How to Use Snapshots in SOLIDWORKS
Contents
SOLIDWORKS Snapshots let you save a useful assembly view and return to it later. A snapshot can remember the view orientation, zoom level, hidden and shown components, section view, and exploded state. This makes it useful when reviewing an assembly, comparing design states, preparing a presentation, or returning to a specific inspection angle without rebuilding the view manually.
Snapshots are available in assemblies. They are different from a Windows screenshot because they remain interactive inside the SOLIDWORKS model rather than becoming a separate image file. They are also more specific than a normal named view because they can retain component visibility and other assembly display conditions.
How to create a snapshot in SOLIDWORKS
- Open the assembly and arrange the graphics area exactly as you want to preserve it.
- Set the desired orientation and zoom level.
- Hide, show, isolate, section, or explode components as needed.
- Choose View > Lights and Cameras > Take Snapshot, click Take Snapshot on the View toolbar, or press Alt + Spacebar.
- Enter a descriptive name and click OK.
Use a name that describes the purpose of the view, such as Gearbox service access, Front section review, or Exploded fastener layout. Names such as Snapshot1 become difficult to manage when an assembly contains several saved views.
A snapshot can preserve a useful orientation and display state of an assembly.
Where SOLIDWORKS stores snapshots
Open the DisplayManager and select the View Scene, Lights, and Cameras pane. Expand the Snapshots folder to see the saved items. SOLIDWORKS adds each snapshot to this folder and also makes it available as a custom view in the Orientation dialog box.
A snapshot is saved inside the assembly model; SOLIDWORKS does not create a separate image file. Save the assembly after creating or editing snapshots if you want those views to remain available the next time the file is opened.
Saved snapshots appear in the Snapshots folder in the DisplayManager.
How to return to a saved snapshot
In the DisplayManager, expand the Snapshots folder and double-click the snapshot you want to view. You can also right-click it and choose Select. SOLIDWORKS restores the captured assembly display state.
If components were hidden with Hide Components or Isolate when the snapshot was created, the context menu may also offer Select, restore hidden components. This returns to the saved view while showing those components. Use this option when the camera angle is still useful but you no longer want the original hidden-component state.
When a snapshot is opened in resolved or lightweight mode, SOLIDWORKS can display a snapshot toolbar. Choose Exit Snapshot when finished to return to the display state that was active before you opened it.
What a snapshot captures
| Assembly state | Captured by a snapshot? | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| View orientation and zoom | Yes | Return to an inspection or presentation angle. |
| Hidden and shown components | Yes | Focus on internal parts or a subsystem. |
| Section view | Yes | Reopen an internal cross-section for review. |
| Exploded view state | Yes | Return to an assembly or service presentation. |
| Walk-through camera angle | Yes, when created during a walk-through | Return to a location inside a large assembly. |
| Separate image file | No | Use screen capture or export when you need a PNG or JPG. |
Snapshots vs named views vs screenshots
Use a snapshot when you need to preserve an assembly display state, including hidden components, a section, or an exploded view. Use a named view when the main requirement is a reusable orientation. Use a normal screen capture when you need a static image for an email, report, or instruction document.
If you are preparing formal assembly documentation rather than an interactive review view, create an exploded view drawing in SOLIDWORKS. For a reusable model orientation, see how to save a view in SOLIDWORKS. These tools solve related problems, but they are not interchangeable.
How to organize snapshots
Rename snapshots with short, specific labels. In the Snapshots folder, click-pause-click a name to edit it. You can also right-click a snapshot to add a comment. SOLIDWORKS supports comments up to 140 characters, which is enough to record why the view was created or what another reviewer should inspect.
For large assemblies, use a consistent pattern such as Area – purpose – state. Examples include Frame – weld access – section and Drive – belt routing – exploded. Move the most frequently used snapshots toward the top of the list so reviewers do not need to search through generic names.
The Home snapshot
SOLIDWORKS creates a snapshot named Home when an assembly is opened. If you rotate the model, change zoom, or hide components, double-click Home to return to the initial display state. The Home snapshot cannot be renamed or removed, and comments cannot be added to it.
Common snapshot problems
The Snapshots folder is missing
Confirm that the active document is an assembly. Snapshots are not available in part or drawing documents. Then open the DisplayManager and select the Scene, Lights, and Cameras pane. If no custom snapshot has been created yet, create one with Alt + Spacebar and check the folder again.
The shortcut does not create a snapshot
Another application or Windows utility may be intercepting the keyboard combination. Use View > Lights and Cameras > Take Snapshot to confirm that the SOLIDWORKS command itself works. If the menu method works, review keyboard customization or other software that uses Alt + Spacebar.
A snapshot did not preserve the expected model change
A snapshot preserves the graphics-area state; it is not a replacement for configurations or design revisions. Use configurations when dimensions, features, components, or suppression states must represent distinct design variants. Use snapshots to return to useful ways of viewing those variants.
A snapshot disappeared after reopening the assembly
Because snapshots are stored in the model file, the assembly must be saved after the snapshot is created. Also confirm that you reopened the same assembly file and not an older copy, revision, or Pack and Go result.
FAQ
Can SOLIDWORKS snapshots be used in parts?
No. The snapshot feature is available for assemblies. In a part document, use named views or screen capture tools instead.
Do snapshots increase the number of assembly configurations?
No. A snapshot is a saved display state, not a configuration. It does not create a new dimensional or suppression-state variant.
Can a snapshot preserve an exploded view?
Yes. Activate the exploded view, arrange the assembly, and then create the snapshot. Returning to it restores the captured exploded display state.
Can I delete a snapshot?
Yes. Expand the Snapshots folder, right-click the snapshot, and choose Delete. The automatic Home snapshot is the exception and cannot be deleted.
Can I export a snapshot as an image?
A SOLIDWORKS snapshot is stored inside the assembly, not as a separate image. Restore the snapshot first, then use a screen capture or image export workflow if you need a file for documentation.
Summary
Use SOLIDWORKS Snapshots when you need to return to a particular assembly orientation, zoom level, component visibility state, section, or exploded view. Create one from the View menu, View toolbar, DisplayManager, or with Alt + Spacebar; give it a descriptive name; and save the assembly. For design variants, continue using configurations. For static documentation, use a drawing or exported image.
