Installing Fusion

Overview#

Autodesk Fusion (formerly Autodesk Fusion 360) combines CAD, CAM, CAE, and PCB design in one cloud-connected platform. You use three pieces together: an Autodesk account, the Fusion desktop application, and the Fusion web client (a browser companion for managing hubs, projects, and permissions). Your work is stored in the cloud, in a hub that you and your teammates share.

This page covers getting Fusion installed, signing in, joining a hub, what you see on first launch, how updates and offline mode work, and what to do when something goes wrong.

Note: Fusion has been called "Fusion 360" and "Autodesk Fusion". This guide says "Fusion". Help pages and screenshots you find online may use either name; the product is the same.

Note: not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation: current operating-system versions, CPU, RAM, GPU, and disk requirements. The mirrored help does not include the system requirements page, so this guide does not quote figures. Check Autodesk's current system requirements page before installing.

Where to find it#

• Download: sign in to your Autodesk account, open All Products & Services, find Fusion in the Products & Services list, and click Download.
• Web client: in the same list, the Fusion - Contributor card has an Access button that opens the Fusion web client. You can also go to autodesk.com/fusion-team and sign in.
• Account and sign-out: the My Profile menu at the top right of the Application bar offers your Autodesk account, Preferences, profile, and sign-out.
• Help, updates, and diagnostics: the Help menu on the Application bar (see below).

Step by step#

1. Get an invitation or a license. To work on Fusion projects you normally need to be part of a hub, usually via an invitation. See "Joining a hub" below. Without an active Fusion subscription, accepting an invitation starts a free 30-day trial (once per person).
2. Sign in to your Autodesk account and open All Products & Services.
3. Download Fusion. Click Download next to Fusion. On Windows the download is an .exe; Autodesk notes that in some environments you may need the admin .exe installer instead (for managed deployments).
4. Run the installer and wait for installation to complete, then start Fusion. If this is your first time you may need to sign in to your Autodesk account again.
5. Answer the purpose dialog. When Fusion opens it asks what your purpose for using Fusion is. Choose an option such as Design, Manufacturing, or Electronics, complete the dialog, and click Get Started.
6. Land on Fusion Home. Fusion Home opens with the My Fusion page selected. The content and layout vary with the type of Fusion access you have. Use the actions there to start a new design, open a file, upload data, create a project, or reach learning resources.
7. Confirm your access. On My Fusion, the Access information section (shown to eligible users) displays trial status, expiration, or renewal actions. See Licenses and plans.
8. Optionally open the web client from the Fusion - Contributor card in your account, for managing hubs, permissions, and projects. Note that web client access is not included with Fusion for personal use or with trial versions.

Joining a hub#

To start using Fusion you need to be part of a hub. Autodesk lists three ways:

• Join automatically: if you sign in with a private email domain that matches the hub owner's domain, you join the hub automatically.
• Join at first launch: open Fusion and follow the prompts to join a hub in your organization. If your team's primary admin has permitted it, you may also be able to create your own hub.
• Join from an email invitation: an administrator sends an invitation; click the link, create an Autodesk account or sign in, and the hub opens in your browser (the Fusion web client). You will also get an email confirming you have joined. You may see a trial period until your administrator assigns a license.

If an invitation does not arrive, check Spam or Junk, and make sure your administrator used the right email address. Once you have an Autodesk account you can also use Autodesk single sign-on (SSO).

Fusion Home and starting up#

Home is the central location where you view and access your data. It has three pages: My Fusion, Projects, and Samples. The hub switcher at the top lets you change hubs.

You can choose whether Fusion starts in Home or in a new design: click your profile icon, choose Preferences, select the General tab, and set Start-Up Experience to Home or Default Design Type. The same setting applies when you close the last open design.

Updates#

The Application bar's Job Status button shows job status, Fusion update status, and online or offline status. The Help menu includes information about the Fusion installation and a way to check for updates. Autodesk's help also lists a What's New blog post and release notes in the Help menu.

Note: not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation: exactly when Fusion downloads and applies updates (for example at startup, with a restart), how often builds ship, and whether you can postpone them. Earlier drafts stated these details; they are not in the mirrored help.

Offline mode#

Fusion can work in offline mode and access cached designs when you do not have a reliable internet connection, during scheduled service maintenance, or during unexpected outages.

