To just look at an NWD, Autodesk's free Navisworks Freedom viewer opens it. To use it — in Revit, Solibri, BIMcollab, Dalux or any openBIM tool — convert it to IFC first. Veksle does that in the browser, free, with nothing to install.
An NWD is a published Navisworks document — a self-contained snapshot of a coordination model. Nothing but Navisworks opens it directly, which is why a stray NWD feels like a dead end. It isn't.
Option 1 — view it (Navisworks Freedom, free)
Autodesk's Navisworks Freedom is a free viewer that opens NWD and NWC. You can orbit the model, read element properties and step through saved viewpoints. It is the quickest way to simply see what is in the file.
The limit: Freedom exports nothing — no IFC, no DWG, no data, no scripting. You can look at the model, but you cannot get anything out of it or bring it into another program. If all you need is a look, this is enough.
Option 2 — use it (convert to IFC)
To open the model in your own tools — Revit's IFC link, Solibri, BIMcollab, Dalux, Revizto, Blender — you need it in a format they read. Navisworks has no IFC export (why), so you convert the NWD directly. Veksle converts the .nwd to IFC4 in the browser, with no Navisworks anywhere.
Open your NWD as IFC
Upload it, see it render in the browser, download an IFC you can open anywhere. Free while we are in launch.
OPEN THE CONVERTER ▸"Open an NWD in Revit / AutoCAD / SketchUp…"
None of those open an NWD directly — the route is always the same: convert the NWD to IFC, then open the IFC in the tool you actually use. That one IFC works across all of them. Start with convert NWD to IFC.
Just want to see it in your browser?
Converting also renders the model in the page, so you can inspect it without installing anything — see NWD viewer online.
FAQ
What opens an NWD file?
Navisworks (Manage, Simulate or the free Freedom viewer) opens it directly. To use the model in any other program, convert it to IFC first.
How do I open an NWD without Navisworks?
Convert it to IFC in the browser with Veksle, then open the IFC in whatever BIM tool you use. Nothing to install, free while we are in launch.
Is Navisworks Freedom really free?
Yes — it is Autodesk's free NWD/NWC viewer. It opens and inspects the model but cannot export or extract anything from it.
Can I open an NWD in Revit?
Not directly. Convert the NWD to IFC, then bring the IFC into Revit with its IFC link or open. See convert NWD to IFC.
Is it safe to upload the file?
Your upload and the IFC it produces are deleted from the server the moment the conversion finishes, and no account is needed.