OnВ the View tab, turn on the option to show hidden files. In the WindowsВ Control Panel, go toВ Folder Options.

dwl or dwl2 files in the folder directory.В These are two hidden files that have the same name as the. dwgand thenВ you should have a usable drawing file, although it will not be the most recent version thatВ you may have been working with. Any easy way to open this up is to type %tmp% in the location bar of any folder window or in the search field within the Start menu. The auto-save file is located in your user temp folder. The AutoCADВ backup file is usually found in the same folder as the DWG. sv$) for the drawing, or recover the file from another computer or from a file backup system that you may have in place to help manage your files. bak) orВ the latest automatic save file (. When none of the above work, try toВ locate aВ backup file (. Attempt to insert the damaged file into a clean drawing or template using the INSERT command.Use the RECOVER and RECOVERALL commands on the drawing.Check that the storage location that holds the drawing is working properly.Try to open the drawing file directly instead of using the Recent Documents menu.However, there are aВ few things that may get it to open: Otherwise, this message indicates thatВ the drawing file has been damaged beyond use. Refer toВ the table belowВ for specific details on the file formats supported by various AutoCADВ releases.В If this turns out to be the issue, request thatВ the drawing be saved to a version that is compatible with theВ AutoCAD you are using.

For example, a drawing created inВ AutoCAD 2015 will not open inВ AutoCAD 2012.

Start by verifying that the drawing file you are trying to open was not created in a newer version of AutoCAD, with a newer file format than the version you are currently using.

Your drawing may show the message вЂњDrawing file is not valid,вЂќ display a message about errors being found, hang or crash during the open process, or simply may not appear in AutoCAD after you have selected to open it (i.e., you open it but all you ever see is the default вЂњDrawing1.dwgвЂќ or another file that you currently have open). If the drawing file (DWG) will not open at all:

Use the following guidelines and instructions to clean, repair, and recover your drawing.

Repair autocad file online