How to adjust SOLIDWORKS Spin Box Increment Values Locally & Globally

Upon editing a dimension value in SOLIDWORKS, you can use the SOLIDWORKS spin box instead of typing in numbers. The middle mouse wheel or clicking on the little up/down arrows on the right side of the dimension box could be used to fine-tune a dimension by 1mm or smaller increments or decrements. This capability is also useful for concept designs where you don’t know an exact value for increment and only need to change dimensions to see the effects.

Adjust SOLIDWORKS Spin Box Increment Locally

The spin box increment value can be set differently for each individual dimension. In the following screenshot, editing a dimension is shown. By double-clicking on the dimension, the dimension modify window pops up. The “Reset spin increment value” button is used to preset values to increment or decrement dimensions.

Spin Box Increment Settings for Individual Dimensions

By clicking on the “Reset spin box increment box” a small window pops up and as shown below, several values could be added to its list. Then, each value that is highlighted will be the increment/decrement value for next time the spin box is used. The highlighted increment value would be valid until the dimension modify window is open. If you close the modify window and after a while come back to that dimension to change it with spin box, the value will increment with the global increment.

Under this increment window, there is an option called “Make Default”. If you highlight one of the values and then check off the “Make Default”, the global value for spin box will change to that number and from that point on, any other dimensions in that file or any other files in SOLIDWORKS will have that new global spin box increment value. This option is helpful to quickly reset the global variable on the fly and  reset it back to its original value later on.

Add Increments/Decrements Values for Dimensions

Adjust SOLIDWORKS Spin Box Increments Globally

The settings for all global spin box increment values is under Tools > Options > System Options > Spin Box Increments. The increment values could be set for length, angle, and time values and also for English or Metric units.  See below:

Global Settings for Spin Box Increment Values