SOLIDWORKS Frequently Asked Questions

You can design anything from tables and chairs to cabinets, shelving, and custom storage pieces. SOLIDWORKS for Makers lets you turn sketches into 3D CAD models, test how parts fit, and create detailed plans for cutting, assembling, or 3D printing.

Ensure that via HTTP is open on your firewall for port 80, which is used by the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager during the update process.

You can choose between two SOLIDWORKS for Makers packages:

• SOLIDWORKS xDesign for Makers – a browser-based 3D CAD app that works on Mac, tablets, Chromebooks, and Windows. It includes an AI design assistant, rendering tools, motion studies, and easy sharing for quick hobby or repair projects.
• 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers – full SOLIDWORKS desktop CAD for Windows, with both local and 3DEXPERIENCE cloud platform storage, CAM features, and photorealistic rendering. You can install it and work offline for up to 30 days before syncing your data online.

Each subscription is sold separately, allowing you to purchase one or both, depending on your specific project needs. Access your tools anytime through Start Making, using the same email address you used to subscribe, to ensure your platform links are set up correctly.

Each user wishing to claim their exam vouchers needs 2 things:

1) A SOLIDWORKS ID linked to a SOLIDWORKS serial number on Subscription Service and

2) A VirtualTester ID

You will receive certificates for each exam that you pass. You receive an email that directs you to our electronic certificate access page. There you can login and download your electronic certificate(s) and electronic business card logo(s); CSWP’s also receive discounts to partner products and SOLIDWORKS World events. For more information refer to www.solidworks.com/cswp.

We use the computer-specific information only to verify that your product is used within the scope allowed by the SOLIDWORKS End-User License Agreement (EULA). The information is stored in a database used only for product activation data.

For every seat of SOLIDWORKS that a company has on Subscription Service, users at that company can receive one free core exam, one free advanced exam, and one specialty exam each half of the year (January to June and July to December).  Basically, every January 1 and July 1, the system resets and users will be able to claim a fresh set of exam vouchers.

You can export in DXF, DWG, STEP, or IGES formats to communicate with CNC routers, laser cutters, or waterjets. Files are dimensionally accurate and ready for post-processing in your chosen CAM software or directly in 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers.

You can export your models in STL, STEP, or IGES formats for slicing and printing. STL is the standard file type used by most 3D printers, while STEP retains editable geometry, allowing you to modify or share your design later. These options make it easy to move from design to print smoothly.

Product activation is a series of simple steps that takes place upon first launch of your SOLIDWORKS product. Users enter their serial number, which is authenticated with the SOLIDWORKS product activation system to activate the product. The entire activation process is quick and easy, and the majority of users will experience product activation only once.

Future releases of SOLIDWORKS and support services will not be provided without subscription.

If you do not activate your product by the 30th day after you first installed and launched your SOLIDWORKS product, it will stop working until you activate it.

In the unlikely event that the activation servers are unavailable, the customer will be asked to try back at a later time. The customer will be given a 30-day, unrestricted grace period in order to get their product activated. During this time, the customer may use their SOLIDWORKS product without any restrictions.

Although most customers activate their software as soon as they install it, you have a 30-day grace period after your first launch to activate the product (evaluation and other products will have different timing requirements). The software, which is fully functional during this period, will automatically remind you to activate at regular intervals. After 30 days, the product will stop working until you activate it.

You have a 30-day grace period before activation is required. Activating over the Internet is a quick, one-time process. If your computer is temporarily offline, you can activate the next time it's online. Once the product is activated, the activation process no longer needs to connect to the Internet. If you are installing on a computer that will never be connected to the Internet, you can activate your license by emailing your request file directly to SOLIDWORKS.