PNG to CAD Converter
Convert a PNG to CAD online, free, and export DXF or DWG
Drop a file here. It never leaves your browser.
PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP, HEIC, TIFF, AVIF · any size · free · DXF or DWG · works best on clean line art, logos and high contrast shapes
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How to convert a PNG to CAD
Add your file
Drop a PNG onto the converter, or click to choose one. It stays on your device.
Tune the trace
Adjust threshold and smoothing until the live preview shows the outline you want.
Download DXF or DWG
Take either format and open the file in your CAD, CAM or laser software.
About formats
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless raster image format published as a W3C Recommendation on October 1, 1996, created as a patent free replacement for GIF after the Unisys LZW patent dispute. It uses a two stage pipeline: a prediction filter preprocesses each row, then DEFLATE compression encodes the result, so every pixel is preserved exactly. PNG supports grayscale, true colour and indexed colour, all with optional alpha transparency that ranges from a single transparent colour to a full per pixel alpha channel. That combination of lossless quality and clean transparency makes it the standard for logos, icons, screenshots, UI elements and any graphic where sharp edges and exact pixels matter. Support is universal, since every browser, operating system and image editor reads PNG natively. Those crisp, high contrast edges are exactly what trace cleanly into vector contours.
- Developer:
- W3C / PNG Development Group
- Initial release:
- October 1, 1996
Frequently asked questions
Why convert a PNG to CAD?
CAD software works in lines, arcs and polylines; an image only holds colour. Converting your PNG into a CAD file turns the shapes in the picture into editable vector geometry, which is what you need before you can dimension it, edit it or send it to be cut.
What software opens these files?
Between the two formats, effectively everything. AutoCAD, Fusion, SolidWorks, FreeCAD, LibreCAD, BricsCAD, DraftSight, Onshape, Rhino and every mainstream CAM and laser package open one or both. Pick DWG if you work in AutoCAD, DXF if the file is going anywhere else.
Does the converter trace the image?
Yes. It finds the edges in your PNG and traces them into closed vector contours, then writes those as DXF or DWG polylines. Because it traces pixels, the output is an outline with no real dimensions or scale, which is perfect for flat cutting but is not a measured engineering drawing.
Is PNG to CAD conversion free?
Yes, and there is no watermark. The conversion runs entirely in your browser, so your file is never uploaded; a free account is needed only to download the finished file.
Should I download the DXF or the DWG?
Take the DWG if you are going to keep editing in AutoCAD, since it is AutoCAD's own format and stays smaller as the drawing grows. Take the DXF for everything else, especially if the file is going to a laser, plasma, waterjet or CNC shop, because DXF is plain text and read by more software than any other CAD format. If you are not sure who is opening it, send DXF. Both come from the same conversion here, so you can take one, try it, and come back for the other.
What PNG files work best?
High contrast images with clear outlines give the best DXF or DWG: logos, stencils, technical sketches, floor plans and simple shapes. Busy photos with shadows and gradients trace poorly because there is no clean edge to follow.
Can I use the file for laser cutting or CNC?
Yes. The traced polylines drop straight into laser, plasma, waterjet and CNC routing software as cut paths. Set an output width in millimetres before you download so the part comes in at real size.
I have a different image, not a PNG. Can I still use this?
Yes. The converter accepts any common image, including PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP, HEIC, TIFF and AVIF, whichever page you started from. Just drop your file and it converts.