Installation
- SOLIDWORKS and SW PDM System Requirements
- Preparing for Installation
- How to Download SOLIDWORKS
- SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager (.EXE)
- How to Request a Manual Download for SOLIDWORKS
- How To Order A SOLIDWORKS Media Kit
- Installing – A Complete Overview to Managing a CAD Environment
- SOLIDWORKS Individual Installation
- How to Modify Your SOLIDWORKS Installation
- How to Repair Your SOLIDWORKS Installation
- SOLIDWORKS Activation Wizard: How to Transfer SOLIDWORKS License
- Performing a Clean Uninstall
- How to Quickly Update SOLIDWORKS to a Newer Service Pack
- Install the 3DEXPERIENCE Add-in for SOLIDWORKS
- SOLIDWORKS Network Licensing
- How to Upgrade SolidNetWork License Manager
- Moving from SOLIDWORKS Standalone to Network Licenses
- Adding License to an Existing SolidNetwork License Manager
- Use Options File to Reserve Licenses for Specific Users
- SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Order Guide
- How to Reactivate SOLIDWORKS Network Licenses
- How to Move the SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Manager to a New Server
- SOLIDWORKS SolidNetwork License Manager Overview
- How to Install the SolidNetwork License Manager
SOLIDWORKS Portal
SOLIDWORKS
- SOLIDWORKS Hardware Guide – 2021 Update
- SOLIDWORKS Keyboard Shortcuts
- SOLIDWORKS Copy Settings Wizard
- Accessing Xpress Tools
- How To Tell Who Has a SOLIDWORKS File Open
- How to Use SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go
- SOLIDWORKS Administration Overview
- Rebuild Types and How They Work
- How to Store SOLIDWORKS Templates on the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform
- How to Adjust Annotation Formatting and Spacing
- Understanding SOLIDWORKS Settings and Templates
- How to create SOLIDWORKS Part, Assembly, and Drawing Templates
PDM
- PDM How to Work in Off-line Mode
- Enhancement Requests for PDM Users
- How to Use PDM Move Tree
- How to Use PDM Copy Tree
- PDM - What are Private State Files?
- PDM Search Operators
- How to Set PDM to Details View in Windows File Explorer
- SOLIDWORKS PDM Search Results – Which Configuration’s Variables are Displayed?
- PDM Automatic Login Options
- PDM Administrators: Roles and Responsibilities
- PDM License Type Matrix
- PDM Server Recommendations
- PDM Backup Procedures
- How to Reset Your SOLIDWORKS PDM Admin Password
- How to Control Get Version Commands
- Adding a PDM Vault View with a Windows Azure Active Directory Account
- PDM Major Minor Revisions
- How to Set Revision Manually in PDM
- How to Set Up Revision Tables
- PDM - What are Version Free Variables?
- PDM How to Rollback a File to a Previous Version
- PDM Setting Cache Options Automatically
- How to Change PDM Date Formatting
- How to Delete a PDM User Completely
- How to Reset Web2 Authentication in IIS
- SOLIDWORKS PDM Connectivity Test Tool
- How to Configure the SOLIDWORKS PDM Local HOSTS file to Resolve Server Name
- Show all articles ( 3 ) Collapse Articles
- Create Local Vault View
- How to Delete or Recreate a Local Vault View
- Create Local PDM Vault View Using .cvs File
- How to Change PDM Client License Type after Installation
- PDM File Version Upgrade Tool
- PDM Upgrade Checklist
- How to Upgrade SOLIDWORKS PDM Add-ins
- How to Upgrade SOLIDWORKS Toolbox in PDM
- SOLIDWORKS PDM: Moving Server Components - Checklist
- How to Install SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard
- SOLIDWORKS PDM / Manage Installation Guide (PDF)
- Install Microsoft SQL 2019 for PDM Professional
- How to Install PDM Client Software
Known Solutions
- Windows Firewall Exceptions for SOLIDWORKS Network Based Products
- Why Users Need Local Admin Rights to Install SOLIDWORKS
- How to Run SOLIDWORKS with Administrator Permissions
- Blank SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager - Resolution
- SOLIDWORKS RX - The Ultimate CAD Diagnostic Tool
- SOLIDWORKS Safe Modes
- How to Force SOLIDWORKS to Use Your Graphics Card
- How to Ensure that You are Running a SOLIDWORKS Certified Graphics Card Driver
- Troubleshooting SOLIDWORKS Installation Issues
- Resolution to Common File Location Errors
- Non-Matching Internal ID
- Could not obtain a license for SOLIDWORKS CAM. Invalid (inconsistent) license key
- “The Source Folder Is Not Versioned Properly…” Error when Modifying Serial Number
- “A Newer Version of This Product is Already Installed” Error when Installing SOLIDWORKS
- "Error obtaining License (-85, 147, 0)"
- SOLIDWORKS Search Routine Order
- How to Restore Dismissed SOLIDWORKS Messages
- Viewing SOLIDWORKS Configurations in eDrawings
- How to Modify the Reference/Update Dialog Dismissal Time
- Show all articles ( 4 ) Collapse Articles
Simulation
- Simulation Meshing Guide
- How to Duplicate and Reuse Simulation Study Data
- Setting Up Default Options for SOLIDWORKS Simulation Studies
- Which Type of Elements Should I Use?
- Is SOLIDWORKS Simulation Accurate?
- Getting Started with Simulation
- The Basics of Setting Up a Study in Simulation
- Do I Need Non-linear Simulation?
How to Ensure that You are Running a SOLIDWORKS Certified Graphics Card Driver
Keeping your Graphics Card Driver up to date is critical for smooth performance within SOLIDWORKS. This article will show you how to check what driver you currently have installed and how to find out which driver is the latest certified one for your graphics card and version of SOLIDWORKS (Hint: The recommended driver may or may not be the newest released driver because there are different types or families of drivers for each card.) This article will show the process for NVIDIA Graphics Cards, but the process will be similar for AMD cards.
How to Check Which Graphics Card Driver You Currently Have Installed:
1. Right click on the blank space on your Desktop and Open “NVIDIA Control Panel”

