AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application by Autodesk. The first release of the software started with version 1.0 in December 1982. The software has been continuously updated since its initial release.
AutoCAD opens documents with DWG compatibility as a "DWG file format version code" where the specific version code can be found by opening the .dwg file in Windows Notepad or any text editor program. The file contents starts with this string. The file format version code (tag) is dependent on the AutoCAD version.
History The following table summarizes the version history of the AutoCAD software application.
Release name Version Date of release DWG tag Release OS support Comments Version 1.0 1.0 December 1982 MC0.0 1 DWG R1.0 file format Version 1.2 1.2 April 1983 AC1.2 2 DWG R1.2 file format Version 1.3 1.3 August 1983 3 DWG R1.3 file format Version 1.4 1.4 October 1983 AC1.4 4 DWG R1.4 file format Version 2.0 2.0 October 1984AC1.50 5 DWG R2.05 file format Version 2.1 2.1 May 1985 AC2.10 6 DWG R2.1 file format Version 2.5 2.5 June 1986 AC1002 7 DWG R2.5 file format Version 2.6 2.6 April 1987 AC1003 8 DWG R2.6 file format. Last version that can be run without a math co-processor. Release 9 9.0 September 1987 AC1004 9 DWG R9 file format Release 10 10.0 October 1988 AC1006 10 MS-DOS DWG R10 file format. Sole release for System 6, Xenix and OS/2 1.x. Release 11 11.0 October 1990 AC1009 11 DWG R11 file format, the first version to incorporate basic 3D solid modeling via the Advanced Modeling Extension (AME). Last release for DOS 286. March 1992 Mac OS 7 Release 12 12.0 June 1992 12 DWG R11/R12 file format. Last release for SunOS 4.1 and Ultrix. February 1993 Windows 3.1 Release 13 13.0 November 1994 AC1012 13 DWG R13 file format. Sole release for Windows NT Alpha. Last release for AIX, Solaris, IRIX, HP-UX and DOS. Release 14 14.0 February 1997 AC1014 14 DWG R14 file format 2000 15.0 March 1999 AC1015 15 DWG 2000 file format. Multi-Document Interface. 2000i 15.1 July 2000 16 2002 15.2 June 2001 17 2004 16.0 March 2003 AC1018 18 DWG 2004 file format 2005 16.1 March 2004 19 2006 16.2 March 2005 20 Dynamic Block 2007 17.0 March 2006AC1021 21 DWG 2007 file format 2008 17.1 March 2007 22 Annotative objects introduced. AutoCAD 2008 and higher (including AutoCAD LT) can directly import and underlay DGN V8 files. 2009 17.2 March 2008 23 Revisions to the user interface including the introduction of the Ribbon 2010 18.0 March 24, 2009 AC1024 24 DWG 2010 file format introduced. Parametrics introduced. Mesh 3D solid modeling was introduced. PDF underlays. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of AutoCAD 2010 and AutoCAD LT 2010 are compatible with and supported under Microsoft Windows 7. 2011 18.1 March 25, 2010 25 Surface modeling, surface analysis, and object transparency introduced. Intel-only on Mac OS X. October 15, 2010 2012 18.2 March 22, 2011 26 Associative array, model documentation, DGN editing. Support for complex line types in DGN files is improved in AutoCAD 2012. August 19, 2011 2013 19.0 March 27, 2012AC1027 27 DWG 2013 file format (AC1027) 2014 19.1 March 26, 2013 28 File tabs, design feed, reality capture, live maps 2015 20.0 March 27, 2014 29 Line smoothing (anti-aliasing) 2016 20.1 March 23, 2015 30 More comprehensive canvas, richer design context, and intelligent new tools such as smart dimensioning, coordination model, and enhanced PDFs 2017 21.0 March 21, 2016 31 PDF import, associative center marks, and centerlines, DirectX 11 graphics 2018 22.0 March 21, 2017 AC1032 32 DWG 2018 file format and Mac. "Off-screen" selection.https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Objects-not-in-view-deselect-when-adding-to-selection-set-in-AutoCAD.html 2019 23.0 March 22, 2018 33 Specialized toolsets (electrical, architecture, MEP, etc.) with One AutoCAD, Shared Views, DWG Compare, Save To AutoCAD Web & Mobile 2020 23.1 March 27, 2019 34New dark theme, quick measurements, blocks palette, Microsoft OneDrive and Box.com integration, dropped support for 32bit Windows 2021 24.0 March 25, 2020 35 Drawing history, Xref compare, Google Drive integration, offline activation removed, Quick Trim & Extend Mode 2022 24.1 March 23, 2021 36 Trace, Count, Floating Drawing 2023 24.2 March 28, 2022 37 Count, Floating Windows, Trace Markup Import and Markup Assist with text recognition, improved 3D Graphics 2024 24.3 March 27, 2023 38 2025 25.0 March 26, 202439ObjectArx .Net plugin model changed from .Net Framework to .Net Core 2026 25.1 March 25, 2025 40 2027 26.0 March 25, 2026 41 Windows 11 Geometry Cleanup, Autodesk Assistant, Connected References, Checkout, Connected Support Fileshttps://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2027/ENU/?guid=GUID-D52A51CA-BDA1-4A78-9E67-87B340C55490
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