How to Convert an AutoCAD File to a PDF

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Convert & export your AutoCAD drawings to a universal PDF format with these simple methods
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This wikiHow teaches you how to save your AutoCAD drawing as a PDF that can be easily shared and printed. If you have AutoCAD on your computer, the best way to convert your drawing to PDF is to export it from within the program. If you don't have AutoCAD, you can use an online conversion service like CloudConvert to convert the DWG file to the PDF format.

Quickly Convert AutoCAD Files to PDF

Select the layers you want to convert to PDF, then click Output > Export > PDF > Save . Or use online converting tools, like Cloud Convert , if you need to convert a file and don't have AutoCAD installed on your computer.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Setting Up Auto-Publishing

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  1. 1
    Open Options . You can find it by pressing the stylized " A " for AutoCAD in the top left corner of your screen and then clicking Options .
    • Once you set it up, a PDF will be created for each layout when you save a file.
  2. 2
    Click the Plot and Publish tab. It's in the line of tabs with Files and Profiles .
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  3. 3
    Click Automatic Publish Settings . You'll find this at the very bottom of your screen in the Auto Publish section.
  4. 4
    Set the format to "PDF." You'll see this under the General DWF/PDF Options header.
    • More options are available, including layout choices and multiple sheets per document.
  5. 5
    Click OK . This will close the window. You will need to click OK again to close the Options window.
    • Once you have this configured, open a project in AutoCAD, select a layer (you can select multiple layers by holding down Ctrl as you click your mouse), and click Save in the Quick Access Toolbar. You'll see a notification as it's saving and creating a PDF version.
    • Any files with the same name will be overwritten.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Using Quick Export from a Layout

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  1. 1
    Select the layer(s) you want to export to a PDF. If you hold down Ctrl and click, you can select multiple layers.
  2. 2
    Click the Output tab. It's at the top of your screen with Home and Collaborate .
  3. 3
    Click Export . You'll see this in the "Export to DWF/PDF" section, and clicking it prompts more options to drop down.
  4. 4
    Click PDF . This opens your File Explorer so you can choose options to save the file as a PDF.
  5. 5
    Choose how to save the PDF and click Save . You can give the file a name and select a location to save it in. [1]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Exporting a Single Layout in AutoCAD

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  1. It's near the bottom-left corner of the drawing area. [2]
    • This method will save a single-layout drawing to a 1-page PDF file.
  2. It's at the top of the screen.
  3. It's on the Plot panel at the top of AutoCAD.
  4. The options are listed in the Printer/Plotter section in the Name menu. There are several PDF options from which to choose, each optimized for different purposes.
    • For example, if you want your PDF to be optimized for high-quality printing, you'd choose AutoCAD PDF (High Quality Print).pc3 . [3]
  5. Double-check the plot area, plot scale, orientation, and paper size that were automatically generated, and make any changes as necessary.
  6. It's at the bottom-center part of the window.
  7. Choose the folder in which you want to save the PDF file, and enter a file name for the resulting file.
  8. This saves your new PDF file to the selected folder.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Exporting Multiple Layouts in AutoCAD

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  1. To select multiple tabs, hold down the Ctrl key as you click each layout tab at the bottom of AutoCAD. [4]
    • Using this method, you'll have the option to save each layout as individual PDFs or combine them into a multi-page PDF.
  2. This opens the Publish dialog box.
  4. You'll need to choose a preset from the PDF preset menu. There are several PDF options from which to choose, each optimized for different purposes.
    • For example, if you want your PDF to be optimized for high-quality printing, you'd choose AutoCAD PDF (Web and Mobile).pc3 to create a smaller file optimized for the internet and/or small screens.
  5. Now you can choose whether to create a multi-sheet PDF file containing all layouts or to create individual PDFs for each layout.
    • Select Multi-sheet file to create one PDF file with separate pages for each layout.
    • If you'd rather create individual PDFs for each layout, remove the checkmark from "Multi-sheet file."
  7. Double-check the plot area, plot scale, orientation, and paper size that were automatically generated, and make any changes as necessary.
  8. This will create your PDF file(s) based on your criteria.
    • You will be prompted to select a saving location for the output file(s).
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Converting with an Online Converter

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  1. If you don't have AutoCAD on your computer, try using an online DWG to PDF converter like this one from CloudConvert.
    • This method requires uploading your drawing file to a third-party server, so avoid using this if your drawing contains private information.
    • If you want to convert all layouts in the file, a multiple-page PDF will be created.
  2. It's the red button near the center of the page.
  3. This adds the file name to the page.
  4. The wrench button appears next to the file name. Here you can specify your preferred settings, such as whether you want to convert all layouts in the file, whether to Auto-Zoom to fit the page, and the option to set your height and width output in pixels.
  5. It's in the bottom-right area of the page. This uploads the file and starts the conversion process. When the conversion is complete, you'll be prompted to download the file.
  6. It's at the bottom-right corner. This downloads the drawing as a PDF file.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-611C1CF1-DBE5-42E8-AAEB-937AACED4BD9
      2. ↑ https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-lt/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/AutoCAD-LT/files/GUID-E4AF00FC-E219-4D0D-AA4D-1BF5AC04D806-htm.html
      3. ↑ https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-EC9C6D47-814E-476D-840F-04104CF72B78-htm.html
      4. ↑ https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-5E91B638-7C4A-4CF3-8F7C-593368D72A97-htm.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Click the layout tab you want to export.
      2. Click the Output tab.
      3. Click Plot .
      4. Select a PDF preset.
      5. Set your preferences and click OK .
      6. Select a file name and location.
      7. Click Save .

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