Migrate From OrCAD® to Altium Designer®

Seamlessly Migrate to The Most Comprehensive PCB Design Platform

Experience the Altium Designer difference

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Trusted by top global brands for over 35 years

You Won’t Lose Your Data When You Switch

Use the industry’s best migration tool to import your designs

Use a built-in importer to convert your designs

The Import Wizard in Altium Designer converts your OrCAD database to Altium’s format in minutes.

Take your libraries with you

The migration process converts your OrCAD libraries into Altium’s library format.

Minimal cleanup required

The Import Wizard helps you minimize cleanup in your converted schematics and PCB layouts.

Easy to learn, easy to use

Once you’ve converted your projects, you can instantly start working on your designs in an intuitive user interface.

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See How Simple It Is to Migrate to Altium Designer

The industry’s fastest conversion and cleanup process

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Switching from OrCAD to
Altium Designer in 3 Simple Steps:

STEP 1
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Prepare Your
OrCAD Files

Ensure data is saved in OrCAD file formats (*.BRD, *.DSN, *.OLB, and *.LLB)

STEP 2
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Convert Designs

Use the Import Wizard in Altium Designer to convert to Altium’s file format

STEP 3
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Start Working in Altium Designer

You can start updating your converted files and reuse your OrCAD libraries in new Altium Designer projects

Thousands of Customers Are Happy
They Switched From OrCAD

“I have used Altium Designer since 1994, when it was called Protel. Over the years I have used a number of other electronic CAD systems including OrCAD, DxDesigner and PADS, but I prefer Altium Designer for its tight integration from schematic capture through PCB design to output file generation.”

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howard robson
Howard Robson

“In addition to Altium Designer we concurrently used other toolsets such as OrCAD and PADS. We are opted to use Altium Designer exclusively due to Altium’s unrivaled track record against other toolsets of putting the design engineer back in the driver’s seat by providing us with intuitive and easy-to-use features that deliver real world benefits.”

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josh ross
Josh Ross

“It’s much easier to come up with an idea and see it turn into reality maybe in a couple of weeks instead of a couple of months with our old workflow. So the Altium transition has been phenomenal for us.”

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Dugan Karnazes
Dugan Karnazes

Explore Information to Help You Successfully
Complete the Migration Process

Step-By-Step Guide to Migrate from OrCAD

Our migration guide shows you how to use the Import Wizard in Altium Designer to convert an OrCAD project into Altium’s file format.

Access Migration Guide >

View Technical Documentation >

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Training Programs for Users of All Levels

Altium offers on-demand and instructor-led training programs so that you’re able to quickly and efficiently master PCB design with Altium Designer.

Explore Training Options >

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Discover the Altium Designer Difference

Reward yourself today by choosing a better design experience

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Experience an Unmatched PCB Design System

Everything you need in a single unified design platform

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Create custom parts or find components from our massive parts database. Easily compile libraries and reuse parts through a simplified library system.

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The routing engine in Altium Designer simplifies your most complex high-speed designs and high-density designs with minimal setup.

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Schematic Capture

Build schematics, simulate circuits, and switch to the PCB layout all in a single program. Design data instantly syncs between schematic and layout.

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From Migration to Design, We Care About Your Success

Altium offers multiple support options to ensure your success

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Published documentation pages across the Altium family of products and services

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Posts in the last 12 months in the AltiumLive community

All subscription levels include easy access to real-time support, the AltiumLive Community, comprehensive product documentation, training videos, and a knowledge base of targeted solutions.

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Chat Support & Support Tickets

Available to all subscribers 24/5 in all time zones

Engage with support team members via a live chat session. Through chat support, you can get answers to many common issues, including installation, licensing, error messages, or unexpected software behavior. Need more support? You can escalate your chat to a ticket.

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Documentation Center and Knowledge Base

Available 24/7 to anyone

Altium's online technical documentation is an expansive set of resources that helps you find the information you need. Whether you’re looking for a high-level overview or need precise information regarding the functionality of a specific UI element, the documentation center and knowledge base has you covered.

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Altium Academy

24/7 access to helpful videos

Altium Academy is an online learning platform for PCB designers and engineers of every skill level. Learn directly from professionals and industry experts who provide instruction on many topics, including basic PCB design principles, advanced engineering topics, and everything in between.

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Migrate to Altium Designer

Discover Why So Many Engineers Choose Altium Designer Over OrCAD

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Migrate to Altium Designer
  • All design tools and files are accessible in a single program
  • Altium Designer is easy to learn and easy to use
  • Simple project and library migration process for OrCAD users
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  • All features are available in the trial version
  • Includes access to an Altium 365® Product Design platform
  • Test the migration process before you buy
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which OrCAD files are needed for migration?

Users only need their .BRD and .DSN files to migrate from OrCAD to Altium Designer. To convert models and components, .OLB and .DRA files are also needed.

How much rework is needed after importing?

The amount of rework varies with each project, but the Import Wizard in Altium Designer was engineered to minimize any required cleanup. After running the Import Wizard, make sure to view the migration log and review the converted design for any required changes.

Can we go back and forth between using Altium Designer and OrCAD?

After converting your files to the Altium Designer file format, your original files will still be available and can be accessed in OrCAD.

Can we import existing parts libraries?

Yes, all OrCAD parts and component libraries can be converted into Altium’s library format.

How long does it take to convert a project to Altium Designer?

It takes just a few minutes for the Import Wizard to complete the conversion process. As with any importer, it is advisable to review the converted files to ensure no cleanup is needed.

What happens to OrCAD-specific features?

Some features in OrCAD files may not translate as expected. Therefore, it is essential to review specific features before finalizing your converted files. Please refer to our migration guide to see what features should be reviewed and if any cleanup is required. The overall process is short and can usually be completed in a few minutes for smaller projects.

OrCAD® is a registered trademark of Cadence Design Systems, Inc., and/or its
subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries.