ACAD2006ACAD2005DWF

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31.5.2002 281877× FAQ

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applies to: AutoCAD 2016 · AutoCAD 2010 · AutoCAD 2008 · AutoCAD 2007 · AutoCAD 2006 · AutoCAD 2005 · DWF/Design Review ·

See also:
Tip 14075:	Overview of CAD formats supported in Inventor 2025 (import/export/AnyCAD).
Tip 10461:	Unattended DWG plotting and PDF publishing without AutoCAD.
Tip 10182:	How to create a PDF file from DWG without AutoCAD?
Tip 9968:	Batch conversion of CAD files from/to the IPT/IAM, STEP, IGES, SAT, Catia... formats
Tip 9371:	How to convert 3D DWF back to an editable CAD model?

Selected tip: How to convert HPGL2 PLT files to TIFF?

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