SOLIDWORKS – Removing EDU Watermark

Are you receiving a message every time you open a CAD file intended for production regarding its limited use? This message may indicate that the file cannot be used commercially or that it is for instructional use only. If so, then this file contains a watermark that strictly limits how you can use the file going forward.

What is a ‘Watermark’? A watermark is a file-specific entity that is embedded in a SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD file specific to a non-commercial version of the software. This watermark will be present in any file created with an Educational, or EDU, License. It can also be present if the file is saved in said version.

Can the watermark be removed? The watermark cannot be removed from the file by any means other than submitting a request form to SOLIDWORKS through your VAR to officially remove it, allowing its use for production. However, the procedure is reserved for “exceptional circumstances.”

What are the requirements? In the provided request form, customers on subscription must provide an explanation for (as set by SOLIDWORKS):

• Why the EDU License was used in a commercial setting.
• How the EDU file(s) was used in a commercial setting.
• Why removing the watermark is business critical and why an alternate solution is not viable.

Additionally, the customer must declare that there was not a deliberate use of an education license for commercial purposes.

Once the form has been completed, meeting the required criteria, your VAR Support Engineer will attach it, along with the files in question, to a SOLIDWORKS Service Request for processing. SOLIDWORKS Technical Support Management reserves the right to refuse any watermark removal requests.

Contact CATI Support at 888-285-2284 for assistance or email Technical.Support@cati.com.

Gabriel Rodriguez
Application Engineer I
Computer Aided Technology