SOLIDWORKS Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Both SOLIDWORKS for Makers packages are designed to be easy to learn and accessible for new users. You’ll find all the help you need within your platform’s Resources section, which brings together step-by-step tutorials, the Getting Started video playlist to learn at your own pace, and the Welcome App with tours, videos, tips, and training to help you make the most of your tools.

You can also join the Makers Made in 3D community to connect with others, share ideas, and find inspiration for your next DIY project.

Not at all. Whether you’re creating your first prop or building a full suit of armor, SOLIDWORKS for Makers combines professional CAD precision with maker-friendly tools and tutorials. You’ll find guides, videos, and community support to help at every step.

No, a SolidNetWork License does not require subscription service; however, the benefits of subscription service will not be available.

SOLIDWORKS is not officially supported in the Mac environment.  We are aware of many users who run SOLIDWORKS successfully in a dual-boot Windows environment on Macs.  We are not aware of many users running successfully in an emulated Windows environment on Macs.  If you choose to run SOLIDWORKS on a Mac, your best chance for success will be choosing a dual-boot "Boot Camp" setup (booting in Windows) on your Mac.

SOLIDWORKS eDrawings and the free 2D CAD product DraftSight are supported in native Mac OS.

Please refer to this link providing system requirement information for installing SOLIDWORKS:

www.solidworks.com/SystemRequirements

Yes. Support is included with your purchase.

No, to transfer an SNL license, use the transfer option in the SNL License Manager.

Not necessarily. Many organizations find long-term value in the ongoing performance improvements, workflow optimizations, interoperability enhancements (such as save to previous release), technical support access, and supported upgrade paths that help engineering environments remain maintainable and predictable over time.

There are many other crucial perks included within SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services – spanning areas such as certification exam access, to accompanying software aiding other aspects of the product development process (such as SOLIDWORKS CAM for machining).

Yes. Get started with SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD free trial!

Yes. Get started with SOLIDWORKS Design free trial!

Yes. The SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program is a robust program that offers hardware startup founders free SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD software and other world-class products. In addition to the software, the program offers free training and co-marketing resources to help hardware startups succeed. Find out if your startup is eligible and sign up for SOLIDWORKS for Startups.

Yes. SOLIDWORKS Design for Makers offers SOLIDWORKS design and manufacturing solutions at a low cost for any maker. Learn more about SOLIDWORKS Design for Makers and start making today.

SOLIDWORKS for Makers includes 25 GB of 3DEXPERIENCE cloud platform storage through 3DDrive and 3DSpace, providing ample capacity for your designs. Features such as file versioning, history tracking, and recovery help keep your personal workspace organized. This is usually more than enough for personal and hobby projects.

Currently, storage cannot be expanded, and the 25 GB limit applies only to SOLIDWORKS for Makers licenses.

Since your school already gives you access to our flagship product for students, use this version instead of signing up for the free SOLIDWORKS Design Standard for Students. SOLIDWORKS Design Premium for Students includes advanced features like linear static simulations, 3D routing (pipes/tubes/cables), advanced surface flattening, as well as our dull desktop suite of products like SOLIDWORKS Simulation, CAM, Electrical, Visualize, Composer and more. 

This can happen if you are kicked out of your session. Refresh ( F5) your browser and wait 30-60 seconds for the previous session to close.

The software will successfully reactivate in most cases. If your attempt to reactivate fails, please contact your Reseller Support for help.