# Connect desktop engineering applications Adam Desktop brings your tasks and local engineering applications together. Install it on each computer where you want Adam to access local applications. See [Supported software](/supported-software) for requirements, the [Fusion guide](/integrations/fusion), and [native CAE setup](/integrations/native-cae). ## Pair a workstation **Download Adam Desktop** On the computer running your application, download and install Adam Desktop from [adam.new/install](https://adam.new/install). **Sign in** Open Adam Desktop and sign in. On a newly connected computer, Adam pairs it in the background. If pairing fails, retry in **Integrations**. **Complete application setup** Open **Integrations**, choose your application, and follow its setup instructions. Keep Adam Desktop and the application running. **Verify access** Confirm the computer and application are connected, then start with a read-only request that identifies the intended document. ## Upgrade from Adam Connector Quit Adam Connector from its tray menu and disable its startup entry before opening Adam Desktop. Do not run the two apps at the same time. 1. Quit Adam Connector and disable its startup entry, if enabled. 2. Install Adam Desktop from [adam.new/install](https://adam.new/install) and sign in. Desktop connects this computer automatically. 3. In **Integrations**, confirm the computer and applications are connected. Follow any application-specific setup or restart instructions. Add any custom local MCP servers again in Desktop; their settings are not transferred from Connector. 4. Once verified, remove the old Connector application and any remaining startup entry. If the computer does not connect, use the retry controls in **Integrations**. Older Connector records without a machine ID may appear as a duplicate; you can remove the old device entry manually after confirming Desktop is connected. ## Application setup **SOLIDWORKS** Use a Windows PC with SOLIDWORKS installed and licensed. The connector includes the SOLIDWORKS bridge; open SOLIDWORKS and the intended part, assembly, or drawing. SOLIDWORKS Simulation uses this same connection. Adam can load the installed Simulation add-in when a Simulation task starts; SOLIDWORKS checks the required license. The CAD connection alone does not establish Simulation availability. Follow the [SOLIDWORKS guide](/integrations/solidworks) to verify the active model and troubleshoot the connection. **NX** Install Adam Desktop under the same Windows account as Siemens NX. Open NX normally. If NX was already open during connector installation, save your work and restart NX once so its registered Adam bridge can load. Wait until NX finishes starting, then verify the intended work part before editing. Use the [Siemens NX guide](/integrations/nx) for the connection check and recovery steps. **Inventor and CATIA** Use a Windows PC with the corresponding application installed and licensed. The connector includes the Inventor and CATIA V5 bridges; no separate plug-in installation is required for these bridges. Open Inventor or CATIA V5 and the intended document, then keep both the application and connector running. Continue with the [Inventor guide](/integrations/inventor) or [CATIA V5 guide](/integrations/catia) to verify the document and its references. **Solid Edge** Solid Edge is a preview connection for Windows. Open the application on the paired computer. Native workflows are awaiting qualification on a licensed Solid Edge installation. Follow the [Solid Edge guide](/integrations/solidedge) to check the requested operation on a representative copy before adopting it for your workflow. **Other applications** **KiCad:** install KiCad 10 and follow the [API and schematic reload steps](/integrations/kicad). **Rhino:** use Rhino 8 on macOS or Windows. Follow the [Rhino guide](/integrations/rhino) to install its bundled plug-in from Adam Desktop and verify the document. **Revit:** use Revit 2027 on Windows with Autodesk's Public MCP Server Tech Preview, following the setup shown in Adam. **SketchUp:** use SketchUp 2019 or later. The connector installs its SketchUp extension for you; if SketchUp was open when that happened, restart it once. If you installed the third-party SketchUp MCP extension for an earlier setup, you can remove it. **Blender:** use Blender 3.2 or later. The connector installs its Blender add-on for you; if Blender was open when that happened, restart it once. If you installed the third-party Blender MCP add-on for an earlier setup, you can remove it. **Unreal Engine:** enable the MCP server under **Editor Preferences > Model Context Protocol**, or use `ModelContextProtocol.StartServer` in the editor console. Keep the editor open. ## Check the document ```text Inspect [application] on [computer] without making changes. Report the active document, application version, units where available, and any existing errors. If multiple sessions are open, identify the one you can access before proceeding. ``` Once the target is confirmed, try [modeling](/cad/modeling), [drawing creation](/cad/drawings), or [simulation](/cae/overview). ## Connect a custom MCP server Use **Custom MCP** for your own trusted local server with a **Streamable HTTP** MCP endpoint. Enter the endpoint URL in Adam Desktop, verify the server is running, and test it with a read-only request. A command-line stdio server cannot be entered as a URL; expose a supported HTTP endpoint first. Connected tools can act with the permissions of the local server, so use a server you intend to give access to your work. ## If an application is offline Check the paired computer, the running Adam Desktop app, and the target application's setup separately. A paired computer can be online while an application is closed or its plug-in is unavailable. If you use Adam in a browser on a Mac while CAD runs on a Windows workstation, pair the Windows workstation. Installing Adam Desktop on the Mac does not give it access to Windows applications on another computer. In a shared task, desktop work uses the task owner's paired workstation. It does not switch to a collaborator's computer when that collaborator sends a message. Confirm the owner and target before an edit. For NX, save and restart after bridge installation if needed. For CAE, review [application readiness](/integrations/native-cae#understand-readiness). Retry the connection in Integrations if pairing fails; reconnect the computer if the device connection has been removed. Open the integration to manage or unpair devices you no longer use. If an interrupted task may already have changed a model, inspect it before retrying the operation.