How to Migrate Your Diagrams to draw.io from Other Tools

Here's exactly how to get your diagrams into draw.io from other tools—what works, what doesn't, and where you'll need to clean things up.

What draw.io Can Import (and What It Can't)

draw.io supports direct import for the following formats:

What draw.io cannot directly import:

• Legacy Visio formats (.vsd, .vdx, .vss)
• OmniGraffle native files (.graffle)—must export to Visio first
• Most proprietary formats from other diagramming tools

Importing from Specific Tools

From Lucidchart

You have two options, and one is significantly better than the other.

Option 1: Copy and Paste (Recommended)

This is the cleanest method and preserves the most detail:

1. Open your diagram in Lucidchart
2. Select everything (Ctrl+A on Windows, Cmd+A on macOS)
3. Copy (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
4. Open a new draw.io diagram
5. Paste (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V)

The diagram imports as editable draw.io shapes. This works because Lucidchart copies diagram data to the clipboard in a format draw.io can read.

Option 2: Bulk Import with the Chrome Extension

If you have many Lucidchart diagrams to migrate, use the free draw.io Importer Chrome extension:

1. Install the draw.io Importer extension
2. Log into Lucidchart in your browser
3. Navigate to https://app.diagrams.net/tools/lucid/import.html
4. Authenticate and convert all diagrams in your Lucidchart account
5. Download the results as a single zip file

This is a one-way migration—once converted, your diagrams are in draw.io format.

From Gliffy

draw.io supports Gliffy import both individually and in bulk.

Single diagram import:

1. Export your diagram from Gliffy as a Gliffy file (JSON or XML)
2. Open draw.io
3. Drag and drop the file onto the canvas, or use File > Import From > Device

Mass import in Confluence:

If you're migrating from Gliffy in Confluence, draw.io provides a mass import tool:

1. Install the draw.io app in your Confluence instance
2. Go to the draw.io add-on administration panel
3. Select the Gliffy Import tab
4. Click "Start Import" and wait

The tool converts all Gliffy diagrams on all pages (or selected spaces) to draw.io diagrams. Both current Gliffy JSON format and legacy XML formats are supported.

From Microsoft Visio

Visio import is one of draw.io's most requested features, and support has been expanding.

For .vsdx files (Visio 2013 and later):

1. Open draw.io
2. Use File > Import From > Device, or simply drag and drop the .vsdx file onto a blank canvas

For legacy .vsd, .vdx, or .vss files:

draw.io does not support these formats directly. You need to convert them first:

1. Open the file in Microsoft Visio 2013 or later
2. Save it as a .vsdx file
3. Import the .vsdx into draw.io

What to expect from Visio imports:

draw.io makes "all reasonable efforts" to match the original, but there are architectural differences between the .vsdx and .drawio modelling formats. You may see minor differences in:

• Font rendering (Windows vs browser-based rendering engines)
• Shape positioning
• Some advanced Visio features that don't have direct equivalents

Multi-page Visio diagrams import with all pages preserved.

From Mermaid (Diagram as Code)

If you have diagrams defined in Mermaid syntax, draw.io can import them directly:

1. In draw.io, click Arrange > Insert > Mermaid
2. Paste your Mermaid code into the text box
3. Click Insert

draw.io converts the Mermaid source into native draw.io shapes and connectors, placing it as a Mermaid container group on your canvas. You can ungroup it to edit individual shapes, but the initial import treats it as one object.

draw.io has updated to Mermaid version 10.9.1, supporting the new ELK automatic layout.

From Other Tools

OmniGraffle: Export from OmniGraffle as Visio (.vsdx) format, then import into draw.io.

Sparx Enterprise Architect: Use the community plugin drawio_ea_integration to import XMI files:

1. Export your diagram from Enterprise Architect as XMI
2. Install the plugin in draw.io (Extras > Plug-ins > Add)
3. Load the XMI file

PNG with XML: draw.io can export diagrams as PNG with the diagram data embedded in the file. Importing these PNGs restores the full editable diagram.

The Cleanest Migration Path: Export as draw.io XML

If the tool you're migrating from supports it, the cleanest import is a native draw.io XML file (.drawio or .xml).

Why this works best:

• Preserves all shapes, connectors, and formatting
• Retains layers and metadata
• No conversion artifacts

Some tools (like Lucidchart) can export to draw.io format directly. If yours can't, use one of the methods above.

When Import Isn't Enough: The AI Alternative

Sometimes import just doesn't work well. Legacy Visio files won't open. Complex Lucidchart diagrams lose formatting. Gliffy exports come through with scrambled layouts.

When manual cleanup would take hours, consider regenerating the diagram from a description instead of fighting with a broken import. Tools like AI Line Studio take a prompt-first approach: describe your system in plain language—"a 3-tier web app on AWS with RDS and a CDN"—and it generates a production-ready diagram in 15–20 seconds with 3,000+ officially licensed icons across AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI.

This works particularly well for:

• Cloud architecture diagrams where official icons matter
• Complex system designs that don't import cleanly
• Diagrams that need updating anyway—why migrate outdated documentation?

The tradeoff: you're describing the architecture from memory or reference rather than transforming an existing file. But if you know what your system looks like, describing it is often faster than fixing a broken import.

Troubleshooting Common Import Issues

"My shapes came in as images, not editable objects"

This happens when you import SVG or JPEG files. SVG imports are not natively editable as draw.io shapes—they come in as grouped vector objects. You can scale and move them, but you cannot edit individual shapes, modify connector routing, or change text independently.

Fix: Use a format that preserves editability (.drawio, .xml, or copy-paste from Lucidchart) rather than SVG.

"My Lucidchart diagram didn't paste correctly"

Make sure you're using Ctrl+A to select everything, then Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V. Some users report that right-click copy doesn't work—you must use keyboard shortcuts.

"My Visio import looks wrong"

As noted above, there are architectural differences between Visio and draw.io. Check:

• Fonts: Visio uses Windows fonts that may not render identically in a browser
• Positioning: Some shapes may shift slightly
• Advanced features: Some Visio-specific features (like certain data graphics) may not have direct equivalents

Fix: After import, review the diagram and manually adjust any elements that don't look right. This is usually a 5–10 minute cleanup for a typical diagram.

"draw.io won't open my .vsd file"

draw.io does not support legacy Visio formats (.vsd, .vdx, .vss). You must convert to .vsdx first using Visio 2013 or later. If you don't have Visio, online conversion tools exist (though be cautious with sensitive diagrams).

Quick Reference: Import Methods by Source

The Bottom Line

draw.io's import capabilities are extensive but not perfect. Most modern formats work well—Lucidchart copy-paste is surprisingly good, Visio .vsdx support is solid, and Gliffy migration is fully supported. Legacy formats require extra steps.

The key insight: import is about preserving structure, not pixel-perfect replication. Expect to do a small cleanup pass after any import. If the diagram is complex and the import fails badly, consider regenerating from a description using an AI-powered tool rather than spending hours on manual repair.

And if you're starting fresh with cloud architecture diagrams, skip the import entirely—describe your system and generate it directly.

Additional Resources

• draw.io import formats and sources — official documentation
• Import Lucidchart diagrams into draw.io — step-by-step guide
• draw.io training: Export and import — exercise-based tutorial
• draw.io GitHub repository — source code and community plugins