SOLIDWORKS
      Back to home
      1. Help Center
      2. SOLIDWORKS

      How to Fix the "A Newer Version of This Application is Already Installed" Error

      This article will walk you through the steps of clearing this error and getting your install to progress."A Newer Version of This Application is Already Installed." These steps should also resolve installation errors mentioning VBA 7.1.

      Many users will have multiple different versions of SOLIDWORKS installed on their machine, either simultaneously or over the life of the device. In some instances, you may need to install an older version of the software, and you may encounter an error stating "A Newer Version of This Application is Already Installed." Follow the steps outlined below and you should be able to get SOLIDWORKS installed in minutes.

      1. The first thing to do is to navigate to the VBA location in Windows File Explorer. The default path is: C:\Users\*username*\SOLIDWORKS Downloads\SOLIDWORKS 20xx SP0x\PreReqs\VBA. 
        1. First, navigate to C:\Users\*username*\SOLIDWORKS Downloads, then select the newest version of SOLIDWORKS listed when at the SOLIDWORKS Downloads level. 6-30-2025 11-10-44 AM

        2. Then, navigate the rest of the way to C:\Users\*username*\SOLIDWORKS Downloads\SOLIDWORKS 20xx SP0x\PreReqs\VBA
        3. NOTE: C:\Users\*username*\Documents\SOLIDWORKS Downloads\SOLIDWORKS 20xx SP0x\PreReqs\VBA Also may be a possible location for some installs. Check this if you do not have similar files at the path above.
      2. Right click on each on each msi file, and go to Show More Options > Uninstall. Do this for each file in the folder.6-30-2025 11-02-31 AM

      3. After uninstalling each .msi file, go back and re-attempt the SOLIDWORKS installation. The installation should now be able to proceed.
      4. Once the SOLIDWORKS installation is complete, go back to the VBA folder from steps 1-2 and double click each msi file to reinstall them. Once these are reinstalled, both versions of software should be operational on your machine.

      Not working like it should?

      If things didn’t go as planned when registering your account, please contact CADimensions Technical Support for further assistance. 

      If you have an existing case, please contact the Application Engineer you are working with; otherwise submit a new case online.