CATEGORY: CAD

In this article, we will take a look at the AutoCAD requirements for both Windows and Mac computers. We will also provide you with the additional requirements for AutoCAD’s Specialized Tools, along with a closer look at Map 3D.

System requirements for AutoCAD 2024 including Specialized Toolsets (Windows)

Supported operating systems

64-bit Microsoft® Windows® 11 and Windows 10 version 1809 or above. See Autodesk’s Product Support Lifecycle for support information.

Processor

Basic
• 2.5–2.9 GHz processor (base) ARM Processors are not supported.
Recommended
• 3+ GHz processor (base), 4+ GHz (turbo)

Memory

Basic
• 8 GB
Recommended
• 32 GB

Display Resolution

Conventional Displays:
1920 x 1080 with True Color

High Resolution & 4K Displays:
Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 (with “Recommended” display card)

Display Card

Basic: 2 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant
Recommended: 8 GB GPU with 106 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 12 compliant

DirectX 12 with Feature Level 12_0 is required for Shaded(Fast) and Shaded with edges(Fast) visual styles.  Please be sure to use the latest video card manufacturer drivers from their website.

Note: AutoCAD uses your computer’s display card for a variety of essential graphics operations including but not limited to view manipulation, line smoothing, and text/linetype generation.  It is recommended that you have a display card with dedicated VRAM to support these operations at optimal speeds.

Disk Space

10.0 GB (suggested SSD)

Network

See Autodesk Network License Manager for Windows

Pointing Device

MS-Mouse compliant

.NET Framework

.NET Framework version 4.8 or later

System requirements for AutoCAD 2024 for Mac

Operating system

Apple® macOS® Ventura v13
Apple macOS Monterey v12
Apple macOS Big Sur v11

Model

Apple Mac® computers compatible with macOS Big Sur or above
Recommended: Apple Mac models supporting Metal Graphics Engine

CPU Type

64-bit Intel CPU
Apple M series CPU

Memory

Basic: 4GB
Recommended: 8GB or higher

Display Resolution

Basic: 1280 x 800 display
High Resolution: 2880 x 1800 with Retina Display

Disk Space

6 GB free disk space for download and installation

Pointing Device

Apple-compliant Mouse, Apple-compliant Trackpad, Microsoft-compliant mouse

Display Card

Recommended: Mac native-installed graphics cards

Disk Format

APFS, APFS(Encrypted), Mac OS Extended (Journaled), Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)

Additional Requirements for large datasets, point clouds, and 3D modeling

Memory

16 GB RAM or more

Disk Space

6 GB free hard disk available, not including installation requirements

Display Card

3840 x 2160 (4K) or greater True Color video display adapter; 12GB VRAM or greater; Pixel Shader 3.0 or greater; DirectX-capable workstation class graphics card.

Specialized Toolsets (Windows Only)

AutoCAD Map 3D Additional Requirements (Windows Only)

For any questions, please contact our team at support@microsolresources.com

AutoCAD has a flexible subscription model, with new features available with each release and product update. If you’re on a perpetual license of AutoCAD 2018 or earlier, here’s what’s new in AutoCAD 2024.

What’s included in AutoCAD 2024

AutoCAD 2024 includes several new features that help customers accelerate their creativity and improve their user experience with tailored functionality, resulting in a connected and more automated design process.

Connect to your projects from anywhere with the included new web and mobile apps. Enjoy the flexibility of accessing any DWG with AutoCAD on any device—desktop, web, or mobile.

