Does the DXF output import cleanly into AutoCAD?

Yes. PhotoCAD generates standard DXF files with clean lines, polylines, and arcs. They import directly into AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, SketchUp, and Vectorworks without conversion.

Will the generated file be to scale?

Set your real-world scale in CAD using a known reference dimension from the photograph — a door height, brick course, or measured tape on the wall. One-time setup per drawing, the same step any imported reference image needs.

Can it convert a sketch of a floor plan?

Yes — hand-drawn floor plans and architectural sketches convert especially well. The AI reads drawn intent, so wobbly pencil lines come out as crisp polylines and arcs ready to dimension and refine.

Does it handle straight lines properly?

Yes. Unlike auto-trace tools that produce jagged splines following pixel contrast, PhotoCAD interprets a straight line as a straight line. Curves come out as true arcs, not chains of micro-line-segments.

Convert Photos & Sketches to Architectural CAD Drawings

Original photo of Modern Office Building Atrium Interior

Modern office building atrium interior vector line drawing, tree-form structural columns, glazed barrel-vault roof and bridged staircase.

Convert site photos, hand-drawn floor plans, and elevation sketches into clean DXF files ready for AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, and SketchUp. Skip the manual tracing phase and start drafting from clean geometry.

Start Drawing for Free

Original photo of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum vector line drawing, stacked spiral rotunda, widening cylindrical tiers and rectilinear annex tower.

Go straight from a concept sketch to a clean line drawing — ready for client presentations.

Original photo of Red Stacked House Tokyo Facade

Tokyo stacked house facade vector line drawing, exterior zigzag staircase, stacked geometric volumes and recessed window openings at each floor.

Generate clean elevations effortlessly — from a single photograph.

Original photo of Georgian London Street Elevation

Georgian London street elevation vector line drawing, terraced blocks, sash window rhythms, chimney stacks and roofline variations.

Kick-start your development idea — a Google Maps screenshot becomes an editable line drawing in minutes.

How it works

Capture

Photograph a facade, site condition, hand-drawn plan, or printed elevation.

Convert

PhotoCAD interprets the image and generates clean DXF with true straight lines and accurate arcs.

Design

Import into AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, or SketchUp. Scale to a known reference dimension, then draft and dimension as normal.

Discover more in the Gallery

Browse and download free vector files — every one generated by PhotoCAD.

Paro Taktsang Tiger's Nest Monastery

Brutalist corridor interior vector line drawing, repeating concrete ceiling beams, angled glazing, glass block wall and brick-tile floor grid.

Brutalist Corridor with Glass Block Wall

Sham Shui Po corner tenement vector line drawing, tapered oval form, horizontal banded balcony tiers and rooftop antenna clusters.

Sham Shui Po Corner Building Hong Kong

Lower Manhattan Skyline

Casa Milà La Pedrera vector line drawing, undulating facade, organic window apertures and sculptural roofline figures.

Casa Milà (La Pedrera) Barcelona

Tower Bridge London

Drafting as-built conditions and digitizing hand-drawn concepts traditionally takes hours per drawing. You import a reference photo into CAD, then painstakingly trace over it with polylines and arcs — work that delivers no design value but eats the project budget.

PhotoCAD generates clean DXF files directly from your reference photo. Unlike auto-trace tools that produce jagged splines, the AI interprets structural intent — straight lines become straight lines, smooth curves become true arcs. The output drops into AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, or SketchUp ready for drafting.

Scale the geometry to a known reference dimension, then build directly over it. Whether you're documenting a historic facade for restoration, working up a napkin sketch into a buildable plan, or extracting linework from a site photograph, you start where manual tracing used to end.

Best for

Architects, drafters, and interior designers digitizing site photos, hand sketches, and historic facades for AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, SketchUp, and Vectorworks workflows.

Ready to try it?

Upload any photo and get a clean vector file in under two minutes. Your first conversion is free.

Convert a Photo