How an SKP file appears depends on its saved SketchUp version and model structure. Try the sample house first, then check your file version, tags and model structure.
What can I use instead of downloading SketchUp Viewer?
SketchUp ended new desktop viewer downloads on April 22, 2025. Choose between its official sharing options and a local file viewer to suit your task.
View a local SKP file: choose it in OpenCAD to inspect tags, scenes and measurements. The model file is not uploaded to a server.
Share a model by link: follow the official SketchUp guidance for Trimble Connect and Link Sharing.
Edit a furniture model: use a modeling tool such as SketchUp. The OpenCAD SKP viewer does not edit or save SKP models.
Check the SketchUp saved version
The OpenCAD SKP viewer currently opens .skp files saved in SketchUp 6, 7, 8 and 2013-2026. It cannot read very old files saved in SketchUp 3-5; when you open one, it tells you the saved version. Renaming a file to .skp does not turn it into a supported file.
OpenCAD is not an official SketchUp product. If the version is not supported, ask the person who sent the file to re-save it in SketchUp 6 or later.
Sequence for opening examples and your own models
"View Example" opens a model of a house created within this browser. You can start by familiarizing yourself with the Tags, Materials, and Components panels, as well as the "View All" function.
Select an .skp file via "Open," or drag and drop it into the window.
When a model is opened, use "View All" or the F key to fit it to the screen.
Check visibility status in the Tags & Materials panel, and group/component relationships in the Configuration panel.
Check the Information panel for the saved version, units, analysis warnings, and any notifications indicating that only a portion of the data was read.
When some objects or materials are not visible
First, ensure that the relevant tags and components are not turned off. Check the "Show Hidden Geometry" and section plane settings, and zoom in on the selected group to compare it with the rest of the model.
Textures within the file are read to display materials, though not all materials or objects may appear exactly as they did in the original software. Please compare the result with the same scene in the source application. Tapping a scene tab switches to the camera, hidden tags, section planes and style saved in that scene.
If a warning appears indicating that only a portion was read
For files that are truncated or contain corrupted internal data, only the readable portions can be displayed. If a large model reaches the processing limit, a notification will appear. Do not assume that the entire model has been loaded simply because a shape is visible on the screen.
If a new file fails to open, the previous model may remain; please check the document name on the screen and any accompanying warnings. Verify with the file provider that the original file opens correctly. When reporting an error, please include the version, browser, any warning messages, and a minimal, shareable example.
Models are processed within the browser of this application. Please do not attach customer models or confidential files to public issues.
