Engineers often upgrade hardware, shift between office and home, or rebuild operating systems.

SOLIDWORKS protects against accidental piracy by locking each standalone serial number to a single active machine.

Before a workstation heads for recycling, or before you install on a shiny new laptop, the license must be deactivated.

This guide shows you exactly how to do it online, offline, and through your SolidNetWork License Manager.

You will also learn common pitfalls, best practices, and when to involve your Value-Added Reseller (VAR). By the end, deactivation will feel routine rather than risky.

1. Why Deactivating Your License Matters

SOLIDWORKS activation servers allow one active instance per serial number.

 Failing to deactivate before changing hardware or location can trigger an activation count exceeded error and lock you out of your tools.

In regulated sectors such as aerospace or medical devices, license compliance audits are strict, and inadvertent misuse may lead to legal exposure.

Routine deactivation keeps you compliant, avoids downtime, and lets you redeploy licenses quickly when project schedules tighten.

2. Step-by-Step Deactivation on an Internet-Connected Machine

2.1. Accessing the License Options

Open SOLIDWORKS, click the question-mark icon in the upper-right corner, then choose Licenses > Deactivate. The Product Activation Wizard appears.

2.2. Selecting Products to Deactivate

Tick the check-boxes next to each product (for example SOLIDWORKS Premium or SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium). Enter a valid email address, ensuring it matches the address registered with your VAR.

2.3. Completing the Online Transfer

Keep Automatically over the internet selected and click Next. The wizard contacts the activation server; within seconds you receive a confirmation message. Click Finish, and the license is now free for another machine. Remember to uninstall SOLIDWORKS afterwards to prevent accidental reactivation.

3. Deactivation Without Internet Access

3.1. Preparing Manual Transfer Files

Sites with strict network firewalls or air-gapped PCs still have options. Launch the same wizard, select Manually via e-mail, and save the request file to removable media. You will also need a second, internet-connected PC to send and receive the response file.

3.2. Using the Activation Wizard Offline

Email the request file to activation@solidworks.com (or follow your VAR’s instructions). When the response file arrives, copy it to the original workstation, reopen the wizard, and point to the file. A completion dialog confirms deactivation. Keep both files on record to demonstrate license compliance during audits.

4. Reactivating on a New Workstation

4.1. Installing with an Existing Serial Number

Install SOLIDWORKS on the target machine using the same serial number recorded earlier. During the first launch, the Product Activation Wizard opens automatically.

4.2. Activating via the Internet

Choose Automatically over the internet, tick the required products, and press Next. Activation takes under a minute on a standard broadband link. If activation fails, double-check that the old system was fully deactivated and that no VPN or proxy blocks port 443.

5. Best Practices for Ongoing License Management

5.1. Scenarios That Require Deactivation

Deactivate before upgrading hard drives, replacing graphics cards, performing major Windows updates, or lending a laptop to a colleague. Remote and hybrid engineers should deactivate at the office before heading home, and vice versa, to sidestep activation caps.

5.2. Troubleshooting Common Errors

Activation count exceeded generally means the previous computer was not deactivated. Use the steps above or call your VAR for a remote disable. Hardware failure? Provide your VAR with serial number, version year, and machine name; they can disable the old activation so you can proceed.

5.3. When to Contact Your VAR

If a machine has been stolen, lost in transit, or wiped by IT before deactivation, only your VAR can permanently disable that instance. Note that VAR-side disabling is irreversible; the old PC will never run SOLIDWORKS again.

6. The Bottom Line

Deactivating a SOLIDWORKS license is straightforward yet vital.

The process ensures compliance, reduces downtime, and lets teams stay flexible amid rapid hardware and workplace changes.

Follow the online wizard whenever possible, keep manual methods in reserve for secure environments, and involve your VAR only when a computer is truly unreachable.

Implementing the best practices above will keep projects running smoothly and licenses firmly under control.

Need further assistance? Reach out to MECAD Systems for tailored guidance on license management and SOLIDWORKS deployment strategies.