Every year, we look forward to sharing the latest SOLIDWORKS enhancements with our community, and this year’s release offers impressive improvements that streamline design workflows and boost productivity. At our recent Design to Manufacturing (D2M) Conference, we highlighted the most important updates in SOLIDWORKS 2026, so you know if it’s time to upgrade or not.
SOLIDWORKS 2026 Enhancements & Feature List
User Interface Enhancements
- Enhanced Visual Quality for high-fidelity rendering materials with DSPBR (Dassault Systems Physically Based Rendering)
- Selection Filters for improved ease of picking components in the interface
- Notifications Improvements Large displacement warnings alert users to unintentional component movements and added enhanced usability with dismissed messages allows retrieval of ignored alerts
- Improved Search tool accepts non-native terms (e.g. “Pad” for CATIA) for better cross-platform use
- Less Context Switching with rendering capability from SOLIDWORKS, which allows export to SOLIDWORKS Visualize without opening it
Part Enhancements
- Improved Selection with advanced multi-body selection tools enable selection by size and volume
- Improved Stability of Imported CAD files from 3D Interconnect
- Better Cleanup with easier deletion of equations when removing related items cleans up the equations table
- ESC to Stop Rebuilds lets you cancel lengthy processes which stops rebuilds or commands if stuck
- Split Configs to Individual parts for streamlined data management
- More Easily Define Reference Points with global coordinates for precise mating and More Easily Define bounding boxes with custom coordinate systems for stable geometry updates
Assembly Enhancements
- Cosmetic Change Recognition reduces unnecessary assembly rebuilds
- AI Fasteners with Smart Mates automatically align bolts using Peg-in-Hole functionality
Drawing Enhancements
- Auto-Generate Drawings Feature (beta) creates initial drawings for parts and assemblies
- Magnetic Lines Align GD&T control frames and annotations efficiently
- Improved Dimension Line Breaking allows live adjustments around intersecting lines
Add-in Enhancements
- Retain Changes with PDM Transfer Ownership when accessing checked-out files
- Simulation Enhancements includes an angular deformation displacement plot for torsional analysis
- Routing Add-in supports guided auto-routing using existing sketches
Is it Worth Upgrading to SOLIDWORKS 2026?
The Verdict:
Render from SOLIDWORKS and Split Configurations are the two biggest standouts because they tackle two of the biggest time-wasters for completed designs. If your day involves marketing for product-launch or wrangling configurations for data management, these will easily boost your efficiency and get your products across the finish line.
Part Enhancement Capabilities: Split Configurations
SOLIDWORKS 2026 introduces several part-level improvements that streamline common design tasks. Multi-body selection tools now allow you to quickly select bodies by size or volume, making it much easier to manage complex parts with numerous bodies. This is particularly useful when simplifying imported models or preparing assemblies for simulation.
One standout feature is the ability to save configurations to individual part files. While previous versions allowed saving configurations one at a time, SOLIDWORKS 2026 introduces a “Split Configurations” option that can process multiple configurations simultaneously. This feature also intelligently updates references in higher-level assemblies, maintaining the integrity of your design structure.
Sheet metal and weldment features have also been enhanced to maintain parametric relationships more effectively. Base flanges in sheet metal can now be offset from the original sketch plane, making them more compatible with layout sketch workflows often used in master part modeling. For weldments, cutlist property values can now be accessed as file properties, allowing them to be easily linked to drawing notes and other documentation.
Auto-Generate Drawings
The most impressive drawing enhancement is the new Auto-Generate Drawings feature (currently in beta). This AI-powered tool can create initial drawings for parts and assemblies with remarkable speed and comprehensiveness. When activated, it generates:
- Standard views, sections, and shaded isometric views
- Driven dimensions with appropriate tolerances
- GD&T control frames and datums for parts
- Revision tables and bills of materials for assemblies
- Family tables for parts with multiple configurations
While the initial results might include more views than necessary and require some cleanup, the time savings are substantial. In our testing, we found that Auto-Generate Drawings provide an excellent starting point, allowing designers to focus on final detailing rather than creating views and adding basic dimensions from scratch.
The feature does require connection to the SOLIDWORKS platform, but you don’t need a full PDM implementation — just a login and the SOLIDWORKS connector setup to access this powerful functionality.
Stunning Visuals and Streamlined Interface
The SOLIDWORKS 2026 user interface received significant upgrades, starting with the introduction of DSPBR appearances (Dassault Systems Physically Based Rendering). These high-fidelity appearances dramatically enhance the visual quality of your models within the SOLIDWORKS environment and provide better compatibility when exporting to rendering software.
