How To Activate SOLIDWORKS

When SOLIDWORKS is installed using a serial key, and activation is needed to record who is using the product. A single license can only be I use on a single machine at any given time and the activation prevents software misuse.

The SOLIDWORKS activation process will follow one of two methods depending on what type of product you have used. Standalone licenses are the most popular and requires an activation before SOLIDWORKS can be launched- the activation is then locked to the PC/laptop it is being used on. Activation is prompted when the software is launched and simply requires an internet connection and an email address typing in.

Standalone licenses can be transferred to another machine. On the active PC, open SOLIDWORKS and use Help > Deactivate license, which frees up the activation, and then open SOLIDWORKS on the other machine which will prompt for the new activation.

The second method is if you have a network (floating license). This is where a license server is configured to distribute licenses to client machines- you can have multiple licenses available on a network, and therefore it is the network machine and therefore network software which will request activation- this is again prompted when the network software is first used.

We have a range of resources for Standalone activation's and Network Licenses on our website.