Click the "Select File" button above, and choose your DWL file.
You’ll see a preview, if available.
Click the "Convert file to..." button to extract text information.
Convert DWL to another file type
To convert DWL lock files to another format, you need AutoCAD or other System software.
Convert a file to DWL
To convert other file formats to the "Drawing Lock File" file type, you need software like AutoCAD or a similar tool.
About DWL files
The .DWL file is primarily a temporary lock file created by AutoCAD or GstarCAD when a user opens a DWG drawing. Its typical use case is to prevent concurrent editing by flagging the drawing as 'in use.' This file simply stores the computer name, user name, and the time the file was opened. A very small percentage of .DWL files are Drawing Layout files used by Design Workshop Live. The main challenge users face with .DWL files is misunderstanding their purpose. Many users believe a .DWL is a backup of their CAD drawing and attempt to convert it to a DWG or PDF after a crash. This is impossible because an AutoCAD lock file contains exactly zero geometry or drawing data; it is just a tiny text file. It is practically useless outside of network file locking. If you need to view the lock information, the best target format is plain text like TXT or CSV. To actually recover drawing data, you must locate the BAK or .SV$ autosave files instead. We will instantly tell you if your file is a simple lock file or a convertible layout.
Convert.Guru analyzes your DWL file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert DWL file to DWG, DXF, DGN, RVT, RFA, SKP, 3DM, STEP, IGES, SAT, X_T or X_B, you can use AutoCAD or similar software from the "Temporary File Locking" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SLDASM, DGN, PRT, IAM, X_B, CATPRODUCT, SLDPRT, RVT, ASM, DWG, CATPART or DXF files to DWL, try AutoCAD or another comparable tool in the "Temporary File Locking" category.
The DWL Converter Story
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our DWL converter.