Whether you are collaborating with another engineer or importing a component downloaded from a supplier, bringing external 3D models into Autodesk Fusion 360 is a fundamental workflow.

Importing files takes less than a minute, but the types of files you can open depend heavily on whether you are using the Free (Personal) or Paid (Commercial) license.

This guide provides a direct, 3-step walkthrough to import your models, followed by an updated 2026 list of supported file extensions to help you troubleshoot format errors.

3 Easy Steps to Import a File into Fusion 360

To open an existing file locally from your machine, follow these steps:

1. Access the File Menu:Open Fusion 360, click the File icon (dropdown menu) in the top-left corner of the workspace, and select Open.
   
   

2. Locate the File: A dialog box will appear showing your cloud projects. To upload a file from your hard drive, click the Open from my computer button.
   
   

3. Select and Open: Browse your system's folders, select the desired file (e.g., a .step or .f3d file), and click Open.
   
   

4. Fusion 360 will translate the file geometry and open it as a new active document in your workspace.
   
   

Fusion 360 Supported File Formats (Updated for 2026)

If you follow the steps above but your file is grayed out or throws an error, it is likely because the file format is unsupported by your specific license tier.

Autodesk limits "AnyCAD" functionality (the ability to directly open native files from competing CAD software like SolidWorks or CATIA) to paid commercial users.

Check the lists below to see what your current tier supports.

Personal Use (Free Version)

The Personal tier is restricted to standard neutral file formats and Autodesk's native files. Supported import extensions include:

Native： *.f3d, *.f3z

Neutral/Mesh： *.step, *.stp, *.ste, *.iges, *.igs, *.ige, *.stl, *.obj, *.3mf, *.fbx, *.usdz

2D: *.dxf

Commercial Use (Paid Version)

The Commercial tier unlocks AnyCAD, allowing you to import native proprietary formats from almost any standard engineering software. In addition to all Personal tier formats, Commercial users can import:

AutoCAD： *.dwg

Inventor： *.ipt, *.iam

SOLIDWORKS： *.sldprt, *.sldasm

CATIA： *.CATPart, *.CATProduct

Creo / Pro-E： *.prt, *.asm, *.g, *.neu

NX & Parasolid： *.prt, *.jt, *.x_t, *.x_b

Other standard 3D formats： *.3dm (Rhino), *.skp (SketchUp), *.sat, *.sab, *.smt, *.smb, *.wire

Struggling with Unsupported File Formats?

If you are using the Personal version of Fusion 360 and a client sends you a native SOLIDWORKS (.sldprt) or a complex .dwg file, you won't be able to open it directly. Forcing workarounds often leads to broken geometry, lost layers, or scaling errors.

Don't let file incompatibility stall your design process. DARE offers lightning-fast, highly accurate cloud conversions for all major 2D and 3D CAD formats. Easily translate proprietary files into neutral formats like STEP or DXF so you can seamlessly import them into Fusion 360 without paying for an expensive commercial software upgrade.