eDrawings Viewer

eDrawings Viewer is a product-design communication tool for sharing and examining 2D drawings and 3D models. It opens eDrawings and SOLIDWORKS files, along with DXF and DWG files, and is positioned for professionals, students, makers, and casual users who need to inspect 3D designs. For reviews, users can redline 2D or 3D data, add comments, and save markups. The Viewer can show dynamic cross sections and move or explode components to help reveal an assembly’s internal structure. Measurement tools are available, though measurement can be permanently disabled in an eDrawings file to protect design data. Model files can be saved as STL, TIFF, JPEG, or BMP. eDrawings files are compressed for easier email transmission. The Viewer is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS; the mobile versions include augmented reality that shows CAD designs in the real world through the device camera. The Viewer is free. Advanced collaboration capabilities require eDrawings Professional, and mobile app pricing varies by region.

eDrawings Viewer provides tools for inspecting and marking up 2D drawings and 3D models across desktop and mobile platforms. The Viewer is free, but advanced collaboration requires a Professional license.

eDrawings Viewer suits professionals, students, makers, and casual users who need to inspect or share 2D drawings and 3D models. Its mobile apps include augmented reality for viewing CAD designs through a device camera.

Overview

eDrawings Viewer is a free product-design tool for opening, examining and commenting on 2D drawings and 3D models. It suits professionals, students, makers and casual users who need to review CAD designs without a full design workflow. Its standout strength is assembly inspection across desktop and mobile; its main boundary is that advanced collaboration requires a Professional license.

Key features

The Viewer opens eDrawings, SOLIDWORKS, DXF and DWG files, giving recipients of common design formats a practical way to inspect them. eDrawings files are highly compressed for easier email transmission. Publisher applications can create those files from SOLIDWORKS, AutoCAD, Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA V5, Unigraphics NX, Autodesk Inventor, Solid Edge, RapidFire Lite and SketchUp, so the format fits into a broad range of design workflows.

For more than basic viewing, dynamic cross sectioning and component move and explode views help reveal internal structure and assembly relationships. The Markup Tool supports redlining 2D or 3D data, adding comments, and creating, editing and saving reviews. Measurement tools are also available, although a file creator can permanently disable measurement on an eDrawings file. That control protects design dimensions, but means reviewers cannot count on measuring every model.

Models can be saved in STL, TIFF, JPEG and BMP formats. The Android and iOS apps add augmented reality, displaying CAD designs in the real world through the device camera. Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS offers a separate browser-sharing path: invited collaborators can view, mark up and give feedback in real time without installing software. That is useful for browser-based review, but the free Viewer itself does not include advanced collaboration capabilities.

The eDrawings API is an OLE ActiveX interface callable from VBA, VB.NET, C++ and C#. Advanced API capabilities require an eDrawings Professional license, so developers needing those capabilities should account for the upgrade rather than treating the free Viewer as a complete integration solution.

Pricing

eDrawings Viewer: free. The free plan is a strong fit for individuals and teams that need to open, inspect and mark up designs. Advanced collaboration requires eDrawings Professional, and mobile app pricing varies by region. The free plan is therefore best judged as a capable review tool, not a promise of every collaboration feature; Professional is the relevant step for users who need advanced collaboration or API capabilities.

Platforms

eDrawings Viewer is available on Android, iOS, macOS and Windows. The mobile apps include augmented reality, while Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS supports invited collaborators reviewing in a browser without installation.

Who it's for

Choose eDrawings Viewer if you regularly receive supported CAD files and need to inspect assemblies, annotate drawings or exchange review comments without authoring the design. It is particularly useful when a workflow spans desktop and mobile, or when compressed eDrawings files make email sharing convenient. Look elsewhere if you need advanced collaboration without a Professional license, or if your work depends on measuring every file regardless of the creator's settings.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Opens eDrawings, SOLIDWORKS, DXF and DWG files, covering several common drawing and model formats.
• Pro: Cross sections and move or explode views give reviewers ways to inspect internal structure and assemblies.
• Pro: Markup supports redlines, comments and saved reviews on both 2D and 3D data.
• Pro: Mobile augmented reality can place a design in its surroundings using the device camera.
• Con: Advanced collaboration and advanced API capabilities require eDrawings Professional.
• Con: Measurement can be permanently disabled on an eDrawings file, limiting what a recipient can inspect dimensionally.
• Con: Mobile app pricing varies by region, so the free desktop plan does not establish the mobile cost everywhere.

Alternatives

CAD Pockets is worth considering for mobile and web access with third-party cloud storage; its free plan includes 100MB of cloud space, while collaboration is a separate plan.

CAD Reader offers another free option across Android, iOS, macOS and Windows for readers comparing cross-platform CAD viewers.

ODA File Converter is a free alternative for users whose priority is CAD file conversion, with Android, Linux, macOS and Windows support.

ShareCAD is a browser-oriented option for opening files without an account; its free viewer pages show a 50 MB file-size limit.

Glovius is an alternative for readers who prefer usage packs: its Daily Pack costs $15, paid once, billed for 24 hours of validity, and includes four hours of usage and 20GB file storage.

DWG FastView may suit users who want premium annotations, dimensions and measurements alongside 5G cloud storage; its Premium plan is $3.99 a month.

DWGSee is another CAD-viewer alternative.

CADViewer is an alternative for readers evaluating a server-focused CAD viewer; its full-server subscription is listed at $2,444.

For more options, browse CAD Viewer Software.

Verdict

eDrawings Viewer is a sound choice for anyone who needs a free, cross-platform way to inspect supported CAD files, explore assemblies and leave review comments. Its combination of file coverage, sectioning and mobile AR makes it more useful than a basic file opener. Choose another tool if advanced collaboration must be included at no extra license step, or if dependable measurement access is essential across all files.