Subscription Setup FAQ
Visit the topics below for help accessing, installing, configuring, and using your software after you subscribe to an Autodesk product. See About Autodesk Subscription for information about subscription features and benefits.
Subscribe, Access, and Install Software
How do I
subscribe to Autodesk software?
You can subscribe online at www.autodesk.com/buy-online
or contact an Autodesk
Authorized Reseller for additional subscription options. Your
subscription begins on the date you receive your order confirmation
email, and most subscriptions renew automatically at the end of the
billing term you select. See About
Autodesk Subscription for information about subscription
features and benefits.
How do I install subscription software and get
started?
You download and manage your subscription software through your
Autodesk Account. The email address and password entered when you
subscribe becomes the Autodesk ID the subscription administrator's
account.
See: Access Your Subscription Software
How you get started depends on your user role:
- If you subscribed for your own use: You're automatically set up as the Contract Manager or Primary Admin and a named user. Sign in to your Autodesk Account with the email address and password you used when you subscribed.
- If you subscribed as a Contract Manager or Software Coordinator: If you are the software administrator for your company, sign in to your Autodesk Account and remove yourself as a named user (if you will not be using the software) to make the seat available to someone else. You can then assign permission to download and install to other users. See Autodesk Classic User Management for more information.
- If you subscribed as a Primary Admin: If you are the software administrator for your company, sign in to your Autodesk Account and remove yourself as a named user (if you will not be using the software) to make the seat available to someone else. You can then assign permission to download and install to other users. See Autodesk Account User Management for more information.
- If you are an assigned user (an account administrator manages your software): When the subscription administrator assigns software to you, you receive a confirmation email with a link to your Autodesk Account where you can download your software.
See: Download Subscription Software
How do I know when my software is available in Autodesk
Account?
You will receive an email with activation information after
you purchase a subscription. If you don't receive the
confirmation within 24 hours, check your Spam and Junk folders
or Contact Us for
assistance.
We recommend setting your security preferences to allow email from the following domains:
- @autodesk.com
- @autodeskcommunications.com
Order Confirmation Email: This email is your receipt and contains your order number. Print or save this message as a record of your purchase.
Order Fulfillment Email: This email is sent after Autodesk processes your payment and delivers your software. Save the message as it contains the following important information:
- Order Number
- Sign-in information for your Autodesk Account
- Software download links
- Activation information such as serial numbers
- Confirmation of your shipping address for physical shipments
How do I handle software in an industry
collection?
If you subscribe to an industry collection with either single- or
multi-user access, you can access your software in your Autodesk
Account. Individual products and services are listed under the
industry collection title and must be installed individually.
You don't have to download the entire collection. Choose the individual products you want to use, then download and install.
Software Activation and Internet Connectivity
How
do I find my serial number and product key?
If you use
Install Now from Autodesk Account, your serial number and
product key are entered automatically. Your serial number and
product key are displayed in your Autodesk Account in the product
tray on the Products & Services page. See
Finding Your Serial Number and Product Key in Autodesk Account
for information.
Does subscription software have to connect to the internet to work?
For both single-user and multi-user access, an internet connection is required for initial download and installation of software. For single-user access desktop software, users need to connect to the internet to activate the software and connect at least once every 30 days after initial activation to continue using the product. Multi-user access does not have this internet requirement. An internet connection is always required to access cloud services.
What options are available if I have limited or no internet access?
If you have limited internet availability, you may want to consider subscription with multi-user access that can be activated from a network license server. See Network License Administration for information.
Do files and software sit in the cloud or on a desktop machine?
Software is installed on your computer and accessed from your hard drive; it is not hosted in the cloud. Subscribing to certain desktop software includes access to cloud services that are hosted on the cloud, not installed on your desktop. Files created with desktop software can be stored locally or in the cloud, such as A360 Drive.
Cloud services are hosted and require an internet connection. However, files created with cloud services can be stored locally or in the cloud, wherever you prefer.
User and Subscription Contract Management
What is an Autodesk Named User?
A Named User is an individual assigned to use a subscription. Users are granted access to subscription software, services, and benefits by an account administrator, such as a Contract Manager/Software Coordinator or a Primary/Secondary Admin (the type of admin varies depending on when the products were purchased) based on their Autodesk ID, which is associated with the individual's email address. Named users cannot share their Autodesk ID with another individual, and must be an employee or on-site contractor. Consult the Autodesk Terms and Conditions for more information.
Can a subscription with single-user access to software be re-assigned to other users?
As employees join or leave your company, the administrator can re-assign the Named User in Autodesk Account as needed, subject to Autodesk processing times. Named Users cannot share their Autodesk ID's with other individuals. See the Autodesk Terms & Conditions for more information. To learn how to add and remove users, see Add & Remove Users.
Can two users access subscription software on the same computer?
For a subscription with single-user access, for a different person to use the software on the same machine, the user must be a Named User and login with their own Autodesk ID. Named Users are assigned based on their Autodesk ID, which gives them access to subscription software and benefits. For every single user, the administrator must create 2 Windows profiles on the computer. The software then needs to be installed under each user profile. Users can then work on the same computer with different profiles.
How many users can be assigned per seat?
Product & Service Seats - For single-user subscriptions, you can provide access to all of the products and services included in your subscription through user management. You can assign one product seat to a user for every seat purchased, which will allow the user to access the product you’ve assigned them to, as well as any cloud services that are included with the product. For multi-user subscriptions, any user on your network can check out a seat that you’ve purchased. You can leverage user management to assign users to any cloud services that are included in your multi-seat subscription. For every multi-user seat you purchase, you can assign three users to any cloud services that are included with your subscription.
Support Seats - For both single and multi-user subscriptions, you can assign access to support (email and chat) to up to 6 users for every seat purchased.
Can I manage subscriptions and perpetual licenses together?
Yes, if an administrator is responsible for both subscription and perpetual licenses, they can manage them both through Autodesk Account. Please note, subscriptions and perpetual licenses cannot be merged into a single contract.
Can I manage subscription and perpetual network licenses together on the same network license server?
Yes, subscription and perpetual network licenses are capable of running on the same network license server to support the use of the software by multiple users for up to the maximum number of users or "seats" connected to the server at a given time. Read more about Manage Your Licenses in a Network Environment.
What happens to cloud data if my subscription is not renewed or terminated?
Access to cloud services continues until the end of the billing cycle. At the end of the billing cycle, all files saved in the 25GB A360 Drive account (Autodesk's cloud storage product) will remain available for an additional 30 days. You can continue to access and view existing design and documentation files during this period, but you will not be able to edit or add information to the files. After 30 days, your A360 Drive account will revert to the free offering, and storage limitations will be reduced from 25GB to 5GB.
What happens to files if my subscription is not renewed or terminated?
You can continue to access and view existing design and documentation files via the many free viewers from Autodesk, but you will not be able to edit or add information to the files.
How do I monitor cloud credit usage?
To view your shared or individual cloud credit usage, sign in to your Autodesk Account at manage.autodesk.com and click the Reporting icon in the left navigation. In the Usage Report by Contract, expand the contract to view the breakdown of usage per Service.
How do I purchase more cloud credits?
You can purchase cloud credits from your Autodesk Account, for more information, see Autodesk Cloud Credits.