Files with the .NWD extension contain CAD model data, as well as information regarding its presentation – the location of the camera, the animation, the user comments.

It is unique to the Navisworks application, which is used for viewing and simulating CAD projects, as well as highlighting differences between them. NWD files contain the full project data – unlike NWF files, which only contain references to said data. This is why the NWD format can be seen as a screenshot of project files from a given moment – it can be viewed without having access to the CAD project itself. The Navisworks software suite also encompasses Navisworks Freedom, which is used for browsing NWD files, and Navisworks Manage, which can be used to publish files in the NWD format.