A Guide to Working Offline with SOLIDWORKS Connected

With SOLIDWORKS Connected Offline, you can create powerful, mechanical designs from anywhere, even with an unstable or nonexistent internet connection. Follow these quick and easy steps to use your SOLIDWORKS license wherever you’re working from.

Who is SOLIDWORKS Connected Offline Mode Ideal For?

Working offline with SOLIDWORKS Connected gives people the flexibility to work from anywhere. It’s perfect for people working on the road or those who know they won’t have reliable internet connection. The purpose of SOLIDWORKS Connected is not to work offline all the time but rather to provide a temporary working solution until you get back online to save your files.

If you want to work offline with SOLIDWORKS Conntected, be sure to plan ahead. You will need an internet connection to set up offline mode. Similar to checking out a library book, once set up, you can check out your SOLIDWORKS license for up to 30 days at a time.

Make sure to keep in mind that when your license is taken offline, it is tied to the device you’re using. You will have to bring your license back online if you wish to utilize your SOLIDWORKS Connected license on another device. 

How to Set Up SOLIDWORKS Connected Offline Mode

To check out your SOLIDWORKS license and to use it without internet, follow these steps. 

1. Launch SOLIDWORKS Connected and wait for the licensing to establish. Once it has, your profile picture or initials will populate in the top right corner. 

2. Before moving your license offline, make sure you locally cache any data you want to work on from the 3DEXPERIENCE. 

   1. To locally cache data, open up the part assembly or drawings you plan to work on.

   2. Then, go to the 3DEXPERIENCE Files on This PC tab, and select the refresh button if you’re not seeing the desired files.

   3. Make sure to lock any data prior to going offline to prevent anyone from making changes to the data or files you’re working with.

3. To take your license offline, close out of SOLIDWORKS, then click on your profile picture or initials and select Work Offline. 

4. A warning will pop-up, reminding you to locally cache and lock your data. Proceed to take your license offline.

5. Once offline, you can search for any locally cached 3DEXPERIENCE files and right click to open them.

6. Non-3DEXPERIENCE files can be opened from the Windows File Explorer and can be worked on in the same way.

Saving Changes While Offline with the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform

To save changes made to your files while working offline, select Save to This PC or press the Control + S keys on your keyboard as a shortcut.

You can confirm how many days you have remaining to work offline with SOLIDWORKS Connected by checking the bottom left corner of the SOLIDWORKS window. At any point during the 30 days, you can reactivate your license to save these changes to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

Returning Online

Whether your 30 days offline concluded or you have a reliable internet connection again, here’s how to return to SOLIDWORKS online. 

1. Start by closing out of all parts and click on the Offline Mode symbol.

2. Confirm that you would like to resume working online.

3. Once your connection is re-established, you can open any locally cached components that were changed while offline and save them back to your cloud storage for others to see your changes.

4. Pro tip: sort by the status columns in the 3DEXPERIENCE Files on This PC tab to find anything that needs to be saved. 

If you’d like to work offline for more than 30 days, you’ll have to repeat the steps outlined in the section titled “How to Set Up SOLIDWORKS Connected Offline Mode” using an internet connection to re-establish offline mode.

Don’t let spotty internet connection keep you from working on data and designs; SolidWorks Connected offline mode has you covered. Contact us today to get started with SOLIDWORKS.