CCADAlts

How to move an Eagle project to KiCad

Checked against the official docs on

KiCad imports Eagle 6.x and newer projects (XML .sch and .brd files) as a complete KiCad project, from File → Import Non-KiCad Project.

You need the Eagle schematic and board in Eagle's XML format (Eagle 6.x or newer), with the same base file name, for example project.sch and project.brd.

  1. Open the importer

    In the KiCad project manager, open the File menu, then the Import Non-KiCad Project submenu, and choose the Eagle option.

  2. Select a schematic or board file

    In the file browser, pick the .sch or .brd file. KiCad expects both to share the same base name.

  3. Choose where to save

    Pick a directory for the new KiCad project. KiCad writes the converted schematic and board there.

  4. Open the new project

    The result is a normal KiCad project (.kicad_pro, .kicad_sch, .kicad_pcb), which you open and edit like any other.

Watch out for

  • KiCad doesn't support schematics with multiple top-level sheets. Designs that use them have to be imported sheet by sheet and placed as hierarchical sheets.
  • Older Eagle files that aren't in XML format can't be imported; they need to be saved from Eagle 6.x or newer first.

Sources: docs.kicad.org/9.0/en/kicad/kicad.html. Menus and options can change between versions; if a step doesn't match what you see, follow the linked page.