How to Change Drawing Template in SolidWorks Quickly
To change the drawing template in SolidWorks, open your drawing document, then go to
File > Properties and select the Drawing Template option to browse and choose a new template file. Alternatively, start a new drawing by selecting File > New and pick the desired template from the list.Syntax
In SolidWorks, changing the drawing template involves selecting a new template file (.drwdot) either when creating a new drawing or by updating the current drawing's properties.
- File > New: Opens the template selection dialog.
- File > Properties: Allows changing the template of an open drawing.
- Browse: Lets you locate custom templates saved on your computer.
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1. Open SolidWorks. 2. Click File > New. 3. Select Drawing. 4. Choose a template from the list or click Browse to select a custom template. 5. Click OK to open the drawing with the selected template.
Output
A new drawing document opens using the selected template.
Example
This example shows how to change the drawing template when starting a new drawing in SolidWorks.
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1. Launch SolidWorks. 2. Go to File > New. 3. In the New Document dialog, click the Drawing tab. 4. Select a template like "A3 Metric.drwdot" or click Browse to find a custom template. 5. Click OK. 6. The new drawing opens with the chosen template settings such as sheet size and title block.
Output
New drawing document opens with the selected template's sheet size and formatting.
Common Pitfalls
Common mistakes when changing drawing templates include:
- Trying to change the template by editing the sheet properties instead of selecting a new template file.
- Not saving custom templates in the correct folder, so they don't appear in the template list.
- Forgetting to update the template before adding views, which can cause formatting inconsistencies.
Always use File > New or File > Properties to change templates properly.
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Wrong way:
- Editing sheet size manually without changing the template.
Right way:
- Use File > Properties > Drawing Template to select a new template file.Quick Reference
| Action | Menu Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Start new drawing with template | File > New > Drawing | Select template from list or browse custom template |
| Change template of open drawing | File > Properties > Drawing Template | Browse and select new template file |
| Save custom template | File > Save As > Drawing Template (.drwdot) | Save current drawing as a reusable template |
| Template file extension | .drwdot | SolidWorks drawing template file format |
Key Takeaways
Use File > New to select a drawing template when creating a new drawing.
Change the template of an open drawing via File > Properties > Drawing Template.
Save custom templates as .drwdot files to reuse them easily.
Always select the template before adding views to avoid formatting issues.
Store custom templates in accessible folders to appear in the template list.