2. Click Help -> System Information

3. This will show your current Graphics Card Driver Version. You can write this down for future reference.

Which driver should you install for your version of SOLIDWORKS?
1. To check the latest drivers that are certified for your SOLIDWORKS version go to the SOLIDWORKS Hardware Certification page and find your graphics card.
Note: If you cannot find your Graphics Card that means that is it not a certified Graphics Card for SOLIDWORKS and you have a higher chance of it causing issues within the software.

2. Use the Version Dropdown Menu to filter for the SOLIDWORKS version and note the recommended Driver (In this example, for the Quadro T1000, SOLIDWORKS Version 2021, the R450 driver is recommended). Click on the Driver link to be directed to the manufacturers website to download the driver.

3. Filter for your Graphics Card and Select Search

4. Find the latest version of the SOLIDWORKS recommended driver and compare the Version number with the Graphics driver current installed on your computer. In this example we would want to have the “R450 U7 (452.96)” driver installed because we previously found that SOLIDWORKS recommended the R450 driver. Please note, often the newest NVIDIA Driver in the list is not the SOLIDWORKS recommend one. This is because NVIDIA uses families of drivers (eg. R450 family or the R460 family) for different use cases and then releases new versions within that family of drivers.

5. Click on the driver and follow the prompts to download the driver and start the installation manager.
6. During the installation of the Driver, it is recommended to select the “Custom (Advanced)” option and select the “Perform a Clean Installation” checkbox. This is done to ensure that your computer is using the correct driver and to help eradicate any conflicts that may arise between different drivers.


You should now have the recommended graphics driver installed on your computer! Remember, keeping your graphics card up to date will help improve your performance of SOLIDWORKS! If you are interested in learning about how different hardware affects SOLIDWORKS performance, go here for a comprehensive guide to hardware: SOLIDWORKS Hardware Guide.