Top Features

• 2024 | Smart Blocks: Automatically place blocks based on previous placements or quickly find and replace existing blocks
• 2024 | Activity Insights: Keep informed of recent changes to a shared DWG through an activity log
• 2024 | Markup Import and Markup Assist: Import feedback from paper or PDFs and add changes automatically without altering your existing drawing
• 2024 | My Insights: Complete your projects faster with helpful tips and features from My Insights
• 2024 |Drawing History: Compare past and present versions of a drawing to see the evolution of your work
• 2024 | AutoCAD anytime, anywhere: Create, edit, and view CAD drawings with a browser using AutoCAD on mobile or on web
• 2024 | Floating windows: Display drawing windows side by side or on multiple monitors within the same instance of AutoCAD
• 2024 | Share: Send a controlled copy of your drawing to teammates and colleagues to view or edit from anywhere
• 2024 | Push to Autodesk Docs: Push your CAD drawing sheets as PDFs directly from AutoCAD to Autodesk Docs
• Activity Insights: Stay connected to data throughout your project lifecycle with details of multi-user activities in a DWG file. Be informed of relevant file changes and access with an activity log. Activity Insights helps bridge information gaps in your collaborative AutoCAD workflows.
• Smart Blocks (Replacement): Quickly find the blocks you need and replace one or more blocks via machine learning-based suggestions, recently used blocks, and manual substitute block selection
• Smart Blocks (Placement): Automatically place blocks in your drawing in the right position and scale based on where you’ve inserted the same ones thus far in your DWG file, reducing the number of clicks required and saving you time in the process.
• Markup Import and Markup Assist: Rapidly send and incorporate design feedback. Import feedback from printed paper via mobile or PDFs and add changes to your drawings automatically. AutoCAD uses machine learning to detect and execute certain instructions in markup text including “MOVE,” “COPY,” or “DELETE” commands.
• Web Functionality: AutoCAD subscribers receive exclusive additional functionality in AutoCAD on the web, including AutoLISP API on the web and batch plot to PDF(s)
• Apple Silicon Native Support: AutoCAD for Mac 2024 now runs natively on Apple Silicon Mac machines (M1 and M2)

Additional Features

2D drafting, drawing, and annotation

• Text settings: Create single or multiline text (mtext) as a single text object. Easily format text, columns, and boundaries.
• Dimensions: Create dimensions automatically. Pass the cursor over selected objects to see a preview before you create it.
• Tables: Apply formulas, link to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and create tables with data and symbols. Automatically import data to tables using features like Count.
• Leaders: Create leaders with a variety of content, including text or blocks. Easily format leader lines and define styles.
• Centerlines and center marks: Create and edit centerlines and center marks that automatically move when you move the associated objects.
• Revision clouds: Draw revision clouds around new changes in a drawing to quickly identify your updates.
• Views: Save views by name to easily return to a specific view for quick reference or for applying to layout viewports.
•  Layouts: Specify the size of your drawing sheet, add a title block, and display multiple views of your model.
• Fields: Use fields in text objects to display text that can be updated automatically as the field value changes.
•  Data linking: Enable simultaneous updates by creating a live link between a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and a table in your drawing.
• Data extraction: Extract information from objects, blocks, and attributes, including drawing information.
• Dynamic blocks: Add flexibility and intelligence to your block references, including changing the shape, size, or configuration.
•  Arrays: Create and modify objects in circular or rectangular patterns, or along a path.
• Parametric constraints: Apply geometric and dimensional constraints to maintain relationships between drawing geometry.
•  Purge: Remove multiple unneeded objects at once with easy selection and object preview.

3D modeling and visualization

• Solid, surface, and mesh modeling: Create realistic 3D models of your design using a combination of solid, surface, and mesh modeling tools.
• 3D navigation (orbit, ViewCube, wheel): Use 3D viewing and navigation tools to orbit, swivel, walk, and fly around a 3D model to showcase your design.
• Visual styles: Apply visual styles to control the display of edges, lighting, and shading of your 3D model.
• Section planes: Create section planes to display cross-sectional views through solids, surfaces, meshes, or regions.
• Rendering: Apply lighting and materials to give your 3D models a realistic appearance and to help communicate your designs.
• Cloud rendering: Render 3D models online without consuming processing power or disk space on your local computer.
• Point clouds: Attach point cloud files acquired by 3D laser scanners or other technologies to use as a starting point for your designs.
• Model documentation: Generate 2D drawings including base, projected, section, and detail views from 3D models.

Collaboration

• Xref Compare: Compare two versions of a drawing, including external references (xrefs).
• PDF files: Share and reuse data from PDF files by importing, exporting, or attaching them as underlays.
• DGN Files: Share and reuse data from DGN files by importing, exporting, or attaching them as underlays.
• DWG Compare: Compare two versions of a drawing without leaving your current window.
• Sheet sets: View, access, manage, and plot multiple drawings as sheet sets.
• Model references and import: Attach Navisworks models as underlays to your drawings, and import models from other applications.
• Geographic location and online maps: Insert geographic location information into a drawing, and display a map in the drawing from an online map service.

