Tips to open DWFX file

Can't open the DWFX file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open DWFX files as well as a list of programs that support DWFX files.

DWFX file extension

File Name Design Web Format XPS Format
File Developer Autodesk
File Category CAD Files

The DWFX file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the DWFX files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the DWFX file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 4
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 1
  • 0

What is DWFX file?

The file in the DWFX format belongs to the CAD Files category. The author of this format is Autodesk. Additionally, the CAD Files category contains 158 of other files. Design Web Format XPS Format is most often found on 3 operating systems. These systems consist of iOS, Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. The AutoCAD application is recommended to open the file. It was released by Autodesk, Inc.. There are also 5 alternative programs to handle the DWFX file. You can use Autodesk Design Review, Microsoft XPS Viewer, Autodesk Inventor, McDwiff in case AutoCAD cannot be used.

How to open DWFX file?

The most common problem when using Design Web Format XPS Format is that a specific DWFX is not associated with the program. Thus, when you open DWFX, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the DWFX file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install AutoCAD

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that AutoCAD is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name AutoCAD into the system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open DWFX files.

Step 2. Create association of AutoCAD with DWFX files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the DWFX file to open in the AutoCAD application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the DWFX file with the AutoCAD program.

Step 3. Update AutoCAD to the latest version

If, despite the association of the AutoCAD program with the Design Web Format XPS Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the Autodesk, Inc. website and install the latest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the DWFX file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The DWFX file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This suggests truncating the DWFX file contents when downloading or copying. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file DWFX or the program directory. Sometimes virus-infected DWFX files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the DWFX files changes over time. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
There can be many reasons for this. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular DWFX file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Autodesk
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted DWFX files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. It is best to move DWFX to a different directory.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. However, some background programs may block the DWFX file while scanning. If the problem persists, restart the machine.