Be sure that you have administrative privileges (local administrative account) because SOLIDWORKS accesses its program files during the upgrade. Eliminate ObstaclesĪfter making backups, it’s a good idea to prepare the machine to ensure a good install. In the future consider a different save location for these as they are items that are best saved in a separate folder than the SOLIDWORKS default locations. Then make sure you backup any templates, sheet formats, toolbox data, design library, and other custom items.

Copy Settings Wizard is not designed for upgrading to a different major release. Copy Settings Wizard should only be used when updating service packs, transferring to another computer, or as a backup/restore point. With that in mind, let's get started Backup Your Customizationsįirst, use the Copy Settings Wizard to export a. Keep in mind that a backup of any current customizations or options is a must as these could be overwritten. If you are experiencing any malfunctioning components, this Clean Uninstall guide shows the extra steps that may be taken in addition to the steps identified here.

Then you can install a fresh cut of the new version. To avoid any possible interference between major versions, we recommend uninstalling the current version completely. We will use this convention throughout this article. For instance, technically upgrading SOLIDWORKS refers to moving major versions like 2017 to 2018, while updating refers to service pack changes. With the latest buzz about new versions of SOLIDWORKS, it’s easy to get confused about some of the basics when it comes to upgrading to a newer version.

Open 2017 in 2018 solidworks