Double-clicking SOLIDWORKS files are printing instead of opening?

When you double-click on a SOLIDWORKS file, is it printing on a nearby or recently used printer instead of opening in SOLIDWORKS? This is most likely an issue with your SOLIDWORKS file associations.

One way you can tell that the associations for SOLIDWORKS files are broken or missing is that the right-click menu in Windows Explorer is missing a SOLIDWORKS section. When you right-click on a Part, Drawing, or Assembly file, there is no option to “Open with SOLIDWORKS” or even a “SOLIDWORKS” option.

Missing SOLIDWORKS menu

Fix 1: Restore SOLIDWORKS File Associations in SOLIDWORKS Settings

1. Right-click and run SOLIDWORKS as Administrator

Run as administrator

2. Open the Settings in SOLIDWORKS. Go to the General Tab and click “Restore File Associations”

In SOLIDWORKS 2019 and Older, the “Restore File Associations” button is located under “File Explorer” tab.

Restore File Association in SOLIDWORKS 2019 and Older

In SOLIDWORKS 2020 and Newer, the Restore File Association is located under the General tab.

Restore File Associations in SOLIDWORKS 2020 and Newer

3. If after following these steps double-clicking still prints, proceed to Fix 2 below.

Fix 2: Change Default Apps in Windows

1. Open “Default Apps” in Windows.

Default Apps

2. At the top of the screen, you should see a text box labeled “Enter a file type or link type”.

Set a file type

3. In this box you’ll need to type each of these file types and associate them to the SOLIDWORKS Launcher

4. Once you’ve reassociated those three file types, try to double-click a SOLIDWORKS file and it should open properly now.

NOTE: If you have multiple versions of SOLIDWORKS, it may prompt you for a version to open it in.

Fix 2 (Alternate Method): Change Default App to Open SOLIDWORKS Files

1. After you have followed the steps of Fix 1, you can use Fix 2 instead of the above one to achieve the same result

2. Right-click on a SOLIDWORKS Part File and select “Open With”

Open With

3. In the Open With Dialog, select the SOLIDWORKS Launcher and check the box for “Always use this app to open .SLDPRT files” (Windows 10) OR simply select “Always” (Windows 11)

4. Repeat this process for the .SLDASM and .SLDDRW files to reassociate these files with SOLIDWORKS.

5. Once you’ve reassociated those three file types, try to double-click a SOLIDWORKS file and it should open properly now.

Note: If you have multiple versions of SOLIDWORKS, it may prompt you for a version to open it in.