KiCad 5 vs 6 vs 7: Which Version Should You Use?

Choosing the right KiCad version can significantly impact your PCB design workflow. I’ve worked through every major KiCad release since version 4, migrating production projects and helping colleagues navigate the upgrade path. The jump from KiCad 5 to KiCad 6 was revolutionary. The transition from KiCad 6 to KiCad 7 was evolutionary. And now with KiCad 8 and 9 available, understanding these foundational changes matters more than ever.

This guide breaks down the real differences between KiCad 5, KiCad 6, and KiCad 7 to help you decide which version fits your projects—or whether you should jump straight to the latest KiCad release.

Quick Version Comparison: KiCad 5 vs KiCad 6 vs KiCad 7

Before diving into details, here’s a snapshot of how these versions stack up:

Feature	KiCad 5.1	KiCad 6.0	KiCad 7.0
Release Date	December 2018	December 2021	February 2023
File Format	Legacy (.sch, .lib)	S-Expression (.kicad_sch, .kicad_sym)	S-Expression (enhanced)
Symbol Embedding	No (cache library required)	Yes	Yes
Plugin Manager	No	Yes	Yes (with auto-update)
Custom Fonts	No	No	Yes
kicad-cli Tool	No	No	Yes
Properties Panel	No	Partial	Yes (PCB Editor)
Custom DRC Rules	Limited	Yes	Enhanced
SPICE Simulation	Basic	Improved	Enhanced
Maintenance Status	Discontinued	Discontinued	Discontinued

The bottom line: KiCad 5 established the foundation, KiCad v6 modernized everything, and KiCad v7 refined the user experience. Today, the latest KiCad version (9.x as of 2026) builds on all these improvements.

Understanding KiCad Version History

KiCad’s development accelerated dramatically starting with version 5. Here’s the timeline that matters:

Version	Release	Development Time	Key Achievement
KiCad 5.0	December 2018	~3 years	Usability overhaul
KiCad 5.1	March 2019	3 months	Stability release
KiCad 6.0	December 2021	3 years	Complete modernization
KiCad 7.0	February 2023	14 months	Workflow refinement
KiCad 8.0	February 2024	12 months	Properties panel expansion
KiCad 9.0	February 2025	12 months	Jobsets, Design Blocks

Notice the shift: after KiCad 6, the development team committed to annual major releases. This faster cadence means you get improvements regularly instead of waiting years between versions.

KiCad 5: The Stable Foundation That Changed Everything

KiCad 5.1 represented a turning point for the project. Before version 5, KiCad was functional but frustrating. Version 5 made it genuinely usable for professional work.

What Made KiCad 5 Important

The KiCad 5 release brought features that convinced many engineers to switch from commercial tools:

Push-and-shove routing arrived in mature form. You could finally route traces that automatically pushed existing tracks aside—a feature Altium users had enjoyed for years.

OpenGL acceleration made the PCB editor responsive even with complex multilayer designs. The canvas no longer stuttered when zooming or panning.

Symbol library tables replaced the chaotic library search paths of KiCad 4. You could finally organize component libraries sensibly.

Differential pair routing worked reliably for high-speed design requirements.

KiCad 5.1 Limitations That Drove Development

Despite improvements, KiCad 5 had significant problems:

The schematic editor behaved strangely. Clicking a component didn’t select it—you had to use specific hotkeys. This confused everyone coming from other EDA tools.

Cache libraries caused constant headaches. Schematics depended on separate cache files containing used symbols. Share a schematic without its cache, and recipients saw question marks instead of components.

Legacy file formats made version control difficult. The .sch and .lib formats weren’t designed for Git or other modern development workflows.

No plugin infrastructure existed. Installing add-ons required manual file copying and configuration.

Should You Still Use KiCad 5?

Almost certainly not for new projects. KiCad 5 hasn’t received updates since 2021. No security patches, no bug fixes, no improvements.

However, you might legitimately stay on KiCad 5 if:

• You’re finishing a project already deep in development
• Your organization mandates version standardization and hasn’t approved migration
• You’re following tutorials specifically written for KiCad 5 (though you should migrate your skills afterward)

For anything else, upgrade. The benefits of newer versions far outweigh the learning adjustment.

