1. Viewing Visio Files Without Visio
2. How To Read Visio Files
3. How To View Visio File
4. Open Vsd File Without Visio
5. Read Visio Files In Python

Opening Visio files without having Visio seems to be tricky for some of this Wiki readers. That is why we wrote this Wiki article to show how easy it is. To read Visio files, all you need are: Internet Explorer 8 or higher; Microsoft Visio Viewer. Rather than sharing static Visio files back and forth and creating versioning issues, use our web-based software to collaborate on live documents. Lucidchart works across Mac, PC, Linux, iOS, and Android operating systems, so your entire team has access to the latest version of your diagram at all times.

Visio Online is a browser-based version of Microsoft Visio, Office’s vector diagramming app. Visio Online is a 'lite' version of the full-fledged desktop app and provides fast opening times for viewing .vsdx and .vsd files, and editing of .vsdx files. Visio Online is great for viewing Visio files and making simple edits from basically any browser on almost any device. Viewing Visio files is included in all Office 365 subscriptions, but the editing feature requires the purchase of an extra subscription.

A number of diagram types, with specific shapes, are provided with Visio Online, and a large number of other shapes can be downloaded from the web. Most Visio files will open directly in Visio Online when using SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, MS Teams, Yammer, and some other Office 365 apps. Files open initially in reading mode, but to edit the files, simply click the 'Open Diagram' button and choose to 'Edit in Visio', for the desktop, or 'Edit in browser' to use Visio Online directly in the browser.

Functionality in Visio Online is generally limited to day-to-day editing, text entry, connecting shapes, some formatting, and comments. All changes made in Visio Online are saved automatically; there is no save button.

You cannot edit shape data or hyperlinks in Visio Online, or use any of the add-ons provided in the desktop edition. Macros will also not run in Visio Online and protected documents cannot be opened.

If Visio Online doesn't provide the features you need to do the job, simply click the 'Edit in Visio' button in the menu bar to access the desktop version of the app and its more complex features. Visio Pro for Office 365 is compatible with Office 365 and is frequently updated. However, owners of Visio Standard or Professional 2016 can enable them to be compatible.

Resources

• Visio Online feature set [Microsoft]
• Visio Online FAQ [Microsoft]

Feedback

• Visio Online UserVoice [UserVoice]
• Visio on TechCommunity [Microsoft]

Author

• David Parker, Visio MVP

‍

Note

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.

Symptoms

A user cannot open a drawing file that uses one of the following formats or save a drawing file to one of the following formats by using Microsoft Visio 2013:

• Visio 2003-2010 Binary Drawings, Templates and Stencils
• Visio 2000-2002 Binary Drawings, Templates and Stencils
• Visio 5.0 or earlier Binary Drawing, Templates and Stencils

Additionally, when the user tries to open the file or save the file to one of the formats, the user receives one of the following error messages that informs the user that the file is blocked:

Error message 1

Error message 2

Error message 3

Cause

This issue occurs because the file type that you want to open or save to is blocked in Visio 2013.

Note The File Block Settings dialog box is new in Visio 2013.

Resolution

To open the blocked drawing file or save a file to a blocked file type, use one of the following methods.

Important

This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, see How to back up and restore the registry in Windows.

Method 1: Unblock the file type in the Trust Center

1. Click the File tab in Visio 2013, and then click Options.
2. Click Trust Center, click Trust Center Settings, and then click File Block Settings.
3. Clear the check box for the file type that you want to open or save to.
4. Click OK two times.

Note

If the issue occurs in an embedded or linked Visio file in other Microsoft Office applications, clear both the Save and Open check boxes for the 'Visio 2003-2010 Binary Drawings, Templates and Stencils' file type.

The following screen shot shows the default settings for the **File Block Settings **dialog box in Visio 2013:

If the Open and Save options are unavailable, your system administrator may have applied group policies to block the file types.

Method 2: Move the file to a trusted location

If you trust the file that you want to open in Visio 2013, override the registry policy settings by moving the file to a trusted location.

For more information about how to create, remove, or change a trusted location for files, go to the following Microsoft website:

Method 3: Use a Group Policy template to override the file type that is blocked

Viewing Visio Files Without Visio

If you are a domain administrator, you can override the settings for file types that are blocked by using a Group Policy template. You can download the Office 2013 Administrative Template files (ADM, ADMX/ADML) and Office Customization Tool.

This update provides updated Group Policy template files that you can use to override the settings for the files that are blocked by default or to block additional file types.

How To Read Visio Files

Note You can control the restrictions for the following file types by using the File Block Settings dialog box:

• Visio 2003-2010 Binary Drawings, Templates and Stencils
• Visio 2000-2002 Binary Drawings, Templates and Stencils
• Visio 5.0 or earlier Binary Drawing, Templates and Stencils

How To View Visio File

More Information

Open Vsd File Without Visio

How to restrict files in Microsoft Visio 2013

To restrict the kinds of files that you can open or save in Visio 2013, an administrator can use the 2013 Office System Administrative Templates to configure the registry on the client computer.

Read Visio Files In Python

For more specific information about how to use settings to block users from opening and saving specific file formats in Office 2013 programs, see Overview of Group Policy for Office 2013.