How to Open and View Visio (VSDX, VSD, VDX) File without Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Visio Viewer seems to be an essential way to open vsd/vsdx file. But with it’s significant price tag and Windows-only desktop version. many users are searching for a way to open VSDX or VSD file without having Visio installed.

The good news is that you don’t need to invest in the full Microsoft Visio to access these files.

In this guide we will show you how to open and view Visio files without installing Microsoft Visio. We introduce ways with a multi-format file reader, online websites, LibreOffice and Google Chrome extensions, helping you stay productive while keeping costs down.

 Cisdem Document Reader

Open, View, Convert Visio Files, and More

• Support Visio files in vsd, vsdx and vdx format
• View single or multiple Visio files, also open PDF, WPD, WPS, DJVU, XPS/OXPS, Winmail.dat, etc.
• Convert Visio or other files to PDF, Text, JPG, PNG, BMP, etc.
• Zoom, rotate, bookmark, print, search Visio files, even extract images from the file
• Customize toolbar for user friendly experience
• Easy to use

Free Download macOS 10.10 or later

What is a Visio (VSDX, VSD, VDX) File?

A Visio file, which comes with extensions of .vsd, .vsdx, .vdx, etc., is the native file format of drawings created by Microsoft Visio program. It contains texts, data, visual objects, flow charts, diagrams, etc. and is widely used to create lively visualizations for diagramming, modeling…

It has a lot of benefits: present ideas visually and clearly, add interactive elements, view drawings on different devices without fidelity issue, collaborate on diagrams easily, convenient to share, etc. And this the reason why Visio format has a long history but still popular nowadays.

How to Open Visio Files without Visio---The Best Microsoft Visio Alternative

Cisdem Document Reader is the best program to open Visio files without MS Visio on Mac. It can read multiple windows-based document types, including Visio, DjVu, WordPerfect, WPS, XPS, OXPS, Winmail.dat and PDF. Cisdem Document Reader loads files quickly and smoothly, renders the diagrams, charts and layouts the same as original. 

Reasons why Cisdem Document Reader is Recommended:

• Open and view all kinds of Visio format, including vsdx, vsd, vdx, etc.
• Open both small and large Visio files quickly.
• Offers a full set of tools to read files as you want. Thumbnails, page-by-page or two-page view mode, zoom in or out, turn to first/last or previous/next page, and rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.
• The opened Visio file will be as clear and intact as it was originally created in MS Visio program. You can find all the details.
• Export Visio Files as PDF, Text, PNG, JPEG, BMP, GIF and TIFF.
• Provide other functions like: bookmark, print, search, and extract images from Visio.

Testimonials & Reviews

I was pleasantly surprised at the clean, distraction-free viewing window of DocumentReader. It is the tool that can open VSD and VSDX files without Visio. The features are simple and the app is very easy to use. I love that you can open multiple documents at one time and that they open within a separate tab. -  Robyn from MacSources.com

How to Open Visio (VSDX, VSD, VDX) Files without Visio?

1. Download and install Cisdem Document Reader on your Mac.
   Free Download macOS 10.10 or later
2. Drag and drop one or multiple Visio files to the program.
3. Use the tools to display the Visio files as you want. 
4. (Optional) You can print, export or extract images from the Visio file as you like.

Also, you can watch the YouTube video to open Visio files with Cisdem.

How to View Visio Files without Visio in Chrome

As of October 2024, Google Chrome's market share in the global internet browser market is around 65% meaning that one in two people use it. The Chrome Web Store offers several dedicated extensions for viewing Visio files without needing to install the full Microsoft Visio software. One of the most popular and reliable extension is Free Visio Viewer (Mac, Windows, Linux) made by Lucidchart. With this extension you can view, import, and even edit Visio files directly in Google Chrome.

To use this method:

1. Visit the Chrome Web Store.
2. Search for "Visio Viewer".
3. Install the "Free Visio Viewer (Mac, Windows, Linux)" extension.
4. Click “CHOOSE FILE” to Upload your Visio files in the opening page. It supports .vdx, .vsd, .vsdx, and .vsd version 2007 and later.
   

Lucidchart offers several advantages for Visio file viewing:

• Cross-platform compatibility (works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices)
• Professional viewing tools including zoom, layers, and conditional formatting
• Ability to view notes, comments, and rulers
• No software installation required

However, be aware that free accounts have some limitations:

• Maximum of 60 objects per document
• Imported Visio files are view-only (editing requires a paid plan)
• Larger files may take some time to load

ASPOSE - Visio Viewer Free Online Chrome Extension

ASPOSE provides an easy way to open Visio files in your web browser, like in Google Chrome, you can add it as a plug-in or directly open the files on the website.