KiCad 6: The Revolutionary Modernization

When KiCad 6.0 released in December 2021, it wasn’t just an update—it was a transformation. The development team addressed years of accumulated user complaints and brought KiCad into the modern era.

KiCad 6.0 Major Improvements

Complete file format overhaul: KiCad v6 finished the transition to S-Expression notation for all files. Schematics (.kicad_sch), symbols (.kicad_sym), and project files became human-readable text that works properly with version control systems.

Here’s what the change looked like in practice:

File Type	KiCad 5 Extension	KiCad 6 Extension
Schematic	.sch	.kicad_sch
Symbol Library	.lib	.kicad_sym
Project	.pro	.kicad_pro
PCB	.kicad_pcb	.kicad_pcb
Footprint	.kicad_mod	.kicad_mod

Embedded symbols eliminated cache libraries forever. Schematic files now contain the symbols they use. Share a schematic, and it opens correctly anywhere. No more broken references or chasing library files.

The user interface became intuitive. Icons were redesigned. Menus reorganized logically. Most importantly, clicking something actually selected it—matching every other design application.

Custom design rules enabled complex DRC constraints. You could define area-specific rules, layer-specific clearances, and conditional constraints that weren’t possible in KiCad 5.

The Plugin and Content Manager let you install plugins, libraries, and themes from within KiCad. No more manual file management.

3D viewer improvements added raytracing, lighting controls, and PCB editor integration.

KiCad 6 Download Considerations

The KiCad 6 download introduced a critical migration consideration: files only convert forward. Once you open a KiCad 5 project in KiCad 6 and save it, those files won’t open in KiCad 5 again.

The migration process worked like this:

1. KiCad 6 offered to convert projects when opening KiCad 5 files
2. Symbol libraries required separate migration using the Symbol Library Editor
3. After saving, new file extensions appeared alongside (not replacing) old files

Always keep backups before migrating. I learned this the hard way on a client project.

KiCad 6.0 Growing Pains

The transition wasn’t painless:

Hotkey changes frustrated experienced users. Muscle memory from years of KiCad 5 didn’t transfer perfectly.

Plugin compatibility broke. Plugins written for KiCad 5’s Python API needed updates for KiCad 6. Popular plugins like Interactive HTML BOM required new versions.

Library migration took time. Personal symbol and footprint libraries needed conversion to the new format.

Despite these challenges, KiCad 6 was worth the transition pain. The improvements fundamentally changed what KiCad could accomplish.

KiCad 7: Evolutionary Refinement

KiCad 7.0 released in February 2023—just 14 months after KiCad 6. This faster release demonstrated the development team’s new commitment to annual major versions.

KiCad v7 New Features

KiCad 7 changes were evolutionary rather than revolutionary. The interface remained familiar from KiCad 6, but workflow improvements accumulated throughout:

The kicad-cli command-line tool enabled scripted automation. Generate Gerbers, BOMs, PDFs, and STEP files from scripts without opening the GUI. This transformed KiCad’s usefulness in continuous integration pipelines.

Custom font support finally arrived. Use any system font in schematics, PCB layouts, and worksheets. Technical drawings could match corporate style guides.

Text boxes provided bordered areas for notes, revision tables, and documentation directly in designs.

Orthogonal dragging fixed a long-standing schematic editor annoyance. When you drag a symbol, wires maintain right angles automatically instead of creating diagonal messes.

Properties panel in the PCB editor let you modify object properties directly without opening dialog boxes. Select multiple objects and change their shared properties simultaneously.

Auto-completion while routing saved time. Press ‘F’ while drawing a trace, and KiCad attempts to finish the route automatically.

Plugin manager auto-updates check for new versions automatically and prompt you to update installed packages.

Database library support connected KiCad to external databases for component information, integrating with existing parts management systems.

Do Not Populate (DNP) marking grayed out components in schematics and automatically excluded them from BOM and placement files.

KiCad 7 Download and Migration

The KiCad 7 download maintained better compatibility than the KiCad 5 to 6 transition. Opening KiCad 6 projects in KiCad 7 required no special conversion—just open and save.

However, saving in KiCad 7 still prevented opening files in KiCad 6. This remains true for all KiCad versions: files only migrate forward.

