Skip go content

FreeCAD

ApplicationFreeCAD

Dem still dey call am free cad, freecad workbench

FreeCADCreative

Open-source parametric CAD. The process na FreeCAD.exe. E no be AutoCAD.

Wetin you need know

FreeCAD na open-source parametric CAD. E no be AutoCAD.

FreeCAD.exe dey model parts inside .FCStd files. AutoCAD na Autodesk. Slicer na later step.

Wetin e be?
Parametric CAD
Still current?
Yes, see Current status
Official download?
Use di vendor link inside dis article
Feex tok say
If person send DWG and na only FreeCAD I get, I go talk say compatibility dey limited. I no dey call FreeCAD.exe AutoCAD.

Wetin be FreeCAD?

FreeCAD na parametric CAD with workbenches (Part Design, Sketcher, TechDraw). AutoCAD na Autodesk product. .FCStd file no be .dwg.

If you never use am before

If you want CAD without AutoCAD subscription, FreeCAD na the common open-source parametric modeler. Download am from freecad.org. E no go open every DWG the way AutoCAD dey do, and e no be Fusion cloud account.

Wetin dem dey use am for?

Parametric parts

Sketches and features inside Part Design. AutoCAD drawing commands na different workflow.

STEP and mesh export

Common for 3D print abi CAM handoff. PrusaSlicer go come slice the mesh. FreeCAD no be the slicer.

2D drawings from the model

TechDraw workbench. No be AutoCAD paper space.

Na who e dey for?

  • Hobby machinists and print designers
  • People wey no fit pay for AutoCAD
  • Anybody wey receive .FCStd file

Current status

FreeCAD (2002) na current parametric cad from FreeCAD. The vendor still dey point Windows users go https://www.freecad.org/downloads.php.

How old e be?

FreeCAD don dey since 2002. Current 1.x builds na different UI generation from 0.19-era tutorials, but e still no be Autodesk AutoCAD.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers no dey all verified here.

FreeCAD 1.x
0.21 (older tutorials)

System requirements

Values dey follow wetin di publisher release publicly. Workload still dey change di real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system Current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, according to di vendor
RAM E reach for Windows plus dis app. Heavy projects go want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand
Dey follow wetin you open inside di app
RAM demand
Dey follow documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

Dese executables belong to dis product when e dey installed.

Installed processes
FreeCAD.exe Main Windows executable

Startup components

FreeCAD no need to start with Windows.

File locations

Common FreeCAD locations
Typical install C:\Program Files\FreeCAD <version>\

File formats

FCStdSTEPSTL3MF

Common wahala dem

Expected full DWG fidelity

FreeCAD no be AutoCAD. STEP abi the vendor documented import path dey safer pass to dey hope say DWG go open clean.

Confuse the modeler with slicer

Export STL abi 3MF, then open Cura abi PrusaSlicer. FreeCAD no get printer profiles.

How to get unstuck

Install from freecad.org/downloads.php

Windows installer abi conda/portable builds wey the project document. Skip "AutoCAD FreeCAD crack" bundles.

Pick workbench before you call am broken

Part Design versus Draft na different tools. The wiki call their names.

Save .FCStd often. Export STEP for other CAD

Na that one be the interchange path. Shop wey be say na only .dwg dem dey use fit still need AutoCAD.

Alternatives

AutoCAD and Fusion na commercial CAD. OpenSCAD na code-CAD. None of those na this exe.

Official help and downloads

Start with di vendor. Random exe sites no be support channel.

Official contacts
Download www.freecad.org/downloads.php Official installer or vendor page
Help wiki.freecad.org/ Vendor support
Official site www.freecad.org/downloads.php Start here, no be random exe host

Related hardware

Large assemblies want RAM. Discrete GPU dey help the 3D view. FreeCAD still dey run on top modest Windows PCs for small parts.

Technical details

Technical details

Vendor version numbers dey change. Dis article no pin down any build.

Sources and verification

Recorded source label: August 2026. Dis label no establish independent verification. How we dey do research.

Dis article make sense to you?

Yes or no dey enough. Choose reason if you want, or add short note.

Dis article make sense to you?