Explainer · what is a dwl file

What is a DWL lock file, and is it safe to delete?

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By Sumana Kumar · Published 1 Mar 2024 · Updated 2 Mar 2025

A DWL file is AutoCAD's drawing lock file. When you open a DWG, AutoCAD creates a small companion file with the same name and a .dwl (and usually .dwl2) extension right beside the drawing. Its job is to announce 'this drawing is currently open' so that if a second person on a shared drive tries to open the same DWG, AutoCAD can warn them and offer to open a read-only copy instead of letting two people edit and overwrite each other.

You rarely think about these files because AutoCAD deletes them automatically when you close the drawing normally. They only become visible — and annoying — when something interrupts that tidy close: AutoCAD crashes, the network drops, or the machine is shut down with the drawing open. The lock file is left behind, and the next person to open the DWG is told it is 'in use by another user' even though nobody is using it.

Knowing what the DWL is, what it stores, and when it is safe to remove turns a confusing 'file locked' message into a thirty-second fix.

What the lock file records

A DWL is a tiny text-based file, not a drawing. It records who has the DWG open and when they opened it — typically the user's login name, the computer name and a timestamp. That is the information AutoCAD shows in the warning dialog: 'This drawing is in use by [name]. Open read-only?' so you know who to chase before you start editing a copy.

There are usually two lock files per open drawing: a .dwl and a .dwl2. The pair carries slightly different information for AutoCAD's own bookkeeping. Both are written next to the DWG, not in a temp folder, precisely so that anyone with access to the shared drawing folder can see that the file is claimed.

Why lock files exist

On a shared network drive, multiple drafters may have access to the same project folder. Without a lock, two people could open the same DWG, both make changes, and the second to save would silently wipe out the first person's work. The DWL prevents that quietly: the first person to open the drawing gets full read-write access, and everyone after them is offered read-only.

This is collaboration safety rather than security — the lock does not stop anyone opening a copy or working in parallel, it just stops accidental overwrites of the live file. For genuinely concurrent editing you need a proper data-management system, but for a small team sharing a folder, the humble DWL is usually enough to keep work from colliding.

Why a lock gets stuck

AutoCAD removes the DWL when you close the drawing cleanly. The lock is left behind only when that clean close never happens. The usual culprits are an AutoCAD crash, the network connection dropping while the file is open, the program being force-quit through Task Manager, or the PC being shut down or losing power with drawings still open.

When that happens, the orphaned DWL still says the drawing is in use, so the next person — or even you, after rebooting — gets the 'in use by another user' message and only a read-only option. The drawing itself is fine; it is the stale lock that is lying. Recognising this pattern means you do not waste time hunting for a colleague who is not actually in the file.

Is it safe to delete a DWL file?

Yes, with one rule: only delete a DWL when you are certain nobody actually has the drawing open. The lock file is disposable bookkeeping — deleting it does not touch the DWG and does not lose any drawing data. Once the stale .dwl and .dwl2 are gone, the next person to open the DWG gets normal read-write access again.

The danger is deleting a lock that is still valid: if a colleague genuinely has the drawing open and you remove the lock, you both edit the live file and one of you loses work on save — exactly the situation the lock exists to prevent. So before deleting, confirm the named person is not in the file. If the lock names your own machine from before a crash, it is safe to clear. When in doubt, ask first; the cost of asking is far lower than the cost of a clobbered drawing.

How to clear a stale lock

The fix is simple file housekeeping. Browse to the project folder, find the DWL and DWL2 files sitting next to the locked DWG (they share its name), confirm nobody is really in the drawing, and delete just those lock files. Leave the .dwg, .bak and any other companions alone. Reopen the DWG and it should come up read-write.

Lock files are often hidden, so you may need to switch on 'show hidden files' in your file browser to see them. If you keep hitting stale locks, it is worth asking whether the real problem is upstream — an unstable network share, frequent crashes, or people shutting down with drawings open. Fixing that removes the recurring lock-file nuisance at the source rather than deleting orphans every morning.

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Questions

Frequently asked

Can I just delete a DWL file?+

Yes, as long as nobody actually has the drawing open. The DWL holds no drawing data, so deleting it is harmless and frees the DWG for read-write access. The one risk is removing a lock while a colleague is genuinely editing the file, which can cause lost work.

Why does AutoCAD say my drawing is in use when nobody has it open?+

A stale DWL lock file was left behind by a crash, network drop or improper shutdown. The drawing itself is fine; the orphaned lock is lying. Confirm nobody is in the file, then delete the .dwl and .dwl2 to clear it.

What is the difference between DWL and DWL2 files?+

They are a pair of lock files AutoCAD writes for the same open drawing, each holding slightly different bookkeeping such as user name, machine and timestamp. Both are temporary and both can be deleted together when clearing a stale lock.

Will deleting a DWL file harm my DWG?+

No. The lock file is separate from the drawing and contains no geometry. Deleting it only removes the 'in use' marker, so the next open is read-write again. Just be sure the file is genuinely not open by someone else first.

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