SOLIDWORKS is a 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) software that provides the opportunity for students to prototype and test their design virtually before building them. Instructions for downloading SOLIDWORKS, including the serial number, should be provided by your instructor.
- Make sure that your computer meets the minimum requirements for SOLIDWORKS. You can view the minimum requirements for SOLIDWORKS on this link:
- This download can be very lengthy depending on your internet connection. Make sure you set aside up to 5 hours to complete the installation process. Typical installs take anywhere between 2 – 5 hours. The reason for this is because you are installing over 10 gigabytes of data.
- Keep in mind, this download is broken up into two processes: downloading and installing. You will have an option to pause right before you begin the installing portion.
To create your SOLIDWORKS account, start by navigating to https://my.solidworks.com/ and select “Join” in the top right.
After you select join, enter your GCU email address and the serial number provided by your instructor.
Continue registering by filling out the information on the proceeding page. Make sure to agree to the Privacy Policy before continuing.
After you receive the success message, you will also receive a confirmation email from Solidworks.
To begin the installation of SOLIDWORKS, start by navigating to www.solidworks.com/SEK and click Continue if prompted with a message about enabling cookies.
Begin by filling the information out on the bottom of the screen with your GCU email. All other fields should match the image below.
After reading the Community Access Initiative, click on Accept Agreement & Continue.
You will then see a page that is filled with download information. Make sure that your device is compatible with SOLIDWORKS and meets the criteria under the “Before proceeding with the download and installation” section. Once you have done this, you can click the blue Download button on the bottom of the page.
After the download finishes, double click the SolidWorksSetup.exe file on the bottom of the screen. If you do not see it on the bottom of the screen, navigate to your downloads folder and double click the file. Once you run it, you will be prompted with the screen below.
By default, the SolidWorksSetup.exe will add the SOLIDWORKS installation files to your downloads folder. To continue with the default continuation, click Unzip and then Okay.
Now, navigate to your downloads folder, or the folder you unzipped the files to in the previous step, and double click on the SolidWorksSetup.exe file.
If you are prompted by the error "A Windows reboot is pending from a previous installation", click cancel on the message, click cancel in the bottom left corner of the setup window, and restart your computer. Once you have restarted your computer, navigate back to the downloads folder, or the folder you unzipped the files to, and double click on the SolidWorksSetup.exe file.
Once you open the installation manager for the first time, simply select Install on this computer and click Next.
On the Serial Number page, enter in the same code provided by your instructor that you did while creating your account. You do NOT need to select any option other than 3D Design. The code will automatically select all the options that come with your installation.
Now, the Installation Manager will verify your code and connect to SOLIDWORKS. Make sure that you have a strong, stable internet connection.
On the Summary page, select I accept the terms of the SOLIDWORKS and click Download and Install.
Once you reach the download page, SOLIDWORKS will keep you updated on the time remaining of the installation.
Once the download completes, you will have the opportunity to either continue into the installation or pause and wait to continue installing at a later point.
When the installation finishes, click Finish and open SOLIDWORKS to finish the activation.
Upon opening SOLIDWORKS for the first time, you will be prompted to activate. Select the option to activate the product now and click Next.
Click Select All to make sure SOLIDWORKS is selected, click on Automatically over the Internet (recommended), and click Next.
Wait for the activation to finish, then click Finish.
Finally, accept the License agreement and start using SOIDWORKS!
You can also access the SOLIDWORKS Online Trial without installing to your computer. To do this, first go to MySOLIDWORKS and sign in with the account you created.
Next, select Try SOLIDWORKS. If prompted, accept the Terms and Conditions. Select the desired language from the drop-down menu and select Launch.
After the program has launched, you will be asked to accept the License Agreement. Then, you can start using the trial version of SOLIDWORKS!
For guides that can help you get to know SOLIDWORKS, check out the SOLIDWORKS section of the Resources page on the Student Success Center.
For other help with SOLIDWORKS, reach out to your instructor or the SOLIDWORKS Technical Support.