Before you upgrade to SOLIDWORKS 2025 and start checking out all the great new features added in this year’s release make sure you read our tips for a successful upgrade:
Check the Top 10 New Features of 2025
This video shows the very best of what SOLIDWORKS 2025 has to offer you.
SOLIDWORKS System Requirements
First things first, it is important to review the System Requirements for SOLIDWORKS 2025 to make sure your computer can handle the new enhancements. It’s always a good idea to double-check your operating system and your system hardware against the recommendations so you don’t upgrade to a product that doesn’t run as smoothly as it should.
SOLIDWORKS Graphics Card and Driver
Once you verify your system meets or exceeds the system requirements for SOLIDWORKS 2023, the next thing you should check is that your graphics card and driver are certified. The benefit of using a certified graphics card is they are tested to work with SOLIDWORKS. Additionally, having the most up-to-date driver for your card may not be the best thing. It’s always a good idea to consult the SOLIDWORKS Hardware Certification site to check which version you should be using. Doing this puts your best foot forward going into a new release of SOLIDWORKS.
Check out our SOLIDWORKS 2025 hardware recommendations »
SOLIDWORKS Installation Type
In general, SOLIDWORKS 2025 can be licensed in two different ways. The licenses starting with 9000 are standalone licenses and the licenses starting with 9100 are network licenses. If you are using a standalone license, the upgrade process is as straightforward as installing the new version of SOLIDWORKS. If you have a network license, the process has a few more things to keep in mind.
The reason for this is that the SOLIDWORKS License Manager (SNL) must be at the same version as your SOLIDWORKS installation (SOLIDWORKS 2025 and SNL 2025) or a higher version than your SOLIDWORKS installation (SOLIDWORKS 2024 and SNL 2025). This means you will need to make sure your SNL is upgraded to the new version of SOLIDWORKS before you upgrade the individual SOLIDWORKS clients.
Copy Settings Wizard
One of the last steps before upgrading to SOLIDWORKS 2025 is to save your current SOLIDWORKS settings. You can access the Copy Settings Wizard either from inside SOLIDWORKS (by using the task pane or the options drop-down menu) or directly from your Windows Search Bar.
Copy Settings Wizard
SOLIDWORKS 2025 Copy Settings Wizard
The Copy Settings Wizard allows you to save a file that includes the things that you’ve customized with your current SOLIDWORKS installation. This includes keyboard shortcuts, mouse gestures, the SOLIDWORKS system options, and even the layout of your toolbars.
Copy Settings Wizard
SOLIDWORKS 2025 Settings File
Once you upgrade SOLIDWORKS to 2025, the Copy Settings Wizard can be relaunched and can be used to restore SOLIDWORKS settings to the new installation. The tool can also be used to transfer settings between other computers, not just for upgrades.
Frequently Asked SOLIDWORKS Update Questions
- Can I have multiple versions of SOLIDWORKS installed on the same machine?
When running the new SOLIDWORKS setup, it will allow you to either upgrade to a new version on installation or just do a normal installation. Upgrading will remove the old version of SOLIDWORKS where a normal installation allows both to coexist on your machine. Be careful when running multiple installations that you don’t save a SOLIDWORKS file into a newer version when you don’t mean to. New with SOLIDWORKS 2024 and 2025, you are able to save as versions two years back. In SOLIDWORKS 2025 you can save out as SOLIDWORKS 2023 or SOLIDWORKS 2024 files. This means that you have less of a need to have multiple versions installed! - Can I still install if I have a network installation?
Yes! If your SOLIDWORKS License Manager is an equal or higher version than the SOLIDWORKS you want to install, you can still pull a license. For example, you can install and run SOLIDWORKS 2020 and SOLIDWORKS 2022 on a SOLIDWORKS 2025 License Server. - What happens to my Custom Templates when I upgrade?
It is important to save your Custom Templates to their own folder outside of the default SOLIDWORKS directory. These locations can be restored using the Copy Settings Wizard after upgrading. If you leave them in the Default Directory used in the SOLIDWORKS install, they may be wiped during the upgrade process.