KiCad 7 vs KiCad 6: Was the Upgrade Worth It?

Absolutely. KiCad 7 added capabilities without removing anything. The learning curve was minimal since the interface stayed consistent with KiCad 6. The kicad-cli tool alone justified upgrading for anyone doing repetitive output generation.

The Latest KiCad: Versions 8 and 9

Understanding KiCad 5/6/7 history provides context, but for current work, you should know about recent releases.

KiCad 8 Highlights (February 2024)

KiCad 8 continued the annual release pattern with notable additions:

• Properties panel expanded to library editors
• 3D viewer interface redesigned with appearance panel and saved viewports
• Search panel for finding objects across designs
• Net coloring in PCB editor
• IPC-2581 export format support
• API improvements for external tool integration

KiCad 9 Highlights (February 2025)

The latest KiCad version brought significant new capabilities:

• Jobsets automate output generation with saved configurations
• Zone Manager centralizes copper zone control
• Design Blocks enable schematic reuse across projects
• Git integration built into the project manager
• ODB++ export format for manufacturing
• Padstacks allow layer-specific pad properties
• Table support in schematic, PCB, and footprint editors
• Embedded files including datasheets, 3D models, and fonts

For new projects in 2026, KiCad 9 is the clear choice. It includes everything from previous versions plus powerful new features.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison Table

This detailed breakdown helps identify what you gain or lose at each version:

Feature	KiCad 5.1	KiCad 6.0	KiCad 7.0	Latest (9.x)
S-Expression schematics	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Embedded schematic symbols	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cache libraries required	Yes	No	No	No
Plugin Manager	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Plugin auto-updates	No	No	Yes	Yes
kicad-cli automation	No	No	Yes	Yes
Custom fonts	No	No	Yes	Yes
Properties panel	No	PCB only	PCB	All editors
Custom DRC rules	Limited	Yes	Enhanced	Enhanced
Database libraries	No	No	Yes	Yes
DNP support	No	No	Yes	Yes
Jobsets	No	No	No	Yes
Design Blocks	No	No	No	Yes
Git integration	No	No	No	Yes
Maintenance	Ended	Ended	Ended	Active

Migration Strategies and Best Practices

Migrating from KiCad 5 to Latest

If you have KiCad 5 projects requiring migration, here’s the recommended approach:

1. Back up everything before touching any files
2. Skip intermediate versions—go directly to the latest stable release
3. Open each file and allow KiCad to perform automatic migration
4. Migrate custom libraries separately using library editors
5. Run ERC and DRC on migrated projects to verify integrity
6. Test thoroughly before committing to the new version

Migrating from KiCad 6 or KiCad 7

Migration from KiCad 6 or 7 to the latest version is straightforward:

1. Install the new version (it coexists with older versions)
2. Open your projects normally
3. Save to update file formats
4. Verify plugin compatibility and update as needed

Running Multiple Versions

Sometimes you need multiple KiCad versions simultaneously:

• Windows and macOS: Each version installs to its own directory without conflict
• Linux: Consider Flatpak for multiple version support
• Remember: Saving in a newer version prevents opening in older versions

Essential Resources for KiCad Users

Official Documentation

Resource	URL	Description
KiCad Documentation	docs.kicad.org	Official user manuals
Getting Started Guide	docs.kicad.org/getting_started_in_kicad	First project tutorial
KiCad Forum	forum.kicad.info	Community support
KiCad GitLab	gitlab.com/kicad	Source code and issues

Component Library Sources

Library	URL	Notes
Official KiCad Libraries	gitlab.com/kicad/libraries	Bundled with installation
SnapMagic (SnapEDA)	snapeda.com/kicad	Millions of free models
Digi-Key KiCad Library	github.com/Digi-Key/digikey-kicad-library	Curated with ordering info
Ultra Librarian	ultralibrarian.com	Multi-format CAD models
Component Search Engine	componentsearchengine.com	Free symbols and footprints

Download Links

Version	Download Location
Latest Stable	kicad.org/download
Previous Releases	downloads.kicad.org/kicad/
Nightly Builds	downloads.kicad.org/kicad/[platform]/explore/nightlies

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use KiCad 5, 6, or 7 for a new project?

