Overview#
Autodesk Drive is one of the cloud data sources that Autodesk's Desktop Connector can expose on your computer, alongside Autodesk Fusion and Autodesk Forma (previously branded Autodesk Docs). Fusion's own data lives in your hub and is browsed through the Data Panel, Fusion Home, and the Fusion web client. Drive and a Fusion hub are separate data sources that happen to appear side by side in Desktop Connector.
Note: not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation: Autodesk Drive's web address, free storage allowance, file-size limits, web viewer capabilities, sharing roles, or mobile apps. The mirrored Fusion help does not include Drive's own documentation, and earlier drafts of this page described these; they have been removed. Use Autodesk's Drive pages for those details.
Where to find it#
- Desktop Connector is a Microsoft Windows application. Download it from the Latest Release Notes page or from your Autodesk account under All Products and Services.
- After installation it asks you to sign in with your Autodesk credentials. Your connected drives then appear in Windows File Explorer, one for each cloud data source you have access to: Autodesk Forma, Autodesk Drive, or Autodesk Fusion.
- If Desktop Connector shows "No projects available", you may lack the product entitlement or your administrator has not added you to any projects. After access is granted, restart Desktop Connector (tray icon, Exit, relaunch, or sign out and back in).
- If Autodesk Drive does not appear, right-click the Desktop Connector tray icon and choose Help > Check for Drives.
What Desktop Connector does#
- Browse your cloud data from Windows File Explorer.
- Open and save designs directly to the cloud from your Windows desktop.
- Upload and download files and see their sync status in File Explorer (status icons for syncing, errors, and conflicts).
- Work offline and sync changes when you reconnect.
The connector replicates your cloud folder structure, but files are not downloaded until you open them. It respects your hub permissions. It can also upload design files together with their references using the Upload files with references tool.
Warning: Desktop Connector is a Windows application. Fusion's help does not describe a macOS version.
Connector hierarchy#
Each connector is a parent local drive containing the hubs, shared projects, folders, and files for that data source. The root folders Autodesk lists are:
| Data source | Root folders |
|---|---|
| Autodesk Fusion | Admin Project, Assets, Default Project (plus your hubs and projects) |
| Autodesk Drive | My Data, Shared with Me |
| Autodesk Forma | Project Files |
In File Explorer, the Fusion and Forma connectors sit at the same tier as This PC; Drive sits as a sub-tier under This PC.
Fusion data versus Drive data#
| Aspect | Fusion hub (Data Panel) | Autodesk Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Browsed in | Data Panel, Fusion Home, Fusion web client | Desktop Connector (File Explorer) and Drive's own interfaces |
| Fusion designs | Opened in Fusion, with versions, references, and Design Reservation | Not documented in Fusion's help as a place to keep Fusion designs |
| Structure | Hub > project > folder, with project roles | My Data and Shared with Me |
If you only model in Fusion, you can ignore Drive. Use Fusion's own File > Upload and the web client to bring files into a hub, and File > Export to write files out to a folder (including a Desktop Connector folder).
Step by step: connect and use Desktop Connector#
- Install Desktop Connector on Windows and sign in with your Autodesk account.
- Open File Explorer and expand the connector for your data source (Fusion, Drive, or Forma).
- Expand the hub node to see your projects, then folders and files.
- Drag a file into a connector folder, or save a supported file there from another application; it syncs to the cloud.
- Watch the status icons for syncing, error, and conflict states.
- To upload a non-Fusion design with its references, use Desktop Connector instead of Fusion's upload: Autodesk notes that file references for a non-Fusion design or assembly are not preserved when you upload with Fusion.
Using Drive with Fusion#
Common patterns the documentation supports:
- Deliverables: use File > Export to write STEP, STL, or other files to a synced folder so they reach the cloud.
- Non-Fusion CAD with references: use Desktop Connector to upload assemblies from other CAD systems so references are preserved.
- Different CAD systems: exchange neutral formats such as STEP; Fusion's File > Open and Upload accept many native formats.
Options reference#
| Option | What it does | Notes/default |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Connector | Local virtual drive for cloud data | Windows only |
| Connected drives | One per data source you can access | Fusion, Drive, Forma |
| Check for Drives | Forces detection of the Drive connector | Tray icon > Help |
| Upload files with references | Uploads designs with their references | Desktop Connector tool |
| Offline work | Edit and sync later | Desktop Connector offline capability |
| Fusion File > Upload / Export | Move files into or out of a hub from Fusion | Inside Fusion |
Troubleshooting#
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "No projects available" | No entitlement, or not added to a project | Ask your administrator; restart Desktop Connector |
| Drive not in File Explorer | Connector not detected yet | Tray icon > Help > Check for Drives |
| Cannot find a Fusion design in Drive | Fusion designs live in a hub | Use the Data Panel, Home, or the Fusion connector |
| References lost after upload | Uploaded a non-Fusion assembly through Fusion | Re-upload with Desktop Connector |
Tips and pitfalls#
Tip: Keep working Fusion designs in your hub and use Drive or synced folders for deliverables and reference documents.
Warning: Do not rely on any single cloud location as your only backup. Export important designs periodically.
Warning: A Fusion archive file (.f3z) placed in a synced folder is just a file; it is not a hub design with versions and references.
Practice exercise#
- Install Desktop Connector (Windows) and sign in.
- Find the Fusion connector in File Explorer and expand your hub.
- In Fusion, use File > Export to export a STEP file into a connector folder.
- Confirm the sync status icon and see the file appear in the cloud.
- Locate the Drive connector (My Data, Shared with Me), or use Help > Check for Drives if it is missing.
Expected result: you can reach hub and Drive data from File Explorer and move deliverables in and out of the cloud.
Related#
- Data Panel basics
- Cloud collaboration
- Hubs and projects