What Program Opens a DWG File?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 07, 2020

DWG files were originally developed by Autodesk to be opened in its AutoCAD software; other CAD software packages, such as Caddie, DraftSight and IntelliCAD, use DWG as a native file format, so those programs can open DWG files as well. Adobe Illustrator can also open a DWG file.

Several other downloadable programs are capable of opening a DWG file, including Autodesk’s DWG TrueView as well as ShareCAD, nanoCAD and Bentley View. SketchUp can open DWG files if the user has downloaded and installed a free plug-in or if the user has SketchUp Pro. Adobe Acrobat Pro can convert a DWG file into a PDF.