• Indicator: a red dot on the Job Status icon in the top-right of the Application bar. A yellow dot means Fusion detected service latency (slow internet affecting cloud tasks like rendering and simulation); you stay online.
• Switching: you can switch to offline mode manually in the Job Status flyout. Fusion switches automatically for service maintenance (announced by an in-product banner 72 hours ahead), unexpected outages, and when it detects no internet connection. It switches back when the problem clears.
• Time limit: offline mode is available for two weeks at a time; then you must reconnect and sign in with your credentials to validate the license.
• What you can do offline: edit any cached design (files you have opened are cached automatically); use Insert Component, Insert Derive, and the Derive tool with cached components.
• What you cannot do offline: upload files, create folders, create versions or milestones, or view design history (unless you use Fusion for education).
• Saving: documents you change and save offline update in the Data Panel and are synced when you are online. Offline saves follow a last-save-wins rule: only the most recent saved changes sync. The offline save queue is not subject to the cache time limit.
• Caching: in the Data Panel, right-click a file or folder and choose Add to Offline Cache, or choose Cache This Project for a project. Cached designs are not updated automatically; re-cache them to get the latest changes. The Offline cache time period (days) preference controls how long they stay cached.
• Interrupted uploads: if you lose your connection or close Fusion during an upload, the upload continues when you are online again.

Warning: Do not rely on offline mode as a long-term workflow. Reconnect before the two-week limit, and confirm uploads finished.

Recovering after a crash#

If Fusion closes unexpectedly, use File > Recover Documents, select the file in the Recover dialog, and click Open; then click Save to save the recovered design as the latest version. In the same dialog you can Delete a recovery file. Recovery documents are cached locally.

Options reference#

Troubleshooting with the built-in tools#

Autodesk provides a Fusion Service Utility (Safe Mode):

• It opens automatically if Fusion fails to launch twice in a row. To open it manually, use Help > Support and Diagnostics > Service Utility, or start the Fusion Service Utility app from the Windows Start menu or the macOS Launchpad.
• Contact Support opens Autodesk support resources.
• Gather System Information collects system information and logs for support.
• Network Diagnostics checks the key domains Fusion and Autodesk services need.
• Repair verifies and repairs the Fusion installation without removing designs.
• Reset clears sign-in credentials and local cache and restores default settings and preferences. To clear cached data: quit Fusion, keep the Service Utility open, choose Reset, click Yes, Proceed, then Launch Fusion. This helps with corrupted or stale app state such as blank panels, missing icons, or a stuck sign-in.
• Uninstall performs a lightweight uninstall; for a clean uninstall follow Autodesk's manual steps.

For display problems, use Help > Support and Diagnostics > Graphics Diagnostic. It shows GPU device, GPU RAM, driver API, and (Windows) driver version and date, with a Check for GPU driver update option and the state of effects such as Anti Aliasing and Ambient Occlusion. Manage Graphics Settings opens the graphics preferences.

Other situations:

• Cannot sign in or no hub: if no hubs are available, work with your administrator or Autodesk to get one set up. Re-check the email address on your invitation.
• Missing features: check which license is assigned to the account you are signed in with (Licenses and plans).
• Diagnostics: the Support and Diagnostics area also includes diagnostic log files, annotating a log file, and reporting a performance issue.

Tips and pitfalls#

Tip: Keep a note of your Autodesk account email. Your data and license are tied to that identity, and reinstalling is much easier than recovering a forgotten account.

Tip: Launch Fusion once while connected to the internet right after installing so that sign-in, license checks, and hub setup can complete.

Warning: The Reset option in the Service Utility clears sign-in credentials and local cache. Make sure your recent work has uploaded (check Job Status) before you use it.

Warning: If you use several accounts (for example school and personal), make sure the account signed in to Fusion is the one that has the license and hub membership you expect.

Practice exercise#

1. Sign in to your Autodesk account and open All Products & Services; find Fusion.
2. Download and install Fusion, start it, and complete the purpose dialog.
3. On My Fusion, read the Access information (if present).
4. Create a new design with File > New Design, then Save it as "Install Test" in your project.
5. Find Help > Support and Diagnostics and open the Graphics Diagnostic to see your GPU.
6. Open the Job Status button and note whether you are working online.

Expected result: a saved design visible in your first project, proving installation, sign-in, and cloud sync all work.

Related#

• Licenses and plans
• User interface tour
• Preferences
• Data Panel basics