You can upload VSD, VSDX, VSX, VTX, VDX, VSSX, VSTX and all Visio files for reading. Though it doesn’t offer various tools to give users an outstanding reading experience, it has extended features, users are allows to download Visio files as PDF, PNG, SVG, XPS, HTML, DOCX, PPTX.

However, we don't recommend upload private or highly confidential Visio files to open in ASPOSE Visio viewer, it may cause information leakage, all the uploaded files would be saved online for some time.

How to View Visio Files without Visio in Chrome?

1. Go to ASPOSE Visio Viewer website.
2. Drag and drop your Visio file to upload it to ASPOSE.
3. Then view the Visio file or download as other format.

How to Open Visio Files without Visio with Chrome Plug-in?

1. Go to Chrome Web Store > Extensions, search Visio Viewer Free Online from ASPOSE.
2. Click on Add to Chrome.
3. Confirm to Add extention.
4. Then open the Extension tools, pin this plug-in to quickly open a Visio file.
5. Click on the extension to open, upload Visio files for opening.

How to View Visio Files with Online Sites - Groupdocs

If you want to view the Visio file in full screen mode, or want to print it out effortlessly, Groupdocs is a solution that comes in handy.

Groupdocs has the same procedure to open and view Visio files online, you need to upload the file first, it will delete your files within 24 hours.

How to Open Visio Files without Visio Online?

1. Visit Groupdocs visio viewer in your Chrome.
2. Drag and drop Visio VSDX files to upload.
3. Open and view the Visio file, also you can print or convert to PDF.

Opening Visio Files with LibreOffice Draw

LibreOffice provides a free and reliable solution for viewing Visio files through its Draw function. It is free and open-source, offering full set of tools similar to Microsoft Office. The Draw tool is particularly helpful for users needing basic Visio file viewing and editing capabilities.

Steps on using LibreOffice draw to open Visio files

1. Download and install LibreOffice from the official website.
2. Launch LibreOffice and click Open File to open the Visio VSDX or VSD files.
3. The diagram will open in Draw, where you can view and make basic edits.
   

Why Choose LibreOffice for Visio Files?

• Completely free to use with no licensing fees.
• Available across multiple platforms (Windows, macOS, and Linux).
• Supports VSDX and VSD file formats.
• Provides basic editing capabilities.
• Support exporting Visio files as PDF and SVG.

Why People Want to View Visio Files without Microsoft Visio?

Microsoft Visio is widely viewed as the best way to open a Visio file, because it creates Visio files itself. However, there are a lot of people looking for solutions to view their Visio files without using Microsoft Visio. Why? Here is a list of its possible reasons:

• Cost: $5 per month for plan 1, $15 per month for plan 2, $309.99 for Visio Standard one-time purchase, $579.99 for Professional one-time purchase. If you just need to open and view, or occasionally edit the Visio file, montly subscription for Plan 2 seems to be the best choice.
• Only available on Windows: Microsoft doesn’t have a standalone version for Mac users, unless you use the web version.
• Collaborating with non-Visio users: In business we need to share Visio diagram for feedback, or collaboration, But for people on Mac OS or those without Visio, this will be a great  challenge.
• Steep learning curve: It is difficult for beginners to master the basic and advanced diagramming skills in Microsoft Visio, because it has so many features and customization options, you need spend time and effort to get familiar with this program.
• Interface is not intuitive: Microsoft Visio has a steep learning curve, while its unintuitive interface makes this worse. It is clunky and congested, but the interface remains similar in all its latest versions, it seems that we still have to stand this for some time.
• Slow and cumbersome running: The program itself is large, when dealing with large diagrams, it becomes even slower, unless you have an excellent desktop with powerful processing capability. 

All these reasons push users for an alternative to open Visio files without Microsoft Visio. And you just come to the right place.

Summary

I tried to search for offline tools to open Visio (VSDX, VSD, VDX) files without MS Visio on Windows too, but most of Windows Visio viewers discontinue to update and won’t run on my Windows PC, possibly for the reason that MS Visio is dominant in this filed and others cannot rival MS Visio at all. However, we are still lucky to have several tools available to open Visio files without Visio program on both Mac and Windows PC.

As you can see from the methods above, Cisdem Document Reader can be your best choice to open VSDX file without Visio. It support all Visio formats, load files in batches and quickly, present files beautifully, supports print or convert Visio files to PDF or images and it also supports viewing other file formats like WPD, WPS, DJVU, XPS/OXPS, Winmail.dat, etc. So, don’t hesitate to give Document Reader a free try now.

Free Download macOS 10.10 or later