SOLIDWORKS Frequently Asked Questions

After purchase, open your Get Started email. Use the link in that email, or go to the Makers Dashboard to access your tools in the browser. You can also find step-by-step guidance in the Learning Hub: First Login & Setup .

After purchase, open your Get Started email. Use the link in that email, or go to the Makers Dashboard to begin the install. You can also find step-by-step guidance in the Learning Hub: First Login and Install video.

Choose 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers if you want the SOLIDWORKS Connected desktop experience on Windows, for detailed hobby builds and precision work. Choose SOLIDWORKS xDesign for Makers if you want to design in your browser on a Mac, Chromebook or tablet. SOLIDWORKS xDesign for Makers does not include SOLIDWORKS Connected. Both connect to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for sharing, version tracking and cloud storage.

Use tolerances, clearances, and fit checks in SOLIDWORKS for Makers to confirm that parts align and connect properly before printing. You can test assemblies digitally to see how each piece fits and moves, helping you avoid reprints and wasted materials.

You can turn any sketch into a 3D CAD model. From there, SOLIDWORKS for Makers generates detailed woodworking plans, with part drawings, cut lists, and views that guide every step of your build, from layout to completion.

Use the surface and freeform tools in SOLIDWORKS for Makers to create smooth, curved, and natural surfaces. You can blend features, refine contours, and combine geometric and sculpted details to achieve realistic figurine poses and expressions.

You can design classic joinery details such as mortise and tenon, dovetail, dado, or slot-fit joints. SOLIDWORKS for Makers enables you to visualize clearances and fit before fabrication, ensuring your pieces assemble cleanly and securely.

Most schools that purchase a SOLIDWORKS Education Edition license receive additional home use license for their students to work on a home or personal computer. Hence, please contact your school and ask them to provide a student home use licenses (SDK or SEK, or Student Premium or Student Standard).

However, if your school does not have a SOLIDWORKS Education Edition license, you will need to purchase your own Student Edition from the SOLIDWORKS online store: www.solidworks.com/studentstore

Design with wall thickness, tolerance, and support direction in mind. FDM printers require thicker walls and fewer overhangs, while resin printers capture finer details but require good drainage and proper orientation. SOLIDWORKS for Makers helps you analyze both, ensuring your figurine prints cleanly across various printer types.

Visit the Maker | Support community and follow the clean reinstallation guide. This covers clean installs after a previous desktop license and reinstalls if a hotfix update fails.

You should only purchase software directly from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corporation or through an authorized SOLIDWORKS reseller.

Avoid online marketplaces, websites and peer-to-peer networks that offer SOLIDWORKS software for free or at a discounted price.

Adopt Software Asset Management standards and best practices to manage your company’s software lifecycle and reduce the risks of litigation that arise from non-compliance issues.

The easiest way to order SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services is to contact your local VAR. If you are unsure who your VAR is, please contact SOLIDWORKS and we will assist you.

Software releases and service packs can be downloaded directly from our Downloads page on SOLIDWORKS.com.

You can report the suspected non-compliant reseller here. 

Go to the password reset page and follow the steps to create a new password for your account.