PDF to DXF converter
Convert a PDF to DXF in your browser and open the result in AutoCAD, DraftSight, LibreCAD, FreeCAD or any program that reads CAD files. Nothing is uploaded and nothing costs money.
What is a DXF file?
DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) is the open CAD format Autodesk published in 1982 so drawings could move between programs. Every serious CAD package reads it, and so do laser cutters, plasma tables, CNC routers and vinyl cutters. That makes DXF the safest target when a PDF drawing has to become editable again.
What does the DXF contain after conversion?
| In the PDF | In the DXF |
|---|---|
| Straight lines | LINE entities |
| Connected paths, rectangles, outlines | POLYLINE entities, closed where the shape is closed |
| Curves, circles and arcs | Smooth polylines that follow the curve |
| Text | TEXT entities with the right position, height and rotation |
| Line colours | One layer per colour, named after the colour code (PDF_FF0000 for red) |
| Filled areas | Closed outlines on their own PDF_FILL layers, easy to switch off |
The file is written in the DXF R12 version, the one that every CAD and CAM program opens without complaints.
How big is the drawing in the DXF?
Without a scale, the drawing arrives at the size of the printed sheet, in millimetres or inches. An A1 plan becomes 841 × 594 mm. To get real-world sizes, click Set scale, click both ends of a dimension you know, and type its real length. Our guide on scaling a PDF drawing walks through it with an example.
Why convert PDF to DXF in the browser?
- Privacy: architects, engineers and manufacturers handle drawings under NDA. Upload converters store your file on someone else's server; this one reads it on your own computer.
- Speed: no upload queue, so a normal floor plan converts in seconds.
- No account: no sign-up, no email, no watermark.
When does PDF to DXF not work?
A scanned plan holds a picture of the paper, not lines. The converter tells you when a page is a scan. For those, the source file (DWG, RVT, PLN) from the original designer gives a far better result than any tracing.