Render Directly in SOLIDWORKS Without Context-switching to Visualize
SOLIDWORKS 2026 also lets you render directly from SOLIDWORKS to Visualize without opening the Visualize application. With a SOLIDWORKS Visualize license, available to SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium subscribers, this functionality allows you to set up a render job in SOLIDWORKS and export it to Visualize with a single click. The rendering engine produces impressive results with excellent reflection data and ray tracing, comparable to what you’d achieve with thousands of passes in Visualize.
The user interface also adds intelligent selection filters that make it easier to pick specific components in complex assemblies. When working in large assemblies, you’ll appreciate the new large displacement warnings that alert you when components move unexpectedly far from their intended position, helping prevent mistakes.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for SOLIDWORKS?
As SOLIDWORKS celebrates its 30th anniversary with this release, we’re seeing a clear focus on consistency, stability, and intelligent automation throughout the software with enhancements like AURA AI. Whether you’re designing complex assemblies, working with imported geometry, or documenting your designs, SOLIDWORKS 2026 offers meaningful improvements that will help you work more efficiently.
We’re particularly excited about the direction Dassault Systèmes is taking with AI-assisted features like Auto-Generate Drawings, which demonstrate how artificial intelligence can handle routine tasks while leaving designers free to focus on innovation and refinement.
Want to learn more about SOLIDWORKS 2026 or see these features in action? Contact our team for a personalized demonstration or to discuss how these enhancements can benefit your specific workflows.
Upgrading to SOLIDWORKS 2026 FAQ
Q: Is the Auto-Generate Drawings feature ready for production use if it’s labeled as “beta”?
A: While labeled as a beta feature, the Auto-Generate Drawings functionality is surprisingly capable for most standard use cases. It produces drawings with standard views, sections, dimensions, and BOMs that serve as the groundwork for value-added tasks. The beta designation primarily indicates that the feature is still being enhanced based on user feedback. Many customers are already using it to dramatically reduce initial drawing creation time while maintaining their quality standards through final detailing.
Q: What are the system requirements for using the new rendering capabilities?
A: The direct rendering to Visualize capability requires an active SOLIDWORKS Visualize license, which is included with your SOLIDWORKS Professional or Premium subscription. You don’t need additional hardware beyond what’s recommended for standard SOLIDWORKS usage, though better graphics capabilities will naturally improve rendering performance. The new DSPBR appearances work within your standard SOLIDWORKS environment without additional requirements.
Q: How does the Split Configurations feature improve workflow compared to previous methods?
A: The Split Configurations feature dramatically streamlines the process of creating individual part files from configurations. Previously, you had to save each configuration individually to a separate part file, which was time-consuming for products with multiple configurations. The new feature allows you to split all configurations simultaneously with one command, and it automatically updates references in upper-level assemblies. This maintains design integrity throughout your product structure while giving you the file management flexibility you need.
Q: How much does it cost to upgrade to SOLIDWORKS 2026 if you’re on active subscription with Hawk Ridge Systems already?
Your subscription benefits entitle you to the latest and greatest of SOLIDWORKS at any point; even if your subscription lapses, you are entitled to the most recent version of SOLIDWORKS that was available at the time of subscription. When planning an upgrade, our technical team can help. Contact us for pricing to access the latest software and vigilant support.
Q: How much faster is SOLIDWORKS 2026 with large assemblies compared to 2025?
If your assembly is bogged down by constant rebuilds, you’ll see a massive reduction in wait time when making minor changes.
Q: Does AURA AI actually help with real design tasks, or is it just a glorified chatbot?
Unlike public AI systems, AURA is homegrown and intentionally limited to factual data pulled from SOLIDWORKS documentation and user communities. Read more about AURA AI in SOLIDWORKS.
Q: What’s the learning curve for new features like Auto-Generate Drawings and AURA for teams already slammed with deadlines?
Auto-Generate Drawings is plug-and-play (10-minute setup with SOLIDWORKS login), but tweaking AI outputs could take up to a day or two to master. AURA’s intuitive if you’re already familiar with chatbots, otherwise, budget 2-3 hours for basics. You can also book an Ask-An-Expert training with Hawk Ridge Systems to get an in-depth overview of capabilities and workflows.
Get a demo of the new SOLIDWORKS or watch the conference session, “What’s New in SOLIDWORKS 2026,” where we cover these topics and more on the D2M Conference page.
