What is the VSD file format?
Files with the .vsd extension contain drawings and diagrams created using Microsoft Visio, saved in a legacy binary format. Unlike the modern .vsdx format - a ZIP-based XML package - .vsd is built on the Microsoft OLE2 Compound File Binary container, the same low-level structure used by legacy .doc, .xls, and .ppt files. The file is distinguished internally by an OLE stream named VisioDocument, since the OLE2 magic bytes (D0 CF 11 E0) are shared with many other legacy Office formats.
.vsd is a proprietary format; it was superseded by the .vdx XML-based variant around Visio 2010, and then by .vsdx and .vsdm in Visio 2013. .vsd was the native Visio format from the program's 1992 debut through Visio 2010, but it is still supported by the application. .vsd diagrams can incorporate elements conforming to the following standards:
- UML - Unified Modeling Language
- BPMN - Business Process Model and Notation
- IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Diagrams can be created based on many existing templates and data resources from other Microsoft applications - Excel, SQL Server, SharePoint, and more. More advanced templates and template-merging options are available only in the Professional edition of Visio. A .vsd file can store:
- Block diagrams
- Process maps
- Organizational charts
- Timelines
- IT architecture designs
- Floor plans
and many other diagram types. As a proprietary format, .vsd can only be opened with dedicated programs and compatible viewers; diagram images can be exported into other popular formats and shared.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA plain VSD drawing has no macros and is low risk. As an OLE2 compound file it shares a container with old macro-capable Office documents, and the macro-enabled Visio variant is VSDM - treat VSDM (and any Visio file with macros) from untrusted senders cautiously and keep macros disabled. Opening a VSD in LibreOffice Draw, which does not run Visio VBA, is a safe way to inspect a file you're unsure about.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open VSD files
Windows3 apps
Microsoft Visio
Paid Opens VSD natively (sold separately from Office). Use it to view/edit and to Save As the newer VSDX. 
LibreOffice Draw
Open-source Free; double-click to open the VSD for viewing (via libvisio). Fidelity is partial on complex stencils. Export to PDF/PNG. 
Microsoft Visio Viewer
Free Free standalone viewer for legacy Visio files; opens VSD without the full Visio. View-only. 
macOS2 apps
LibreOffice Draw
Open-source Open the VSD to view it (Visio is not available natively on macOS); export to PDF/PNG to share.
VSD Viewer (Nektony)
Paid Dedicated Mac viewer for Visio VSD/VSDX; open to view diagrams without Visio. 
Linux1 app
LibreOffice Draw
Open-source Open the VSD for viewing; export to PDF/PNG. The standard free option on Linux.
VSD Viewer (Nektony)
Paid Open the VSD to view diagrams on iPhone/iPad; view-only, no Visio required. Technical details
deep spec| Container format | OLE2 Compound File Binary (CFB) - the same low-level container used by legacy .doc and .xls |
| Magic bytes | D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 at offset 0 (OLE2 header, shared with other legacy Office formats) |
| Internal Visio identifier | OLE stream named VisioDocument inside the compound file distinguishes it from other OLE2 files |
| MIME type | application/vnd.visio |
| Page storage | Each drawing page is stored as a separate stream; multi-page drawings fully supported in a single file |
| ShapeSheet model | Every shape carries a ShapeSheet - a grid of formula cells controlling geometry, text, and behavior |
| Stream compression | Individual OLE streams use a proprietary run-length encoding scheme to reduce file size |
| VBA macro support | Embedded VBA macros stored in a dedicated OLE stream within the compound file |
| Stencil dependency | Shape libraries are referenced from companion .vss stencil files |
| Data linking | Supports live connections to Excel worksheets, SQL Server, and SharePoint lists |
| Diagram standard support | UML, BPMN, and IEEE schematic standards supported via built-in shape sets |
| Layer support | Multiple named layers per page; shapes can be assigned, locked, or hidden per layer |
| File encoding | Binary (non-human-readable); cannot be diffed or merged with text-based version control tools |
| Successor format | Replaced by .vsdx (ZIP/XML Open Packaging Convention) as the Visio default in 2013 |
| Related companion types | .vss (stencil), .vst (template), .vdx (XML variant), .vsdm (macro-enabled VSDX) |
| Released | 1992 (Visio 1.0 era); the binary VSD format through Visio 2010 |
| Specification | learn.microsoft.com |
VSD conversions
Community Q&A
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