Accessing Built-In, Free SOLIDWORKS Tutorials

As a TriMech Solutions Consultant, I interact with SOLIDWORKS users almost daily. Every so often, I recommend the Free SOLIDWORKS Tutorials, and I am surprised to find that many SOLIDWORKS users do not know their installation comes with free, built-in tutorial files and walkthroughs.

For users who do not have access to a license or installation of SOLIDWORKS, free online tutorial videos can be accessed through MySolidWorks. You can learn more about this here: Free Introduction to SOLIDWORKS Tutorial

Whether you are a brand new SOLIDWORKS user just learning the basics, or a certified professional looking to brush up on more advanced techniques, you will probably find value in reviewing the Free Tutorials in SOLIDWORKS.

How to Access Free SOLIDWORKS Tutorials

The built-in SOLIDWORKS Tutorials do not require internet access or an online account. All you need is SOLIDWORKS CAD installed on your computer.

First, launch SOLIDWORKS. In the upper right corner of the screen, click the question mark (?) symbol, and select Tutorials.

Accessing Free SOLIDWORKS Tutorials

This will open a separate window with different sections and topics to explore including Getting Started, Basic Techniques, Advanced Techniques, Design Evaluation, and more. You can read the Tutorial instructions on the right as you work in SOLIDWORKS on the left, or move the windows to separate monitors.

Getting Started with Free Tutorials

As you explore different sections, you will see a brief description of the topic as well as an estimated time to complete the walkthrough.

Selecting a SOLIDWORKS Tutorial

How to Use SOLIDWORKS Tutorials

Some Tutorials will have a step-by-step walkthrough of creating a file from the start, like the example shown below. After completing the steps on the screen, be sure to click “Next Topic” in the lower right corner to move onto the next set of steps.

Other topics, however, will start from an existing file, like the one shown below. These existing files are loaded onto your computer during SOLIDWORKS installation and are usually found in:

C:\Users\Public\Documents\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS [version]\samples\tutorial.

Extra Sample Files

As mentioned above, sample files are loaded onto your computer during SOLIDWORKS Installation. You can browse through these files at any time, and there is shortcut within SOLIDWORKS for accessing them. In SOLIDWORKS, click the Home icon on the top bar of the screen to launch the “Welcome – SOLIDWORKS” window. In this window, click the Learn tab. Select “On my PC” – this will open directly to the folder that contains sample and tutorial models.

Extra Sample Files

The “learn” folder has some great sample Parts and Assemblies to check out!

SOLIDWORKS Learn Folder

The sample files, like the one shown below, include Comments on every feature, describing the steps taken to build the model from start to finish. Reviewing these premade files is a great way to get familiar with modeling techniques in SOLIDWORKS.

Premade SOLIDWROKS Tutorial Files for Techniques

Additional SOLIDWORKS Tutorials

For other products like Simulation and CAM, tutorials can also be found in the question mark (?) menu by clicking on the specific tool’s menu as shown below.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation Tutorial

Note: To access these additional tutorials, the individual Add-ins must be turned on in Tools > Add-ins.