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File conversion

Convert SHX to SHP

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 26, 2026
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Is it possible to convert SHX to SHP?
Yes - SHX converts to SHP.

An AutoCAD .shx is a compiled binary whose editable form is the .shp shape definition text file used to build it. The best path is to obtain the original .shp from the file's creator, edit it in a text editor, then recompile with AutoCAD's COMPILE command.

Also to SHP: TAB · MIF · GML

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Nov 2026

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Why convert SHX to SHP?

If you received a custom .shx font or shape set and need to modify the shapes, the editable .shp source is what you need - the compiled .shx alone does not give you that. Note that the .shp here is the AutoCAD shape definition file, not the Esri GIS shapefile, which shares the same extension but is a completely unrelated format.

How to convert SHX to SHP

AutoCAD APP

Obtain the original .shp text source, edit it in any text editor, then type COMPILE in AutoCAD and select the .shp file to produce an updated .shx.

BricsCAD APP

BricsCAD is AutoCAD-compatible and also supports the COMPILE command to produce an .shx from an .shp source file.

About these formats

.SHX AutoCAD Compiled Shape/Font File

An SHX file is a compiled shape and font definition that AutoCAD uses to draw custom text styles and symbols in a drawing. You don't open it directly - you place it in AutoCAD's Fonts or…

Open .SHX details →
.SHP Esri Shapefile (geospatial vector data)

A .shp file is almost always an Esri Shapefile - geospatial vector data (points, lines, polygons) used by GIS software. It is one piece of a set: it needs its sibling files (.shx, .dbf, and…

Open .SHP details →

Quality & what to watch

  • The .shx is the compiled output and the .shp is the editable source - AutoCAD's workflow always goes .shp to .shx, not the other way.
  • If you only have the .shx and no .shp, the compiled binary data is not human-readable without a custom parser; your options are to inspect it with a hex editor or rewrite the shapes from scratch.
  • The same .shx extension is used by Esri shapefile index files in GIS software - those files belong in QGIS or ArcGIS and are unrelated to AutoCAD shape files.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a tool that decompiles .shx back to .shp automatically?
No - there is no standard decompiler for the compiled shape data; you need the original .shp source or must rewrite the shapes from scratch.
Which programs support the COMPILE command to produce .shx from .shp?
AutoCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD, and GstarCAD all support the COMPILE command for this purpose.
I see an AutoCAD error about a missing .shx file. Do I need to convert .shp?
No - the fix is to place the correct .shx in AutoCAD's Fonts folder; the drawing simply cannot locate the font resource it references.