Set Products to Use Online Licensing

By default, the SOLIDWORKS software is set up to use machine activation. If you have the SOLIDWORKS software installed on a machine, you must manually deactivate the license and then, change the activation type to use online licensing.

Deactivating Installed Licenses in SOLIDWORKS

Before you use an online license, you must check that the same product is not installed on the machine. If it is installed, you must deactivate the license of the installed product before you configure online licensing with the Admin Portal.

To deactivate a license:

  • In the SOLIDWORKS software, click Help > Deactivate Licenses, and follow the instructions.
You can have a mix of online licenses and SolidNetWork licenses on the same machine. For example, the same machine can run SOLIDWORKS Premium 2018 with an online license and SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium 2018 with a SolidNetWork license.

Changing Activation Type to Online Licensing

Before you can use online licensing with a product, you must change its activation type from machine activation to online licensing.

You can change the activation type of a license before or after it is assigned to a member. You cannot change the activation type of a license if it is activated, or if the product is assigned to more than one member. If a license is activated through machine activation, it cannot be deactivated remotely; a user on the machine must deactivate that license.

To change the activation type to online licensing:

  1. If the product is assigned to a member:
    1. Click the Members tab and select a member from the list.
    2. Under Assigned Products, click the product that you want to change.
    3. In Product Details, under Activation Type, click Change to Online Licensing.
    4. Click Change to confirm or Cancel.
  2. If the product is not assigned to a member:
    1. Click the Products tab and select a product from the list.

      You can use the Find Products pane to query for the product.

  3. In Product Details, under Activation Type, click Change to Online Licensing.
  4. Click Change to confirm or Cancel.
  5. Assign a product to a member.
When you assign an online license, that product can only be used by that member. However, assigning a machine activation product to a member is for tracking purposes only. Any person sitting at the designated machine can use the product. In that situation, you might have to check that the person using the machine is the member who is supposed to have that license.