Install and license Tekla Structures

Tekla Structures installation packages are available for download in Tekla Downloads.

Tekla Structures software and environments are available as separate installation packages. The software installation package always contains a blank project environment that includes generic content. Other Tekla Structures environments are available as separate installation files. Environments are region or company-specific settings and information that are predefined in Tekla Structures, or that are defined by the user. For installation prerequisites and recommended hardware, see Tekla Structures 2021 hardware recommendations.

Tekla Structures extensions are not part of the Tekla Structures product release. Extensions are available for download in Tekla Warehouse, and you can install them separately.

If you have an online license, the license is connected to your Trimble Identity, and assigned to you by your organization's administrators. All you need to do is to install and start Tekla Structures, and select to use online license.

If you have an on-premises license, you need to have the on-premises server installed, and your entitlement certificate activated on the server, and Tekla Structures connected to this license server. For details, see Tekla Structures on-premises licensing.

Install Tekla Structures

To use Tekla Structures, install the Tekla Structures software and the Tekla Structures environments that you want to use. Then you can start Tekla Structures, sign in and select the license type.

Note:

If you are using on-premises licensing, you need to have the Tekla on-premises license server installed, either on your own computer or on another computer, your Tekla Structures on-premises license activated, and Tekla Structures connected to this license server before you can start Tekla Structures. For details, see Tekla Structures on-premises licensing.

Note:

You need to be signed in with administrator rights to install the Tekla Structures software on your computer.

Install the Tekla Structures software.
1. Download the installation file from Tekla Downloads to your computer.
  At the site, click Download for a guided experience that ensures you have all necessary files.
2. Double-click the installation file to run the installation.
3. Follow the steps in the installation wizard to complete the installation.
  
  You can select the installation folder and the model folder.
Install the Tekla Structures environments.

Note that if you do not install any environment and start Tekla Structures, Tekla Structures prompts you to first install an environment before continuing the start-up. You can later install as many environments as you want to a Tekla Structures version that you are using.
1. Download the environment installation files from Tekla Downloads to your computer.
2. Double-click the installation file to run the installation.
3. Follow the steps in the installation wizard to complete the installation.
  
  The location of the environment installation folder depends on where you have installed the software. You cannot select the environment installation folder in the installation wizard.
  
  You can select in the installation wizard that the environment setting files (.tsep) are installed when running the environment installation wizard. If you do not select to do this, the environment setting files are installed to the environment folder when you start Tekla Structures after the installation. At start-up, Tekla Structures opens a dialog box that shows the installation progress. The environment setting files are installed even if you Cancel the installation in this dialog box. The installation of extensions is cancelled. Tekla Structures will install the extensions at the next start-up.
  
  If you are installing several environments for the first time, we recommend that you do not select to install the environment setting files (.tsep) when running the environment installation wizard. Some of the .tsep packages are used in more than one environment and the same version of a .tsep package is only installed once.
Start Tekla Structures by selecting it from the Windows Start menu or by double-clicking the desktop icon.
Sign in to Tekla Structures with your Trimble Identity.

If you get the cookie policy message, click X to dismiss it.

The default sign-in period is 30 days, and after that sign in will be required.
Select Use your Tekla online license and click OK.

This option is the default option.

For information about managing online licensing, see Manage Trimble Identities and Online licenses.

If you need to use an on-premises license, select Use your on-premises license server. For more information about the on-premises licensing, see Tekla Structures on-premises licensing.

Tekla Structures keeps the online license on the computer you are using when you close Tekla Structures, and select the Keep this license reserved on this device check box in the closing confirmation message box. This check box gets selected by default when you close Tekla Structures for the first time.

To release the license when you close Tekla Structures and use the same license on another computer, clear the Keep this license reserved on this device check box.
Next, you need to select your environment, role and configuration. For details, see Start Tekla Structures.

The configuration list shows the configurations you are entitled to.

If you need to work offline, see Work offline with an online license.

Start learning how to use Tekla Structures:

For a brief overview, see Get familiar with Tekla Structures.
Find the Instructor side pane on the right-hand side of the Tekla Structures modeling or drawings view to see instructions for each command as you activate them.
Take one of our free online elearning courses.

Tekla Structures installation folders

Tekla Structures software and environments are installed into different folder locations by default. You can select the Tekla Structures software installation folder in the software installation wizard. The location of the environment installation folder depends on where you have installed the software. You cannot select the installation folder for the environments in the environment installation wizard.

By default, the software and environments are installed in the following folders:

Software is installed under the \Program Files\Tekla Structures\<version>\ folder.
Environments and extensions are installed under the \ProgramData\Trimble\Tekla Structures\<version> folder.
User settings are installed under the \Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Trimble\Tekla Structures\<version> folder.

If you install Tekla Structures software under C:\, the software and the environments are both installed under C:\Tekla Structures\<version>. User settings are installed under the \Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Trimble\Tekla Structures\<version> folder.

When you install a new Tekla Structures version, make sure that the installation folder does not contain any files from other Tekla Structures versions. This is to ensure that you get all the files that are included in the installation package.

Note that when you are installing a service pack and you already have the related Tekla Structures version or a previous service pack installed, you cannot select the installation folder. The service pack will be installed to the same folder as the related Tekla Structures version or the service pack that you are updating. The installation folder will contain files from the related Tekla Structures version or the previous service pack. Installing the new service pack will automatically remove the old files before copying the new files. Note that if you have your own files in the installation folder, these files will remain unchanged in the folder.

When you have installed the software and the environments, you can check the installation paths in Windows Control Panel.

Note:

You may need to install Tekla Structures to a folder that has a name in a non-Unicode language such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Russian. If your Windows installation does not match the non-Unicode language, you need to change the language in XS_STD_LOCALE and the Windows system locale in Windows Control Panel to that same language so that Tekla Structures can work normally.