Install a Free Trial
Trial versions of Autodesk software have limited term licenses that allow you to run the full software version for a set number of days (varies by product). Start by downloading the files that will install the trial product on your computer. The Autodesk website has several ways to link to the free trial download site. This procedure shows two methods.
If you don't already have an Autodesk account, you will need to create one at the start of the download process.
You may subscribe to the product at any time during the trial period (usually 30 days) without downloading or installing additional software. For most products acquired with an in-product purchase or through the Autodesk store, you are automatically authorized to continue using the purchased product. Some products must be obtained through a partner and may require you to log in with a serial number. See: Convert a Trial to a Paid License
Your Download Experience May Vary
The free trial download experience differs, depending on the product:
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Some products may offer a trial subscription. For this type of trial, you need to cancel the subscription if you do not wish to continue when the free period expires.
- If you are a student or educator, you should access free software at the Education Community site instead of downloading a free trial, as described here.
Download a Free Trial
To download a free trial:
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Visit autodesk.com/free-trials and click the link to the software you want to try.
To try different products offered in an industry collection, download and install each product individually.
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The next few screens provide information about the product or ask questions that help Autodesk provide you with the correct version. Complete the information and click Next.
Note: If you are a student or educator, you will be redirected to the Education Community site, where you can take advantage of access to free licenses available for educational purposes.
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You need to have an Autodesk account to continue the download process.
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If you already have an account, click Sign In. Use the email or user name and the password associated with your Autodesk account.
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If you do not have an account, complete the requested information and click Create Account. This new account can be associated with all your Autodesk transactions. See: Create an Autodesk Account.
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In the “Tell us about our company” window, complete the information and click Next.
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Click Begin Download.
Note for IE 10 users: You must select the TLS 1.2 check box in your browser Security settings at Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Settings > Security.
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The download process can take several minutes. (The process varies, depending on your browser.)
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Chrome—Click the icon in the bottom left corner of your screen.
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Internet Explorer—Click “Run” in the yellow outlined box in the bottom center of your screen.
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Firefox—Click the download arrow in the upper-right corner.
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Safari—Click the .dmg file in Downloads.
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When prompted, click Yes to allow the file download to continue.
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Click Install on this computer.
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On the License and Services Agreement screen, select I Accept and click Next.
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When the screen displays components that are ready for installation, click Install.
You are ready to install the downloaded trial version.
Install Downloaded Trial Version
You can install the trial software as part of the download and install process, or install the saved files at a later time.
- Windows users—In the previous steps, you
downloaded an application that manages the download and
installation process. Next, you will open this application to start
the Install Now process, which downloads additional files and then
extracts and installs the software simultaneously.
- Online requirement—You must be online when you launch the downloaded installation file and allow Autodesk Install Now to access the Internet.
- Location of the installation file—Installation files are saved to your system's default download location. This is typically System > User > Downloads.
- Valid installation files—Several installation
files in your Downloads directory look alike. To install
successfully, you must launch the file with the following naming
convention:
product_version_language_operatingsystem_Setup_webinstall.exe.
See: Finding downloaded files after installation.
- Mac users—Trial versions of Autodesk software
for Mac use a Browser Download process that downloads a complete
.dmg installation file in one session using your Web
browser's file download mechanism.
- Locating the installation file: Installation files are saved to your system's default download location. This is typically the Downloads folder. You may be able to launch files from there.
- Identifying valid installation files: Autodesk installation files for Mac OS follow this naming format: product_version_language_Mac_OSX.dmg.
To install a downloaded trial:
- Follow the on-screen installation instructions.
See: Install on a Single Computer - After installation is complete, start your software by clicking
the product icon on your desktop or from the Autodesk folder:
- Windows—C:/Program Files/Autodesk
- Mac—Applications > Autodesk
- When you run the product, you are prompted to sign in with your Autodesk account and the Welcome to Your Trial screen is displayed.
