To Open or Import a File

How to handle some different file types.

What's New: 2026.1

Open or import a file

Provides access to the Open dialog box, where you specify one or more files to open or import.

1. To open a file in a folder that is not part of the project, resolve its links.
2. Add the paths for all files to the project before working on them.
3. If a DWG (.dwg) file does not contain any Inventor data, import it or open it directly.
4. If a DWG file contains Inventor data, you can no longer import the file into Inventor. Open the file only as an Inventor drawing (.dwg).
5. If you see the dialog Data Format Has Changed, the file you are trying to open or save was created in a previous version of Inventor. Click OK to migrate the file to the current format or Cancel.

Tip when opening a file

Use Copy File Path from a component browser node right-click menu and paste the path in the Open dialog. Copy File Path is helpful navigating the file system, as when using Derive and Replace Component commands. All components populating the Inventor browser have this option.

Show or Hide Windows Navigation

1. In the Ribbon, click Tools tab Options panel Application Options.
2. Click the File tab.
3. Select Show Windows Folder Navigation in the File Dialogs to display the navigation section of the dialog. Deselect the option to hide the navigation section of the dialog.