How to Activate SOLIDWORKS Standalone Product Licenses
After a SOLIDWORKS product has been installed using a standalone license (serial number beginning with 9000), the license must be activated for that computer before it can be used.
If you disable a computer or move SOLIDWORKS software from one computer to another, you must deactivate the license first before activating the license on the other computer. For details about deactivating, and reactivating SOLIDWORKS licenses, see How to transfer SOLIDWORKS from one computer to another.
For details about modifying SOLIDWORKS products to switch a serial number, see How to Modify Your SOLIDWORKS Installation.
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Activating SOLIDWORKS Products
The core SOLIDWORKS program can activate or deactivate any of the installed SOLIDWORKS standalone products. The end of this guide will cover the individual programs, such as SOLIDWORKS Visualize, SOLIDWORKS Inspection, and SOLIDWORKS Composer activation.
- Launch SOLIDWORKS from the Windows Start menu or desktop shortcut. If you are running SOLIDWORKS for the first time, you will need to read and accept the license agreement prompt. Once the license agreement has been accepted, you will be presented with the activation prompt. Choose the option to activate your SOLIDWORKS product now.
If you need to view or run the activation wizard again, you can access it within SOLIDWORKS under Help > Licenses > Activate… (alternatively, you can select he Deactivate or Show options to either deactivate a license or show currently activated products).
- In the SOLIDWORKS Product Activation dialog, select the product(s) to activate or click the ‘Select All’ button to select all products in the list. There are two methods to connect to the activation server and activate SOLIDWORKS products. Below is a description of each process followed by detailed steps.
- Automatically over the internet (recommended).
If the computer is connected to the internet, this option will automatically connect to the SOLIDWORKS activation server to verify the license is available and approve the license for activation. This typically only takes a few seconds to complete. - Manually via email.
If the computer is not connected to the internet or if your organization’s security system blocks connection to the activation server, then you can use this option to create a license activation text file to email from a machine with internet connection to the activation server system. The text file is evaluated and returned with an activation approval that is then loaded into the client computer. This process typically only takes a few minutes to complete.
- Automatically over the internet (recommended).
Note for your IT group if the firewall is blocking access to the activation server when using ‘Automatically over the internet’, the SOLIDWORKS activation server URL for adding exception to the firewall to allow is https://activate.solidworks.com. All traffic uses Port 80 (Standard internet traffic port).
- Automatically over the internet (detailed steps)
Depending on the version of SOLIDWORKS being activated, an email address may be required under ‘Contact Information’. This email is not linked to the SOLIDWORKS license. It is used to record who activated the product. Please enter the email address of the person performing the activation.
Click Next to activate the product.
Once complete, a confirmation screen will appear. Clicking ‘Finish’ will close the activation wizard. Your SOLIDWORKS product is now ready to use.
- Activating SOLIDWORKS Products Manually vie email (detailed steps)
- The manual via email activation process can only process a single serial number at a time. If you have multiple serial numbers to activate, you can only select and process one at a time.
Depending on the version of SOLIDWORKS being activated, an email address may be required under ‘Contact Information’. This email is not linked to the SOLIDWORKS license. It is used to record who activated the product. Please enter the email address of the person performing the activation.
Click ‘Next’ to begin activation.
- The manual via email activation process can only process a single serial number at a time. If you have multiple serial numbers to activate, you can only select and process one at a time.
- Click the Save button to generate and save the activation license text file. IMPORTANT! Do not change the name of the text file. The file’s name and content are specific to the SOLIDWORKS serial number and computer being activated. The file will begin with ‘SWActivationRequest_’ followed by the serial number and computer identifier.
- Transfer the text file to a computer with internet access and attach the SWActivationRequest file to a new blank email. Email the file to activation@solidworks.com. Leave the subject field and email body blank to avoid any delays in receiving the activation response.
- The activation response email should be received within a few minutes of the activation request being sent. Transfer the SWActivationResponse text file to the computer where SOLIDWORKS is being activated.
- Click the Open… Button and locate the SWActivationResponse text file. The system will read the information from the response file and activate the software.
- Once complete, a confirmation screen will appear. Clicking ‘Finish’ will close the activation wizard. Your SOLIDWORKS product is now ready to use.
Where to find Activation for other SOLIDWORKS Standalone Products
The details below show how to access activation from within SOLIDWORKS Visualize, SOLIDWORKS Inspection, and SOLIDWORKS Composer. The rest of the activation process is the same as the SOLIDWORKS detailed outlined at the beginning of this guide.
SOLIDWORKS Visualize
Help > Activate License (or Deactivate License). Once selected, the rest of the process is the same as the SOLIDWORKS detailed outlined at the beginning of this guide.
SOLIDWORKS Composer
File > Options (lower right corner of the dialog. Once selected, you will be presented with
Click the Activate or Deactivate buttons. Once selected, an activation selection dialog will appear with options to move, activate, or show activated products. Select ‘Activate/Reactivate your products license(s).’ The rest of the process is the same as the SOLIDWORKS detailed outlined at the beginning of this guide.
SOLIDWORKS Inspection
Help > Activate License (or Deactivate License). Once selected, an activation selection dialog will appear with options to move, activate, or show activated products. Select ‘Activate/Reactivate your products license(s).’ The rest of the process is the same as the SOLIDWORKS detailed outlined at the beginning of this guide.
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