Like any other application, it is not recommended that you “transfer” it from an old computer to a new computer. During an application’s installation process, the installer often looks at the machine it’s being installed on and adds components that are best suited to that computer. This usually doesn’t change what the user sees, but it can effect how the application runs.


Hence, we typically recommend installing applications anew when setting up a new computer.


If you are a Vectorworks Service Select member, you can easily look up your serial number and download your software from the Vectorworks Service Select website. This is by far the easiest method.


If you are not a Vectorworks Service Select member, then you will need to locate your Vectorworks installation CDs (2015 and older) or installation links (2016 and newer) as well as the aligning serial Serial Number, and install using those. If you cannot locate your installers, please contact us by email and we can assist you.


Once you have installed Vectorworks on the new computer, make sure you Check for Updates, especially if you have installed from CDs. There may have been software updates since those discs were created.


Once Vectorworks has been installed and is up-to-date, you can transfer over your template files and other similar customized content. You would simply locate those items on your old computer then move then (usually USB drive is easiest for this) to the new computer.


In terms of workspaces, we recommend setting up customized workspaces fresh in the newly installed Vectorworks. You *can* migrate a customized workspace from an older version to a newer version, but please do make sure you review the instructions here so you don’t miss anything the new version has to offer (that wasn’t in the older version, and hence not in the older version’s workspace):

Information about the Migration Manager


These pages are also worth reviewing:

Transitioning from an older version of Vectorworks to a newer one

Migrating content libraries to a newer version of Vectorworks

Migrating template files to a newer version of Vectorworks

Batch Conversion of older Vectorworks files