How to Transfer AutoCAD to a New Computer

Moving AutoCAD to a new computer can feel daunting, but with a clear plan you can transfer your license, settings, and customizations without losing work or redoing your setup. This guide walks you through the entire process, from preparing your old machine to activating and testing AutoCAD on the new one.

What You’ll Need

Your Autodesk account credentials (the email and password you used to purchase or subscribe to AutoCAD)
Your AutoCAD serial number and product key (if using a perpetual license; find them in your Autodesk account or the original purchase email)
An external hard drive, USB flash drive (at least 8 GB), or cloud storage for transferring files
Access to the internet on the new computer to download the installer and activate the software
The new computer must meet AutoCAD’s system requirements (check Autodesk’s website for the version you’re installing)
Your custom settings file (exported as a .arg file) and any custom scripts, blocks, or templates you want to keep

Step-by-Step

Deactivate AutoCAD on the old computer (if using a single-user license). Open AutoCAD, go to the Help menu (or the account icon) and choose “Manage License” or “Sign Out”. For older versions, you may need to use the “Deactivate” option in the License Manager. This releases the activation so you can use it on the new machine. If you skip this, you may hit a license limit.
Export your custom settings. In AutoCAD, type OPTIONS (or OP) in the command line. In the Options dialog, go to the “Profiles” tab, select your profile, and click “Export”. Save the .arg file to a location you can access later (e.g., a USB drive). This file contains your interface layout, command aliases, and many system variables.
Back up your custom files. Copy your custom blocks, linetypes, hatch patterns, templates (DWT), and any LISP routines or scripts. Common locations include the AutoCAD support folder (e.g., C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD [Version]\R[Version]\chs\Support) and the folder where you store your drawing templates. Also copy any custom tool palettes (found in the Tool Palettes folder).
Save your drawings and other important files. Make sure you have the latest copies of all your DWG files. You can use cloud storage, an external drive, or a network location. Don’t forget to include any xrefs, fonts, or images that are referenced in your drawings.
Uninstall AutoCAD from the old computer (optional but recommended). If you are not keeping it on the old machine, uninstall it via the Control Panel (or Settings > Apps) to free up space and avoid confusion. This also helps with license management.
Install AutoCAD on the new computer. Sign in to your Autodesk account at manage.autodesk.com. Go to “All Products and Services”, find AutoCAD, and click “Download”. Follow the installer prompts. If you have a perpetual license, you may need to download the installer from the “Downloads” section of your account.
Activate AutoCAD. Launch AutoCAD. If you have a subscription, sign in with your Autodesk ID when prompted. For a perpetual license, enter your serial number and product key. If you deactivated on the old machine, activation should work smoothly. If not, you may need to use the “Activate” option and follow the offline activation steps if you’re not connected to the internet.
Import your custom settings. After activation, open AutoCAD, type OPTIONS, go to the “Profiles” tab, and click “Import”. Select the .arg file you exported earlier. Make it current by selecting it and clicking “Set Current”. Restart AutoCAD to apply the profile.
Restore your custom files. Copy your custom blocks, templates, LISP routines, and tool palettes back to the same locations on the new computer. If you’re unsure where to put them, check the “Support File Search Path” in the Options dialog (under the “Files” tab) to see the folders AutoCAD looks in.
Test everything. Open a few of your drawings and run a command that uses a custom script or block. Verify that your tool palettes appear and that your command aliases work. If something is missing, check the file paths and make sure the files are in the correct folders.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to deactivate the license. This is the most common issue. If you don’t deactivate, you’ll likely get a “License already in use” error on the new computer.
Not exporting your profile. Many users redo all their settings manually, which is time-consuming. The .arg file saves you hours.
Copying files to the wrong folder. AutoCAD looks for support files in specific paths. If you just copy to a random folder, AutoCAD won’t find them.
Ignoring system requirements. Installing a 64-bit version on a 32-bit OS, or running a version that’s too new for your hardware, will cause crashes or failure to install.
Skipping the test run. You might think everything is fine, but a missing LISP routine can break a workflow. Always test with a real project.

Tips

Use the Autodesk Desktop App (if available) to manage your installations and updates. It can also help with license activation.
Keep your .arg file and custom files in a cloud folder (e.g., OneDrive, Google Drive) so you can access them from any computer.
If you have multiple versions of AutoCAD, export a profile for each version, as profiles are version-specific.
Before uninstalling on the old machine, double-check that you have all your files. Once uninstalled, you can’t easily recover settings.
Consider using the “Transfer” feature in the Options dialog (on the “Profiles” tab) to migrate settings from an older version to a newer one on the same computer, but for a new computer, the export/import method is best.

Troubleshooting

License error after activation. If you get “License Manager error -8” or similar, make sure you deactivated on the old machine. If you didn’t, you can sign in to your Autodesk account and manually deactivate the old device (under “Devices” in your account settings). If that fails, contact Autodesk support.
Profile import doesn’t work. The .arg file might be corrupted or from a different version. Try exporting a fresh profile from the old machine (if still available) or manually recreate the settings.
Custom commands not working. Check if the LISP or ARX files are loaded. Type APPLOAD and add the files to the Startup Suite. Also verify that the support paths are correct in Options > Files.
Tool palettes are empty. The tool palette group file (.xtp) might not have been copied. Locate the file in the Tool Palettes folder (usually in AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD [Version]\R[Version]\chs\Support\ToolPalette) and copy it to the same location on the new machine.
AutoCAD crashes on startup. This could be due to a missing .NET framework or Visual C++ redistributable. Run the installer again and choose “Repair”. Also, make sure your graphics drivers are up to date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer AutoCAD to a new computer without deactivating?

No, you must deactivate the license on the old computer first, especially for single-user licenses. Otherwise, the new installation will not activate.

What if I lost my serial number?

Log in to your Autodesk account and go to “All Products and Services”. You’ll find your serial number and product key there. If you have a subscription, you don’t need a serial numberâ€”just sign in.

Do I need to reinstall all my plugins and add-ons?

Yes, most third-party plugins need to be reinstalled on the new computer. They often install into the AutoCAD directory and require registration. Check with the plugin vendor for installation instructions.

Can I transfer AutoCAD from a Mac to a PC?

Yes, but you’ll need to download the Windows version of AutoCAD and activate it with your Autodesk account. Your .arg file may not be fully compatible across platforms, so you may need to recreate some settings.

How do I transfer my license to a new computer if I have a network license?

Network licenses are managed by a license server. You don’t need to transfer anything; just point the new computer to the same license server (via the Network License Manager).

Is it possible to transfer AutoCAD to a computer without an internet connection?

Yes, for perpetual licenses you can use the offline activation method. Download the installer on a computer with internet, then use the “Activate” option and follow the offline steps to generate an activation code.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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