SOLIDWORKS Default File Locations

In your home, do you have a chair or a spot that only you sit in and when others sit there you seem out of place, and possibly struggle for a second with what you should do? What about a parking spot at work, do you always park in the same spot? This is kind of like our default location and SOLIDWORKS has plenty of Default File Locations that we should be aware of.

If you are not aware, File Locations are in Options —> Systems Options —> are in the middle of the list. Below is an extensive list we have worked on with techs from SOLIDWORKS. This is a good starting point if your file locations are off, missing or if you have errors that can be resolved by selecting the correct file location. Now for an easy way to adjust file locations, please check out the article Set SOLIDWORKS File Locations the easy way!.

Before you jump to the list, let’s discuss the common ways why your Default File Locations can be incorrect. By far, the most common way I see is multiple SOLIDWORKS installs. You may have many versions of SOLIDWORKS installed, that’s allowed. But how you install the program is where you can run into problems. This also occurs when doing a simple uninstall of an older version and an install of a newer version.

Our Best Practices PDF for installation covers how you can install several versions of SOLIDWORKS without overwriting or using existing Default File Locations. The short of it is some tricks importing/exporting registry keys and renaming installation file before you hit the “Install” button. Read our article Tips for a successful upgrade to SOLIDWORKS 2023 which explains the process further.

For more Tips and Tricks watch one of our many on-demand webinars. If you are looking for a deeper understanding of SOLIDWORKS and how you can be more productive, we offer a wide range of SOLIDWORKS training courses led by certified instructors.