Starting SOLIDWORKS in Rx Safe Modes

This article explains how to start SOLIDWORKS in the Safe Modes available in SOLIDWORKS Rx. Safe Modes are used to identify the cause of unexpected behavior in SOLIDWORKS.

Please refer to the section that corresponds with the version of SOLIDWORKS you are using. Some user interface changes were made to SOLIDWORKS Rx in 2026.

Starting in Safe Modes (2025 and earlier)

Starting in Safe Modes (2026 and later)

Starting in Safe Modes (2025 and earlier)

1. Close SOLIDWORKS
2. Go to Start and search for "SOLIDWORKS Rx 20xx".

3. At the bottom of the 'Home' Tab, you should see a section titled 'SOLIDWORKS Safe Modes'
4. Choose "Click here to launch SOLIDWORKS in Software OpenGL mode" or "Click here to launch SOLIDWORKS while bypassing the Tools/Options settings" to launch SOLIDWORKS in the respective Safe Mode.

A Safe Mode will only apply for the duration of one session.  If SOLIDWORKS is closed after starting in a Safe Mode and reopened normally, it will no longer be in Safe Mode.

Starting in Safe Modes (2026 and later)

1. Close SOLIDWORKS.
2. Go to Start and search for "SOLIDWORKS Rx 20xx".
   
   
3. Under the "Troubleshoot" tab, you should see a "Troubleshooting" section.
   
   
4. Check the option for "Bypass your SOLIDWORKS Settings with Default Settings" or "Bypass your graphics card/driver with Software OpenGL". Once selected, click "Launch SOLIDWORKS". We recommend using one option at a time. This will help to narrow down the source of the problem.

A Safe Mode will only apply for the duration of one session.  If SOLIDWORKS is closed after starting in a Safe Mode and reopened normally, it will no longer be in Safe Mode.

Software OpenGL Safe Mode

Software OpenGL mode is used to determine whether the graphics card or driver is the cause of the issue. This disables the graphics adapter hardware accelerator and enables graphics rendering using only software. Essentially, the graphics card/driver is bypassed.  RealView graphics is not available in Software OpenGL mode.

If an issue no longer occurs in Software OpenGL, check that your card is supported and on the most recent supported driver on the SOLIDWORKS Hardware Certification Page.

If the problem persists with a supported card on the correct driver, try launching in the other Safe Mode or contact technical support. 

Note: If you would like to use SOLIDWORKS in Software OpenGL mode for longer than one session, you can permanently enable it by checking 'Use Software OpenGL' in Tools > Options > System Options > Performance.  

Launch SOLIDWORKS with Default Settings

This option will launch SOLIDWORKS with the default settings.  This includes toolbars and system options.  If unexpected behavior is resolved in this safe mode, it generally means one of two things.  

A setting you changed from the default likely causes the behavior you are seeing.  You should compare your settings to the default settings and identify discrepancies.

The other possibility is that your settings are corrupt. SOLIDWORKS settings are stored in the registry, which can become corrupt for various reasons.  In this case, you should perform a SOLIDWORKS registry reset to permanently restore settings to default, or contact technical support.    

For further assistance, please contact our support team at support@hawkridgesys.com, 877-266-4469 (US), or 866-587-6803 (Canada), or visit our support site.