Technical Support

The best way to replace a Vectorworks serial number on a computer is to uninstall what you currently have, then install the new version using your new serial number. This method ensures that you install only the modules that your serial number will support.

However, sometimes you simply need to replace a number with a new number - because the old number has expired. This may occur if you have an evaluation and it expires before you purchase your full Vectorworks Designer with Renderworks, for example. Or, if you need to add a second evaluation but the old one has stopped working.

You already have Vectorworks installed, you simply need to replace the serial number.  This is done by REMOVING the Vectorworks Preference files on your computer.

These files are stored in TWO locations - your ‘root’ computer and your ‘user’ folders.

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On a Mac, the preferences are called “PLIST” files. They are found in the system library and in the User library. You need to remove three files:

NOTE: On Mac OSX 10.7 and newer, the Library folder for your User account is hidden. The easiest way to display it is to open Finder, then hold down the alt/option key on your keyboard while clicking "Go" from the menu bar, then selecting "Library" The preferences, plant database, workspaces (etc.) are located in the 'HD > Users > (User's Home Folder) > Library > Application Support > Vectorworks > 20XX' folder.

1) Throw away the “net.nemetschek.vectorworks20XX.plist” file from 'HD > Library > Preferences’

You can find this by ensuring your Macintosh HD is visible on the desktop (you may need to make it visible by going to the Finder Menu, to Finder Preferences.  in the General Tab turn on the Hard disks option.  Open the Macintosh HD, then open the library folder, then the preference folder, etc

2) Throw away the “net.nemetschek.vectorworks20XX.plist” file from 'HD > Users > (User's Home Folder) > Library > Preferences'

AGAIN: On Mac OSX 10.7 and newer, the Library folder for your User account is hidden. The easiest way to display it is to open Finder, then hold down the alt/option key on your keyboard while clicking "Go" on the menu bar, then selecting "Library”. If the option key is not down, the Library folder won't be visible.

3) While you are there, you also need to throw away the "net.nemetschek.vectorworks.license.20XX.plist" file from 'HD > Users > (User's Home Folder) > Library > Preferences’

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On Windows, the preferences are called “REGISTRY” files. You need to remove three files:

1) Click on the “Windows” button, AKA the Start Button or the “Pearl” (On Windows 8, right click the bottom left corner of the screen and click "Run")

2) There will be a small data entry field at the bottom of this menu, right above the button, this is the combines Search and Run window, type in “RegEdit” and press enter. 

3) On the left hand side of the window that pops up, “Registry Editor” you will see a few small icons that look like folders with tiny grey arrows next to them, you should see one folder labeled: ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER’

4) Expand this folder by clicking the small arrow to the left of it. Inside you will see a ‘Software’ folder, click on the small arrow and expand it as well.

5) Scroll down until you see the ‘Nemetschek’ folder. Right click on the 'Nemetschek' folder and select Delete. Scroll down through the window until you see a ‘Vectorworks’ folder. Right click on the Vectorworks folder and select Delete.

6) Click on the Minus signs for the 'Software' and 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' to collapse these folders.

7) Next click on the arrow to the left of the ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE’ folder. Inside you will see a ‘Software’ folder, click on the arrow and expand it as well. Scroll down through the window until you see a 'Nemetschek' folder. Right click on this folder and Delete it.  (Or if you want to remove one version, but not all versions, delete the appropriate subfolder instead. otherwise, delete the Nemetschek folder entirely.)

NOTE: If you have a 64-bit version of Windows, you may need to also delete the "Nemetschek" folder from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Wow6432Node > Nemetschek as well.

8) Click on the Minus signs for the 'Software' and 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' to collapse these folders and close the Registry editor.

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Once you have removed the preferences, on either Mac or Windows, you can launch your Vectorworks Application. If you have correctly removed all of the preferences, you will get a dialog box telling you that you don’t have a serial number. You can then enter your new number.

If you get an error or if Vectorworks actually launches before you put in your new number, please quit the software and again go and remove the preferences again..... It is likely that you missed one!

If you have any questions please contact us by submitting a support request.