Autodesk previous-version, virtualization and home-use rights are Offering Benefits in the Autodesk Terms of Use. They let a subscriber install releases older than the current one, run software over a wide-area network, VPN or in a virtual machine, and, for Multi User subscriptions, keep a second copy for use away from the office. The General Terms list “rights to previous versions” and “global use rights” among the benefits a subscription may include.[4] The details are in the Offering Types and Benefits document (last updated 17 September 2026), which groups Previous Versions, Virtualization and Viewers together under Offering Benefits.[1]
These rights do not add licences. The Previous Version Right, for example, is subject to “the same scope of use and restrictions (e.g., license type, license version, and license quantity) as the current version”.[1]
Editions
The rights depend on the Offering Type, not on the product edition:
| Right | Single User | Multi User | Flex | Token Flex | Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Previous versions | Yes, non-concurrent | Yes, within seat count | Yes, while tokens remain | Yes | Current plus three prior |
| Virtualization of installed software | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Not stated |
| Virtualization of server components | Not applicable | Allowed | Not applicable | Allowed | Not stated |
| Home Use Copy | No separate right | Yes (13 months per code) | No | Not stated | No |
| Global use | Depends on Territory | Traveling employees, one device | Worldwide | Not stated | Not stated |
Sources: Offering Types and Benefits,[1] the Previous Versions List[2] and the virtualization policy.[3]
Metrics
These rights change what counts toward an existing metric rather than creating new metrics. Previous-version copies count against the Single User or Multi User entitlement they come from. Under Flex, the right depends on the Team’s Flex Token balance.
Previous versions
Scope
The General Terms normally require a customer to uninstall an earlier version when installing a new one. The Previous Version Right is an exception, and it “is available for Single User Offerings, Multi User Offerings, Flex Offerings, and Token Flex Offerings only”.[1] Autodesk Platform Services Offerings “are not eligible for Previous Version Rights”.[1]
Counting
- Single User. “You may install and non-concurrently access eligible previous versions of the Software.” A named user may keep the 2025 and 2027 releases installed side by side but may use only one at a time.[1] See Previous versions under Single User: install and access non-concurrently.
- Multi User. Users may run the current version and eligible previous versions at the same time, as long as total use does not exceed the number of seats.[1] The network license activation file includes the eligible previous versions.[2]
- Flex. The right starts with the first Token Pack purchase. “If your Token balance reaches zero, You will lose the Previous Version Right”. It starts again from the date of the next purchase, is not available for product versions 2016 and earlier, and is tracked at Team level. If a customer holds a subscription to a product and also uses tokens for some of its functionality, the subscription decides the previous-version right.[1] See Flex Previous Version Right lapses at zero token balance and resets on the next purchase.
Eligible versions
Eligible releases are those on the Previous Versions List. “Generally, but not always, the Previous Version Right is limited to the three (3) previous versions most recently preceding the current version”. The list is updated at each new release, when the oldest listed version drops off.[1] A customer may also keep using any version it received while that version was current or listed, even after it has been removed from the list.[1] On 26 September 2026 the list showed, for example, AutoCAD 2024 to 2027, Civil 3D 2024 to 2027 and 3ds Max 2024 to 2027. CFD Premium and Ultimate showed 2023, 2024, 2026 and 2027, with no 2025 release.[2] Education plan users get “the current version plus three versions back” through the Education Community.[2] See Previous Version Right: generally the three versions preceding the current one.
Termination and switches
“If access to Your Offering expires or otherwise terminates, Your rights to use all previous versions covered by that Offering terminate, and You must immediately uninstall and stop accessing such previous versions.”[1] If a customer moves to a Switched Subscription that includes the same software, it keeps its previous-version rights. If the new subscription does not include that software, every version must be uninstalled and destroyed within 60 days, and Autodesk may ask for proof or audit.[1] Autodesk does not have to provide media, authorization codes or technical support for previous versions.[1] See Previous versions must be uninstalled when the Offering ends.
