Step

Guide

Why do we need this step

Step 1: Restart Your System

1 Save all open work.

2 Close your Autodesk product.

3 Restart your computer.

4 Launch the product again.

Restarting clears temporary memory issues and resets background processes that may be causing crashes or slow performance.

Step 2: Update Your Autodesk Product

1 Open the Windows Start menu.

2 Search for and open Autodesk Access.

3 In the Updates section, review the list of available updates.

4 Click Update next to each product you want to update.

5 Wait for the installation to complete.

6 Restart your Autodesk product.

Autodesk Access is a desktop application designed to quickly and easily install updates directly from your system, without needing to download them manually.

Note: Updates can be accessed either through Autodesk Access or by downloading them from the Autodesk Account. For more detailed information, see Update your software.

Step 3: Update Graphics Drivers

1 Identify your graphics card (GPU).

2 Go to the manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel).

3 Download the latest recommended driver.

4 Install the driver.

5 Restart your computer.

Outdated or incompatible drivers are a common cause of crashes and display issues.

Step 4: Close Background Applications

1 Press “Ctrl + Shift + Esc” to open Task Manager.

2 Review running applications.

3 Select unnecessary programs.

4 Click “End task”.

5 Relaunch your Autodesk product.

Other applications may consume system resources, reducing performance and stability.

Step 5: Verify System Requirements

1 Check the system requirements for your Autodesk product.

2 Compare with your system specifications:

-RAM

-CPU

-GPU

-Disk space

3 Upgrade hardware if required.

Running below the recommended system requirements can lead to performance issues and crashes.

Step 6: Test with a Different File

1 Open the Autodesk product.

2 Create a new file or open a known working file.

3 Perform basic actions.

This helps determine if the issue is caused by a corrupted or complex file rather than the system.

If the issue only happens with one file, it’s likely something in that file causing the problem; try saving a new version, simplifying it, or working from a local copy. If the issue happens across multiple files, it’s more likely related to your system or setup, so continue working through the troubleshooting steps to update, reset, and optimize your environment. And if you’re still seeing issues, especially with a specific error message, visit the Autodesk Support Hub for more targeted help.

Step 7: Clear Temporary Files

1 Close all applications.

2 Open File Explorer.

3 Navigate to: C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Local\Temp

4 Select and delete as many files as possible.

Note:  If you see a message that a file cannot be deleted, it usually means the file is currently in use by Windows or another application. This is normal. Skip those files and continue deleting the rest.

5 Restart your computer.

Temporary files can accumulate and consume system resources, causing instability or slow performance.

Step 8: Move Files to a Local Drive

1 Locate your working file.

2 Copy it to a local folder (e.g., Desktop or Documents).

3 Open the file from the new location.

Working from network or cloud-synced locations can cause latency and performance issues.

Step 9: Adjust Graphics Settings

Part A: Adjust graphics settings inside the Autodesk product.

A1 Open your Autodesk product.

A2 Open the Options / Preferences menu:

- Press Ctrl + Shift + P (or type OPTIONS in the command bar, if available)

- Or go to the Settings / Preferences / Options menu from the top toolbar

A3 Navigate to the Graphics or Performance tab.

A4 Open the Graphics Performance / Hardware Settings section.

A5 Turn Hardware Acceleration:

- OFF if you are experiencing crashes or display issues

- ON if performance is slow and your system supports it

A6 Apply the changes.

A7 Close and restart the Autodesk product.

Part B: Ensure the dedicated GPU is being used.

B1 Right-click on your Desktop and select: Display settings

B2 Scroll down and click: Graphics settings

B3 Under Graphics performance preference, click: Browse

B4 Locate and select your Autodesk product executable (.exe) (usually found in Program Files > Autodesk folder)

B5 Once added, click the application in the list.

B6 Click Options.

B7 Select: High performance (Dedicated GPU)

B8 Click Save.

B9 Restart your Autodesk product.

A: Hardware acceleration relies on your GPU. If the GPU, driver, or configuration is not fully compatible, it can cause crashes, flickering, or lag.

B: Some systems default to using integrated graphics (iGPU) instead of the more powerful dedicated GPU (dGPU). This can significantly impact performance and cause instability.

Step 10: Reset Product Settings

1 Close the Autodesk product.

2 Use the Reset Settings to Default option in the Start menu or in the product tools.

3 Reopen the product.

Corrupted or misconfigured settings can cause unexpected behavior and instability.

Step

Guide

Why do we need this step

Step 1: Restart Your Mac

1 Click the Apple menu.

2 Select Restart.

3 Reopen your Autodesk product after restart.

Restarting clears temporary system processes and memory conflicts that may be causing instability.

Step 2: Update Your Autodesk Product (Mac)

Go to: https://manage.autodesk.com

1 Sign in to your Autodesk Account.

2 Go to Products and Services.

3 Select Product Updates.

4 Find your product and version.

5 Click Download.

6 Open the downloaded file (.dmg or installer).

7 Follow the installation steps.

8 Restart your product.

On macOS, updates are typically downloaded from your Autodesk Account rather than Autodesk Access (which is primarily Windows-based).

Step 3: Update macOS and System Components

1 Click the Apple menu.

2 Go to System Settings.

3 Select General > Software Update.

4 Install any available updates.

macOS updates include system-level fixes that improve compatibility and performance with applications.

Step 4: Close Background Applications

1 Press “Command + Option + Esc”.

2 Select any unnecessary applications.

3 Click “Force Quit”.

4 Relaunch the Autodesk product.

Background apps can consume system memory and CPU resources, affecting performance.

Step 5: Check System Requirements

1 Click the Apple menu.

2 Select About This Mac.

3 Review:

-macOS version

-Memory (RAM)

-Chip / Processor

4 Check the Autodesk product compatibility, see system requirements.

If your system does not meet the required specs, you may experience crashes or slow performance.

Step 6: Test with a Different File

1 Open your Autodesk product.

2 Create a new file or open a known working file.

3 Test basic actions.

Determines whether the issue is caused by a corrupted or complex file.

If the issue only happens with one file, it’s likely something in that file causing the problem; try saving a new version, simplifying it, or working from a local copy. If the issue happens across multiple files, it’s more likely related to your system or setup, so continue working through the troubleshooting steps to update, reset, and optimize your environment. And if you’re still seeing issues, especially with a specific error message, visit the Autodesk Support Hub for more targeted help.

Step 7: Clear Temporary Files (Mac)

1 Close all applications.

2 Open “Finder”.

3 Click “Go > Go to Folder.

4 Enter: ~/Library/Caches

5 Open the folder and delete unnecessary cache files (inside folders, not the folders themselves).

6 Repeat for: /Library/Caches

7 Restart your Mac.

Temporary and cache files can build up over time, consume disk space, and slow down performance.

Step 8: Work from a Local File

1 Copy your file to a local folder (Desktop or Documents).

2 Open the file from your Mac (not iCloud/network).

Files stored on cloud or network drives can introduce delays and instability.

Step 9: Adjust Graphics / Display Settings (Mac)

1 Open your Autodesk product.

2 Go to “Preferences / Settings”.

3 Locate “Graphics / Display settings” (if available).

4 Adjust:

-Reduce visual effects (if available)

-Lower display quality/performance settings

5 Restart the product.

Graphics performance issues on Mac are typically tied to system-managed GPU behavior or display settings rather than manual GPU selection.

Step 10: Reset Product Settings

1 Close the Autodesk product.

2 Reopen the product while holding any reset shortcut (if supported)  (varies by product)

3 Use built-in options to restore default settings

Corrupted preferences or settings can cause crashes or unexpected behavior.