None of them. For new projects in 2026, use the latest stable release (KiCad 9). It includes all features from previous versions plus significant improvements. The only reasons to use older versions are maintaining legacy projects or following version-specific tutorials.

Will my KiCad 5 projects work in the latest version?

Yes, with automatic migration. When you open a KiCad 5 project in current KiCad, it converts files to the new format. After saving, the files won’t open in KiCad 5 again. Always keep backups of original files before migration.

Why can’t I open my KiCad 7 project in KiCad 6?

KiCad files only migrate forward, never backward. Once saved in a newer version, files use that version’s format and can’t be read by older releases. This is a fundamental design decision, not a bug. Keep version-specific backups if you need compatibility.

Is KiCad 6 or 7 still supported with bug fixes?

No. KiCad follows a policy where only the current major version receives active maintenance. KiCad 7 maintenance ended when KiCad 8 released. KiCad 8 maintenance ended when KiCad 9 released. For bug fixes and security updates, use the latest version.

Can I install multiple KiCad versions on the same computer?

Yes. On Windows and macOS, each version installs to its own directory and can run simultaneously. On Linux, Flatpak provides the cleanest multi-version support. Just remember that opening and saving a project in a newer version prevents opening it in older versions.

Real-World Migration Stories

Understanding theory is one thing—seeing how migrations play out in practice is another. Here are scenarios I’ve encountered that might help guide your decision.

Scenario 1: Hobbyist with Legacy Projects

A maker friend had dozens of KiCad 5 projects accumulated over years. He worried migration would break everything. The reality: he installed KiCad 9, opened each project, and saved. Migration took an afternoon. The only hiccup was re-downloading some plugins that had updated for newer versions.

Scenario 2: Small Business Transitioning Tools

A startup I consulted for had standardized on KiCad 6 across their team. When considering KiCad 7, they tested one non-critical project first, verified nothing broke, then rolled out company-wide within a week. The kicad-cli tool immediately improved their automated build process.

Scenario 3: Educational Institution

A university teaching PCB design faced a common dilemma: their curriculum materials targeted KiCad 5.1. Rather than rewrite everything, they installed both KiCad 5 and KiCad 9 on lab computers. Students learned fundamentals on KiCad 5, then graduated to modern KiCad for capstone projects. This bridged the gap without massive documentation rewrites.

Key Migration Lessons

From these experiences, some patterns emerge:

• Test before committing: Try one project before migrating your entire library
• Keep archives: Store original project folders before any conversion
• Update plugins early: Check plugin compatibility before opening important projects
• Document custom libraries: Know which personal libraries need migration
• Plan for file format changes: Communicate with collaborators about version requirements

Choosing Your KiCad Version: Decision Framework

Still unsure which version fits your situation? Work through these questions:

Are you starting fresh with KiCad? → Install the latest version. No reason to learn outdated interfaces.

Do you have critical projects in KiCad 5? → Either finish them in KiCad 5, or migrate with careful testing and backups.

Does your team share project files? → Everyone needs the same major version. Coordinate upgrades.

Do you need specific plugin functionality? → Verify plugin compatibility with your target version first.

Are you following existing tutorials? → Match the tutorial version for learning, then migrate knowledge to latest for real work.

Final Recommendations

After years of using every KiCad version, here’s my practical advice:

For new projects: Always use the latest stable release. As of early 2026, that’s KiCad 9. You get the most features, active bug fixes, and community support.

For legacy KiCad 5 projects: Migrate when you have time for testing. The longer you wait, the more versions behind you fall—though migration remains straightforward.

For KiCad 6 or 7 projects: Upgrade at your next convenient opportunity. Migration is painless, and you immediately gain useful features.

For learning: If following older tutorials, match the tutorial’s version during learning. Then migrate your skills to the latest release for actual work.

The KiCad development team’s commitment to annual releases means continuous improvement. The transformation from KiCad 5 to 6 was genuinely revolutionary. KiCad 7 refined that foundation. And subsequent versions have added capabilities making KiCad increasingly competitive with commercial tools costing thousands of dollars.

Whatever version you’re currently using, the upgrade path exists and works reliably. Don’t let fear of change keep you on unmaintained software indefinitely. The PCB design community has largely moved forward, and the latest KiCad offers compelling reasons to join them.