How to Install AutoCAD (and Get the Free Student License)

In Part 1, we covered what AutoCAD is and what your computer needs to run it. Now it's time to get it installed.

In this post, I'll walk you through the three ways to get AutoCAD (including the free options), then take you step by step through downloading, installing, and opening it for the first time.

Which way should you get AutoCAD?

You have three main options, depending on who you are:

• Free student or educator license: best if you're enrolled at a school or teach at one. It's free for one year and can be renewed.
• Free 30-day trial: best if you just want to try it and follow along with this series.
• Paid subscription: best if you'll use AutoCAD for paid work. A monthly plan also works if you only need it for a short time.

Option 1: Get the free student license

Autodesk's Education plan gives eligible students and educators free one-year access to AutoCAD, and you can renew it each year as long as you stay eligible. Autodesk does verify your status, so have your details ready.

Autodesk's Education page. Select a product to start confirming your eligibility.

1. Go to Autodesk's Education page (search "Autodesk education free software"), scroll to All products, and select AutoCAD to start confirming your eligibility.
2. Choose the Individual option if it asks.
3. Sign in, or create an Autodesk account. Using your school email makes verification easier.
4. Enter your school name and your program or course, and upload proof of enrollment if you're asked.
5. Once you're approved, the download option appears in your account.

Important: a student license is for learning, training, and research only. You can't use it for paid or commercial work. Eligibility rules can change and vary by country, so open the Education eligibility terms link on Autodesk's page to confirm you qualify.

Option 2: Start the free trial

1. Go to Autodesk's AutoCAD page and tap Download free trial.
2. Choose whether you're using it for work, school, or personal learning.
3. Create a free Autodesk account, or sign in if you already have one.
4. Follow the prompts to download the installer.

The trial is limited to 30 days, so start it when you're ready to practice daily. I suggest following this series alongside it so you make the most of those days.

Before you install: a quick checklist

• Check your computer. Review the system requirements from Part 1, especially your Windows version and RAM.
• Free up disk space. You need around 10 GB free.
• Use a stable internet connection. The installer is a large download.
• Close other programs, especially heavy ones like video editors or games.
• Have your Autodesk login ready. You'll sign in to activate AutoCAD.

How to install AutoCAD, step by step

1. Download the installer from your Autodesk account or the trial page.
2. Open the downloaded file. Right-click it and choose Run as administrator if Windows asks.
3. Accept the license terms when prompted.
4. Choose your install location. The default is fine for most people.
5. Select what to install. AutoCAD is enough for now. You can skip the extras.
6. Click Install and wait. It can take 15 to 30 minutes or longer, depending on your computer and connection.
7. Launch AutoCAD from the Start menu when it finishes.
8. Sign in with your Autodesk account to activate your license.

The Autodesk sign-in page. Use your account here to activate AutoCAD. Always check that the address says signin.autodesk.com.

Your first launch: what you should see

When AutoCAD opens, you'll land on the Start tab. From here, click Start Drawing to open a blank drawing. If you see the large dark drawing area with the ribbon at the top, everything worked.

Don't worry if the screen feels busy. In the next post, we'll go through every part of it.

Common problems and quick fixes

• The installer gets stuck or fails: close other programs, restart your computer, and run the installer again as administrator.
• It says there isn't enough space: free up disk space, then try again.
• You can't sign in: check your Autodesk login on the Autodesk website first, and confirm the account is the one linked to your license.
• Student verification is taking a while: check your spam folder for emails from Autodesk, and make sure the school details you entered are correct.
• The software runs slowly: your computer may be below the recommended specs. Try closing other apps, or consider AutoCAD LT or the browser-based AutoCAD Web.

Quick recap

• Students and educators can get AutoCAD free for one year through Autodesk's Education plan.
• Everyone else can try it free for 30 days.
• Check your system requirements and free disk space before installing.
• Student licenses are for learning only, not commercial work.

Let's learn together

This series is built for you, so I'd love to hear how you're getting on.

• Follow this blog using the Follow or Subscribe option on the site, so each new lesson reaches you as soon as it's published.
• Leave a comment below. Tell me which AutoCAD version you installed, and whether you ran into any problems. I read every comment, and your questions may become future posts.
• Share this post with a friend or classmate who wants to learn AutoCAD too.
• Vote for what's next. Do you want to see more on AutoCAD basics, or on solar design with AutoCAD? Let me know in the comments.

Up next

Next post: AutoCAD Interface Explained, where we tour the ribbon, command line, drawing area, and status bar so you always know where to find things. After that, I'll share a free beginner shortcut cheat sheet, so follow the blog to get it first.

Stuck on the installation? Drop your question in the comments and I'll help you sort it out.