DXF converter: export and convert DXF files

Drop a DXF above and this DXF converter exports it to PDF, SVG, or PNG in the browser, from the whole drawing or a selected area. Conversions into DXF, from a PDF, a photo, an SVG, or a 3D part, need another tool, and each one has a guide in the table below.

Convert DXF files on this page

The viewer reads ASCII and binary DXF from any CAD version, so files from laser software, CAM programs, and old R12 exports open as well as recent ones. Once the drawing is on screen:

1. Switch off layers you do not want in the output, such as dimensions or construction lines.
2. Choose Export and the format: PDF for printing and sharing, SVG for vector editing and cutting software, PNG for documents and screens.
3. Drag a rectangle over the part you need, or take the whole drawing, and save the file.

PDF and SVG stay vector, so they scale without blur. PNG is rendered from the vector geometry at 3000 pixels on the long side, on a white background. Everything happens on your device; the DXF is never uploaded.

DXF conversions, by direction

For DWG directions see the DWG converter page.

Converting to DXF format from other files

Getting a file into DXF depends entirely on what the source holds. Vector sources, such as an SVG logo or a PDF exported from CAD, keep their lines and convert with Inkscape in a minute. Raster sources, such as a photo or a scan, have no lines and must be traced, which takes cleanup. 3D sources, such as STEP parts, have to be projected onto a plane, because DXF for cutting is flat.

For laser and CNC work, save as DXF R12 or R14 unless the shop says otherwise. Older versions use simple polylines that every machine program reads. What changes between DXF versions is covered on DXF versions.

Which DXF export to choose

Pick the output by what happens next. A shop that quotes from drawings, a client, or a building inspector needs a PDF they can open anywhere. Many laser, vinyl, and plotter programs import SVG, and the SVG export keeps one drawing unit as one SVG unit, so a plate 100 mm wide stays 100 units wide. Documentation, tickets, and chat need PNG.

Exports are drawn on a white page with the color of each layer, whatever theme you use on screen. Line weights and plot styles are not applied, and text in SHX fonts is drawn with a substitute font. If the result has to match a plotted sheet exactly, export from the CAD program that made the DXF.

What to check after any DXF conversion

• Units. DXF can store a unit setting, but many programs ignore it. Measure one known distance; a factor of 25.4 means an inch and millimeter mix-up.
• Curves. Arcs and circles should stay arcs and circles. A curve broken into hundreds of short lines shows up as a very high entity count.
• Layers. Cutting lines, bend lines, and engraving often need separate layers. Toggle them in the layers panel to confirm.
• Text. Fonts are not stored in a DXF, so the viewer substitutes them. If text must look exact, convert it to outlines before export.

To edit a DXF rather than convert it, see how to edit a DXF file. For the format itself, what is a DXF file.

Frequently asked questions