Desktop App

Latest Desktop App: 2.22.22

In this article:


Installing the Desktop App

The Bild Desktop Application is a tool that allows you to access your files and manage them directly from your desktop. Here are the steps to install the Bild Desktop Application:


  1. Navigate to your account settings located on the upper right corner of the Bild Web App
  2. Click on Plug-Ins under account settings
  3. Click on the Windows button, which will automatically begin downloading the Desktop App

  1. Once the download is complete, click on it to open and begin the installation process
  2. Navigate back to the Bild Web App and select Generate in the Plug-Ins section. This will generate a unique code to sync your Bild account to your Desktop App

  1. Copy this code into your Bild Desktop App
    1. If you are a Gov cloud customer, click on the PDM dropdown and select Gov
  2. Once you’ve entered your unique code, press Continue

  1. Once logged in, you will be prompted to select a local folder for Bild to use as your local directory
  2. Create a net new folder in your local directory

It is important to create a folder that is not connected to another virtual drive. Recommendations include a folder in your C: drive or Desktop in your Windows file explorer.

Uninstalling the Desktop App

If you would like to uninstall the Bild Desktop Application, here are the steps to uninstall the Bild Desktop Application:


  1. Open the Add or Remove Programs in your control panel. You can access your programs by typing "Add or remove programs" in your Windows search bar and clicking on the appropriate option

  1. Search for Bild in the list of installed programs
  2. Click on the three dots to the right side of the App row
  3. Select Uninstall from the drop-down menu that appears

  1. Follow the prompts provided by the uninstall wizard to complete the process.

Adding Files via the Desktop App

  1. Drop the new files into the project within your project folder in your Bild local repository

  1. Open the Bild desktop app and navigate to the project where you added the files, any new files added will contain a New File tag
    1. Click on the Push New Files button in the upper right corner to upload all new files
    2. Or multi-select the files you'd like to upload and under More Actions, click Push New Files

  1. This will begin the uploading process, once done you'll be able to access these files in the cloud

💡 You can navigate to the New Files drop-down within the desktop app to filter the file table for all new files

Downloading files via the Desktop App

  1. Navigate to the files you'd like to download within a project
  2. Select the checkboxes of the files

  1. Click on the More Actions drop-down and click Download
  2. This will download the file to your local repository in the same directory structure as is in your project

💡 You can double-click on any file to automatically download and open it in its native application

It's important that no two files have the same name and make sure to check the file size limit (5gb per file) to avoid any upload errors.

Check Out/Check In

Check out/Check in workflows are a core functionality of PDM systems, preventing engineers from overriding each others' designs.


Checking Out Files via Desktop App

  1. Navigate to the project where you'd like to check out files from
  2. Select the checkboxes of the file(s) you'd like to check out
  3. Click on the More Actions drop-down button in the upper right corner
  4. Select the Check-Out button

5.This will check out and download the files you selected

💡 You can find all the files you have checked out in your My Files tab in the Desktop App 

Check In Files via Desktop App

  1. Navigate to the project you'd like to check in files to
  2. Click the Project Files drop-down menu
  3. Select My Files to view all your currently checked-out files

  1. Click on the checkboxes of the files you would like to check-in
    1. Alternatively, you can select the Check In All Changes button to check in all the modified files

  1. Click on the More Actions drop-down button in the upper right corner
  2. Select the Check-In button
  3. You will be prompted to enter a new revision (unless you have auto-increment on) and an optional commit message.
  4. Once done click Check-In and you're files will be checked in for other users to access

It's recommended to check in changes often to ensure the rest of your team is apprised and can access the most up-to-date design files.

Canceling Checking Out Files via Desktop

  1. Navigate to the project you'd like to cancel a checkout for
  2. Click the Project Files drop-down menu
  3. Select My Files to view all your currently checked-out files

  1. Click on the checkboxes of the files you would like to cancel a check out for
  2. Click on the More Actions drop-down button in the upper right corner

  1. Select the Cancel Check Out button

File Statuses & Filtering

The Bild Desktop Application has several tags and filters that help you keep track of the status of your files. Here's a breakdown of the different file statuses:


  • Project Files: These are all the files within a project, regardless of status or tag. You can view all project files by selecting the Project Files option in the drop-down menu
  • My Files: This is a list of all the files you currently have checked out and edit access to. You can view all your files by selecting the My Files option in the drop-down menu
  • Local Files: Files will be tagged locally if a copy of this file exists on your local drive. You can view all your local files by selecting the Local Files option in the drop-down menu
  • New Files: Files will be tagged as new if they have been added to your local drive but are not yet on the cloud. You can view all new files by selecting the New Files option in the drop-down menu
  • Modified Files: Files will be tagged as modified if they have been edited or changed. You can view all modified files by selecting the Modified Files option in the drop-down menu
  • Outdated Files: Files will be tagged as outdated if your local copy is not the latest version of the file. You can view all outdated files by selecting the Outdated Files option in the drop-down menu


To access files based on their tag or status, simply select the appropriate option from the drop-down menu within your project. This makes it easy to find and manage your files based on their current status.

Search for Files and Attributes

In the top right hand corner, start typing out at least the first three characters of the file name or attribute/property/metadata you are searching for.

Linking the Bild Design Library and Solidworks Toolbox


  1. Select your Settings icon within SolidWorks
  2. Under System Options, scroll and select the File Locations 
  3. In the Show Folders For drop-down, find Design Library 
  4. Here you will see any folders currently used as your design library, click on the Add button on the right side of your screen
  5. Locate your design library folder within your Bild repository and add it
  6. Click Ok 

💡 You can delete your SolidWorks library by selecting the SolidWorks design library and clicking on the delete button. This will ensure you only have one Design Library folder.

Setting up References in SolidWorks

Set up references to ensure Solidworks is referencing the same files from your file directory and for parent-child relationships.


  1. Navigate to System Options in SolidWorks
    1. Then go to External References in left panel
  2. Make sure the Include Sub-Folders checkbox is selected in addition to the top level Reference Documents Specified in File Location checkbox
  3. Specify the Reference Documents folder by clicking on Go To Reference Documents
  4. Click Add, and select the same top level folder you created for the Bild Desktop App
  5. Click OK

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