DXF to Shapefile
Convert DXF files to Shapefile format
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DXF to Shapefile (DXF to SHP)
Bringing a CAD drawing into GIS means converting DXF to Shapefile — the format QGIS and ArcGIS treat as a first-class citizen. This DXF to SHP converter extracts the drawing’s lines, polylines and polygons and packages them as a ready-to-use .shp/.dbf/.prj ZIP.
DXF files carry no coordinate reference system, so after converting, assign the CRS that matches the original survey — British National Grid, a UTM zone, a State Plane zone, and so on — so the features overlay correctly with your other layers. DXF layer names are preserved as an attribute you can filter on in GIS.
Related: Shapefile to DXF · DXF to KML · All DXF tools
About DXF
DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) is an Autodesk format for exchanging drawing data between AutoCAD and other CAD applications. It is widely used in architecture, engineering, and construction, and is the standard export format from many survey and CAD tools.
You might convert from DXF when you need to bring CAD geometry into a GIS for spatial analysis, when you want to display building footprints or survey linework on a web map, or when you need to assign a coordinate reference system to geometry drawn in an arbitrary CAD coordinate space.
Frequently asked questions
Does DXF store a coordinate reference system?
No — DXF files do not natively store CRS information. Coordinates are in the drawing's internal unit system. If you know the intended CRS, use the Assign CRS tool after conversion to correctly geo-reference the output.
What DXF geometry types are supported?
Lines, polylines, arcs, circles, and polygon boundaries are all converted. Text entities and blocks are not included in the vector output. Hatching patterns are not preserved.
Can I filter by DXF layer after conversion?
DXF layer names are stored as a feature property in the output, allowing you to filter features by layer in QGIS or other GIS software after conversion.
Need to convert multiple DXF files?
Use our batch DXF to Shapefile converter to process dozens or hundreds of files in a single run — Pro feature, files never leave your browser.
More DXF Conversions
Convert DXF files to other popular formats
to GeoJSON
.geojson
to KML
.kml
to CSV
.csv
to GPX
.gpx
to GeoPackage
.gpkg
to FlatGeobuf
.fgb
to JSON-FG
.json
to MVT
.mvt
to PostgreSQL Dump
.sql
to PMTiles
.pmtiles
to MBTiles
.mbtiles
to PDF
to GML
.gml
to Excel (XLSX)
.xlsx
to OpenDocument Spreadsheet
.ods
to GeoRSS
.xml
to MapInfo TAB
.tab
to File Geodatabase
.gdb.zip
to SpatiaLite
.sqlite
to GeoJSON Sequences
.geojsonl
to DGN (Microstation)
.dgn
to S57 Nautical Charts
.000
Convert to Shapefile From Other Formats
Convert other geospatial formats to Shapefile
from GeoJSON
.geojson
from KML
.kml
from CSV
.csv
from GPX
.gpx
from GeoPackage
.gpkg
from FlatGeobuf
.fgb
from JSON-FG
.json
from MVT
.mvt
from PMTiles
.pmtiles
from MBTiles
.mbtiles
from TopoJSON
.topojson
from GML
.gml
from OpenStreetMap
.osm
from Excel (XLSX)
.xlsx
from OpenDocument Spreadsheet
.ods
from GeoRSS
.xml
from MapInfo TAB
.tab
from File Geodatabase
.gdb.zip
from SpatiaLite
.sqlite
from Esri JSON
.json
from GeoJSON Sequences
.geojsonl
from DGN (Microstation)
.dgn
from S57 Nautical Charts
.000
Visualize Your Data
View your geospatial files on an interactive map
Coordinate Conversion Tools
Convert between different coordinate systems