AutoCAD WS for Mac and iOS Review

AutoCAD is one of the standard tools for 2D and 3D designs for a wide range of engineering services and professions. It’s almost unimaginable in today’s world to work as an engineer without using AutoCAD on a daily basis. One of the biggest news from this company during the last year was the announcement on availability of AutoCAD for Mac OS X, since this application was Windows-only for a very long time. This move brought big success to Autodesk, the owner and developer of AutoCAD, this application offered several free versions which are now also available on iOS (iPhone as well iPad). This application is named AutoCAD WS and it’s the free version of the much more complex parent product.

AutoCAD WS is available on the Mac App Store for Mac OS X, and you can also use on iOS by downloading it from the iOS App Store. It’s completely free, without any hidden costs and it can be considered a stripped-down version of the official AutoCAD for Mac. However, this application is very useful and comes with many helpful features which will surely ease up collaboration within your team

First of all, you should know that you’ll need an internet connection since this a cloud-based application. You can also use it offline, if you previously downloaded drawings, so you can edit them. This means that all your drawings will be automatically updated on all your devices using AutoCAD WS which is perhaps its biggest strength. You’ll also need to have an Autodesk account, which is free. Using this account you can sign-in within AutoCAD (Mac and Windows), you even upload drawings from there, which will appear in your AutoCAD WS app and in your internet browser.

AutoCAD WS can be used to open DWG and DXF files, which are native for this application. Since this is not only a reader, you can use it to edit your drawings. These editing tools are basic, but they are just enough to make a certain adjustments to your drawings. For example, if you’re an architect working on the field, you can use your iPad to edit your original drawing and to write instructions to a team member, who will automatically receive revised drawing. As you can see, AutoCAD WS can be quite a time- and money-saver.

Other interesting and helpful feature is the ability to send a drawing to an e-mail. AutoCAD WS will convert it to a PDF file, so a client can review it without any additional software needed. Finally, you can print a file directly within this app, regardless of a resolution and file size.

MacReview Verdict:

Overall, AutoCAD WS is well worth downloading and it will surely become one of the most helpful CAD applications for all members of your team. If you manage to utilize it properly, it will save you a lot of time, effort, and money.