Previous Version Rights also carry over when subscriptions are enrolled in the 2026 M2S/TNU Exit renewal offer.[6]
Virtualization & partitioning
The Virtualization benefit
The Virtualization benefit applies notwithstanding Section 11.3 (Acceptable Use of Offerings) of the General Terms: for an eligible Offering, the customer “may access and use such Offering on or via the internet or via wide-area network (WAN), other non-local network, or virtual private network (VPN)”.[1] Web Services subscriptions, and Web Services benefits included with Software subscriptions, cannot be virtualized. Included APIs are not eligible either.[1]
Which Offerings are eligible is set by the Virtualization List on the Autodesk support site. “All additions to the Virtualization List apply prospectively, and all removals from the Virtualization List apply retroactively.”[1] See Virtualization List: additions prospective, removals retroactive.
Policy by purchase type
The virtualization policy page allows installed software to be virtualized under Single-user subscription, Flex and the Enterprise Business Agreement (Token Flex). Multi-user subscriptions may virtualize only server components: network license servers, server components and server-based product components.[3] For named-user purchases, admins “can deploy software so that an assigned user can access it from multiple devices, but only one authorized user can access a single license at a time”. If a virtual environment does not keep a user’s MAC address after a restart, the user has to sign in at every session.[3] Server components may be hosted on the customer’s own WAN or with a third-party cloud provider, provided the customer can secure and control access.[3] A separate conditional permission allows off-premises hosting of file-server and other components for certain offering types.[6] See Virtualized named-user software: one authorized user per license at a time.
Support and certification
Autodesk supports virtualized eligible Software except for incidents it cannot reproduce on a physical machine and issues caused by third-party virtualization software. Its published certification information is provided “as is”, and a customer who virtualizes must “assume all risks associated with such use”.[1] Autodesk publishes no core, socket, host or cluster metric. Virtualization therefore does not change the licence count, which remains one named user or one concurrent seat.
Home use
Multi User Home Use Copy
Under a Multi User subscription, the customer or its employees may install a Home Use Copy on one Electronic Device “located in the Territory but away from Your business site”, for internal business needs including training.[1] The conditions are:
- the number of Home Use Copies may not exceed the Multi User seats purchased;
- a person may not use a business-site seat and a Home Use Copy at the same time;
- each copy needs an authorization code from Autodesk. The right ends when the Multi User subscription ends or 13 months after the code was issued, whichever is earlier;
- Home Use Copies are not available for Upgrades, are not replaced if lost, and receive no Support;
- the customer must end a departing employee’s access to their Home Use Copy.[1]
After a switch, Home Use Copies activated before the switch may stay in use only if the same software is part of the new subscription.[1] See Multi User Home Use Copy: one device in the Territory, up to 13 months per authorization code.
Single User
Single User has no separate home-use clause. The Autodesk ID governs instead: the named user may install the software on several devices, but may use only one Desktop Device and one Mobile Device at a time.[1]
Global use rights
- Single User. Where the software may be used depends on the Territory in which it was bought. If bought in an Approved Country, it may be used worldwide. If bought in a Non-Approved Country, it may be used in the Territory and in other Non-Approved Countries. A resident of a Non-Approved Country may use it in an Approved Country only for work travel “for no more than 90 days in a 12-month period”.[1] See Single User global use rights depend on Approved Country status of the Territory.
- Multi User. If the Territory is the customer’s Home Country, employees who travel may install and use the software on one unique device each. Contractors do not receive global use rights.[1] The paid Extra Territory Rights for multi-user subscriptions were retired on 7 February 2023.[5]
- Flex. Flex may be used worldwide wherever it was bought.[1]
The General Terms define Territory as “the country or jurisdiction where You acquired Your subscription”. Where the subscription was acquired in a Member State of the European Union or the European Free Trade Association, the Territory is all the countries of both.[4]
Cloud / BYOL
The Virtualization benefit covers access through the internet and third-party hosting. It does not publish a separate bring-your-own-licence mapping to vCPUs or instances for any public cloud.
Programs
These rights come with the Offering Types themselves. No separate programme sells them. Enterprise customers may have different terms in their Enterprise Business Agreement, which controls where it states so.
Out of scope
- Perpetual licences under the legacy License and Services Agreement, including their earlier home-use and previous-version terms.
- Hypervisor and VDI certification details for individual products.
- The Approved Country list itself, which Autodesk publishes separately.
- Viewer and read-only access rights, which are a separate Offering Benefit.