What is a VSD file, and how do you open one?

A .vsd file is a Microsoft Visio drawing in the binary format Visio used up to 2010. They still turn up in old project folders, network documentation and email archives, and most computers have nothing that opens them.

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Open it in your browser

Drop the file into the Visio Viewer. It reads .vsd files from Visio 2003 to 2010 as well as the newer .vsdx, and shows every page as a picture, free, on Windows, Mac, Chromebook or iPad. No account, nothing to install.

VSD vs VSDX

.vsd: the binary format used by Visio 2010 and earlier.
.vsdx: the zipped XML format used since Visio 2013. Newer Visio still opens .vsd files and can save them as .vsdx.
.vsdm: a .vsdx with macros. .vdx: the old Visio XML format. .vss and .vssx are stencils (shape libraries), not drawings.

Why it won't open

Windows doesn't include Visio, most Microsoft 365 plans don't include it either, and Macs and Chromebooks have no Visio app at all. So a double-click usually ends in "How do you want to open this file?"

Other ways

LibreOffice Draw (free, Windows, Mac and Linux) opens .vsd files and can save them in other formats. Visio itself opens them and can save as .vsdx.

Keeping old drawings readable

If you're archiving old .vsd files, a PDF copy of each is the safest bet: any computer opens a PDF. The viewer downloads the whole drawing as a PDF for $19 once, every drawing. Very old files can lose some connector lines; if one looks wrong, email me the file and I'll look at it.

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Microsoft Visio is a trademark of Microsoft. I am not affiliated with Microsoft.