Installation and customization

• Simplified installed: Reduce the amount of time you spend setting up AutoCAD with faster and customizable installations.
• Start tab: The new AutoCAD Start tab lets you easily access files and other helpful content directly from the home screen.
• TrustedDWG technology: TrustedDWG® technology alerts you to a possible incompatibility when a file was not last saved by Autodesk software.
• CUI customization: Customize the user interface to improve accessibility and reduce the number of steps for frequent tasks.
• Secure load: Specify security restrictions for running executables in AutoCAD to help protect against malicious executable code.
• Action recorder: Record commands and input values that can be played back as an action macro.
• System variable monitor: Monitor current system variables against a preferred list of values. Notification balloons alert you to deviations.
• CAD standards checker: Define and monitor CAD standards to maintain consistent styles for layers, linetypes, text, and dimensions.
• Application Programming Interface (API): Control drawings and databases with ActiveX, VBS, AutoLisp, Visual LISP, ObjectARX, JavaScript, and .NET.
• Autodesk App Store: Customize your software with Autodesk-approved extensions.

Subscription benefits: Get more when you subscribe to AutoCAD 2024

AutoCAD web and mobile apps

Work anytime, anywhere with the new AutoCAD web and mobile apps—included with your AutoCAD 2024 subscription.* Design and collaborate across desktop, web, and mobile with multi-platform features like Trace and Share. Conveniently access your drawings stored in Autodesk’s cloud as well as with leading cloud storage providers.

DESKTOP
Extend your workflow beyond the office on virtually any device.

MOBILE APP
View and edit your latest drawings in the field and on the go.

WEB APP
View and edit from any computer with no installation needed.

Specialized toolsets

Complete designs in a fraction of the time. When you subscribe to AutoCAD 2024, you get industry-specific features and libraries for architecture, mechanical design, electrical design, and more.* For example, recent studies showed an average productivity gain of up to 63% for AutoCAD tasks completed with the help of a specialized toolset.**

• Automate floorplans, sections, and elevations.
• Access libraries of 750,000+ symbols and parts.
• Draw piping, plumbing, and ducting quickly with mechanical tools.
• Design ductwork, electrical conduit, and circuiting for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical with MEP.
• Auto-generate annotations, layers, schedules, lists, and tables.
• Create rules-driven workflows to accurately enforce industry standards.

Support and software access

Technical support

• Microsol Resources support specialists: Schedule a call†, chat online (limited availability), or email us.
• Remote desktop assistance: Get secure, hands-on troubleshooting.
• Online resources: Access our TECH Resources for help documentation, tutorials, training, webinars, and office hours.

Access to the latest software

Instantly access the newest releases and updates.

Access previous versions

Download and use previous releases.

Flexible term lengths

Subscribe annually, or for 3 years.*

Administrative tools

Easily manage software licenses, seats, and usage from your Autodesk Account.

* Not available to maintenance plan customers.
** As compared to basic AutoCAD. The study was designed by Autodesk and commissioned by an outside consultant. Your results may differ. Autodesk provides this information “as is”, without warranty of any kind.

Interested in seeing what the new Autodesk features can do for you? Intrigued by the use of building information modeling (BIM) in your firm?

Microsol Resources hosts these annual webinar series on What’s New with Autodesk that showcase and highlight the newest features of the various Autodesk products on the different versions.

While all these new updates sound wonderful, what exactly does this mean for you? View our annual webinar series videos by following these links.

What’s new with Autodesk 2024?

What’s new with Autodesk 2023?

What’s new with Autodesk 2022?

What’s new with Autodesk 2021?

What’s new with Autodesk 2020?

What’s new with Autodesk 2019?

What’s new with Autodesk 2018?

What’s new with Autodesk 2017?

We focus our webinars on the project workflow and share tips and tricks for the new software features.  With brand new features, the new version offers greater productivity, improved collaboration, and more integrated BIM workflows.

With each new release, Autodesk strives to offer various improvements and new capabilities for their software from AutoCAD to Revit, Autodesk Construction Cloud (formerly called BIM 360), Civil 3D, 3ds Max, and more!

Microsol Resources will bring you the latest information on Autodesk products so be sure to always follow our website, blog, and social networks to stay up to date.