Autodesk Inventor
Also called inventor, autodesk inventor
Autodesk mechanical CAD, sibling to Fusion and AutoCAD. Inventor.exe is the process. It is not SOLIDWORKS.
What you need to know
Inventor is Autodesk mechanical CAD. It is not SOLIDWORKS.
Inventor.exe edits .ipt and .iam files. SLDWORKS.EXE is Dassault. Fusion360.exe is the cloud sibling. They are not the same file.
- What is it?
- Mechanical CAD
- Still current?
- Yes, see Current status
- Official download?
- Use the vendor link in this article
What is Autodesk Inventor?
Autodesk Inventor is a parametric mechanical CAD application. Parts live in .ipt files. The Windows executable is Inventor.exe.
If you have never used it
Inventor is Autodesk's mechanical CAD. Inventor.exe is the process. It is not SOLIDWORKS. Fusion 360 is the cloud CAD/CAM sibling. AutoCAD is the DWG drafter. Install Inventor from Autodesk. Parts are .ipt files.
What is it used for?
Parametric solids and .iam assemblies. SOLIDWORKS uses .sldasm. This is Inventor.
IDW or DWG drawings from the model. AutoCAD drafts without that Inventor link.
Autodesk documents interop with Fusion. That is still not SOLIDWORKS.
Who is it for?
- Engineers on an Autodesk stack
- People comparing Inventor to SOLIDWORKS
- Anyone who opened Fusion looking for .ipt files
Current status
Autodesk Inventor (1999) is a current mechanical cad from Autodesk. The vendor still points Windows users at https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview.
How old is it?
Autodesk shipped Inventor in 1999 as a mechanical CAD sibling to AutoCAD. Fusion 360 (2013) is the newer cloud product. SOLIDWORKS (1995) is the Dassault competitor schools often pick instead.
Versions
Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.
System requirements
Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.
Minimum
| Operating system | A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor |
|---|---|
| RAM | 16 GB recommended for recent Inventor, per Autodesk |
Resource profile
- CPU demand
- Follows what you open inside the app
- RAM demand
- Follows documents, tabs, or libraries
Installed processes
These executables belong to this product when it is installed.
| Inventor.exe | Main Windows executable |
|---|
Startup components
Inventor does not need to start with Windows. Autodesk Access may sit in the tray.
File locations
| Typical install | C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor <year>\ |
|---|
File formats
Common problems
Opened SOLIDWORKS for an .ipt
Inventor parts are not .sldprt. Use STEP or keep Inventor.
License via Autodesk Access
A school Inventor seat is not a SOLIDWORKS network license.
Getting unstuck
Confirm Inventor.exe
Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor is the app. SLDWORKS.EXE is Dassault.
Install from Autodesk Access
A random Inventor.exe host is junk.
Reset Inventor user application data Autodesk documents
A bad XML pref can block launch. This is not SOLIDWORKS Rx.
Alternatives
SOLIDWORKS, Fusion 360, and AutoCAD overlap. SOLIDWORKS does not replace an .ipt pipeline.
Official help and downloads
Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.
| Download | www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview Official installer or vendor page |
|---|---|
| Help | help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/ Vendor support |
| Official site | www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview Start here, not a random exe host |
Related hardware
Autodesk lists 16 GB RAM recommended for recent Inventor and a certified GPU. Heavy assemblies want more.
Technical details
Technical details
Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.
Sources and verification
Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.
- Autodesk Inventor official site · Vendor product page
- Autodesk Inventor help · Vendor support
- Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.
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