Help

If you have questions while you use SOLIDWORKS, you can find answers in many different ways.

On the Help menu:

Welcome to SOLIDWORKS Links to the Customer Portal, user groups, discussion forums, instructional resources, and technical news and alerts.
SOLIDWORKS Help A compilation of help topics (which includes this help topic that you are reading). You can browse the Table of Contents or use Search to find topics of interest.
SOLIDWORKS Tutorials Step-by-step lessons with sample files covering SOLIDWORKS and many add-ins. Also available in the Welcome dialog box, on the Learn tab.
API Help Assistance for the Application Programming Interface.
Search Searches for information, commands, files, and models. Searches within SOLIDWORKS and in locations such as the SOLIDWORKS knowledge base, forums, blogs, 3D ContentCentral, Twitter, and YouTube.
Release Notes The latest information about the latest service pack.
What's New A help file or PDF file with information on new functionality at the current SOLIDWORKS release. Also available in the Welcome dialog box, on the Home tab.
What's New > Interactive What's New Click next to new menu items and the titles of new and changed PropertyManagers to link to the corresponding topics in What's New.
Introducing SOLIDWORKS (PDF) Provides an overview of the SOLIDWORKS product. Also available in the Welcome dialog box, on the Learn tab.
Moving from 2D to 3D Helps you transition from 2D CAD software to 3D SOLIDWORKS software. It compares terms and concepts, explains SOLIDWORKS approaches to design, and provides links into SOLIDWORKS help, tutorials, and other resources.
Use SOLIDWORKS Web Help Switches between help on the Web and local help.
Check for Updates Check immediately or schedule regular checks for later service packs.
Activate Licenses Initiate the license activation procedure.
Deactivate Licenses Deactivate a license back to SOLIDWORKS so you can activate it on a different or rebuilt computer.
Show Licenses Show the currently activated products.
My Products Shows you all currently available SOLIDWORKS products and indicates which ones you or your organization currently own based on your activation and network licenses.
About SOLIDWORKS Displays information about the SOLIDWORKS product, its version, copyright, and license agreement, and the active serial number. Click Connect to link to the SOLIDWORKS web site.

In the SOLIDWORKS user interface:

PropertyManagers and dialog boxes In an active PropertyManager or dialog box, click Help , click the Help button, or press F1 to open context-sensitive help.
Tooltips Hover the pointer to see information about tools on toolbars and items in PropertyManagers and dialog boxes.
Status Bar A brief description of current status and activity appears in the Status Bar at the bottom of the SOLIDWORKS window.