AutoCAD Release History and Known Codenames
23 April 2025
For decades, I’ve tracked every AutoCAD release and its codename from the early 'White Album' to the latest release, AutoCAD 2026 'Watt.' It’s a fun look back at how AutoCAD evolved and the internal project names.
Check out the full AutoCAD release history and codenames archive here: AutoCAD Release History
AutoCAD Release History
AutoCAD 1.0 December 1982 - Initial release although AutoCAD 1.1 was the first shipping version to customers.
AutoCAD 1.1 December 1982
AutoCAD 1.2 April 1983
AutoCAD 1.3 August 1983
AutoCAD 1.4 October 1983
AutoCAD 2.0 October 1984 - Added 3D capabilities
AutoCAD 2.1 May 1985
AutoCAD 2.5 June 1986
AutoCAD 2.6 April 1987
AutoCAD R9 September 1987 - Codename "White Album"
AutoCAD R10 October 1988 - Codename "Abbey Road"
AutoCAD R11 October 1990 - Codename "Let it Be"
AutoCAD R12 June 1992 - Added 3D modeling tools
AutoCAD R13 November 1994-
AutoCAD R14 February 1997 - Codenames "Sedona" and "Pinetop" for 14.01
AutoCAD 2000 March 1999 - Codename "Tahoe"
AutoCAD 2000i July 2000 - Codename "Banff"
AutoCAD 2002 June 2001 - Codename "Kirkland"
AutoCAD 2004 March 2003 - Codename "Reddeer"
AutoCAD 2005 March 2004 - Codename "Neo"
AutoCAD 2006 March 2005 - Codename "Rio"
AutoCAD 2007 March 2006 - Codename "Postrio"
AutoCAD 2008 March 2007 - Codename "Spago"
AutoCAD 2009 March 2008 - Codename "Raptor"
AutoCAD 2010 March 2009 - Codename "Gator"
AutoCAD 2011 March 2010 - Codename "Hammer"
AutoCAD 2012 March 2011 - Codename "Ironman"
AutoCAD 2013 March 2012 - Codename "Jaws"
AutoCAD 2014 March 2013 - Codename "Keystone"
AutoCAD 2015 March 2014 - Codename "Longbow"
AutoCAD 2016 March 2015 - Codename "Maestro"
AutoCAD 2017 March 2016 - Codename "Nautilus"
AutoCAD 2018 March 2017 - Codename "Omega"
AutoCAD 2019 March 2018 - Codename "Pi"
AutoCAD 2020 March 2019 - Codename "Qubit"
AutoCAD 2021 March 2020 - Codename "Rogue"
AutoCAD 2022 March 2021 - Codename "Sequoia"
AutoCAD 2023 March 2022 - Codename "Turing"
AutoCAD 2024 March 2023 - Codename "Ursa"
AutoCAD 2025 March 2024 - Codename "Venn"
AutoCAD 2026 March 2025 - Codename "Watt"
Next codename letter in sequence "X". What will the letter X codename bring for possible names?
10 of my personal ideas for X codenames:
- XYZ – The UCS axis!
- Xor – from the logical XOR operation; ideal for clever or binary-related tools
- Xact – precise, to the point
- X-Wing – Star Wars
- Xiphos – continues the subtle weapon/tool motif
- Xenon – a noble gas that fits well in the tech/scientific trend of codenames
- Xylem – plant transport system
- X-Factor – mysterious
- Xperiment – ideal for a beta
- Xplore – exploration, discovery