SketchUp system requirements - Windows & Mac
SketchUp 2027 needs Windows 11 or an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 15 Sequoia or newer. Intel Macs can no longer install SketchUp 2027, and Windows 10 support ended with 2026.1. Use a capable GPU with current drivers, 8 GB or more RAM and an SSD.
Minimum vs recommended
| Feature | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 or macOS 15 Sequoia (Apple silicon) | Latest Windows 11 / macOS 27 |
| Processor | 2+ GHz multi-core CPU | Recent-generation multi-core CPU or Apple silicon |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB+ RAM |
| Graphics | OpenGL 3.1-capable GPU with 1 GB VRAM; DirectX 12 (Windows) or Metal 2 (Mac) for the new graphics engine | Windows: modern GPU with 8 GB+ VRAM (32 GB for PBR-heavy scenes); Mac: any Apple silicon (M-series) Mac |
| Storage | 6 GB free disk space | SSD with ample free space |
| Extras | Internet connection to install and sign in | 3-button scroll-wheel mouse |
These figures are for SketchUp 2027 - current release 2027.0 - taken from Trimble's published requirements. Windows also needs .NET Framework 4.6.2 or later, and the subscription requires an intermittent internet connection to stay authorised (it works offline for up to 28 days). SketchUp for iPad requires iPadOS 18 or later, and Scan-to-Design needs an iPad with LiDAR.
Not supported: Linux, virtual machines (Parallels, VMware), Remote Desktop sessions, external GPUs and Windows-on-ARM devices all sit outside Trimble's support, and older Intel integrated graphics (the HD 4000/5000/6000 era) are explicitly flagged as unsupported.
Always confirm the exact requirements for the current release with us before a hardware purchase - ask SketchUp support and we will sanity-check your spec for free.
Graphics cards and SketchUp
Graphics drivers cause more SketchUp trouble than any other component. Keep GPU drivers current, prefer discrete NVIDIA or AMD cards for heavy models, and expect integrated graphics to limit very large scenes. If you render with V-Ray or Enscape, budget your GPU for the renderer - it is hungrier than SketchUp itself.
Mac notes
SketchUp supports Apple-silicon Macs well. If real-time rendering is part of your workflow, check the current Mac support status of your renderer before buying - Enscape’s Mac build has its own requirements. See our Enscape for macOS article.
Buying a laptop for SketchUp?
For students: a recent mid-range laptop with 16 GB RAM handles coursework. For professionals: prioritise a discrete GPU and a quality screen. For visualisation-heavy work: treat it as a rendering workstation. Talk to us before you buy and we will check the spec against your actual workflow.
Hardware questions
Will SketchUp run on my old laptop?
If it is 64-bit, has 8 GB of RAM and a GPU with current drivers, probably - expect large models to be slow on older integrated graphics.
Which OS versions does SketchUp 2027 support?
Windows 11 only - Trimble removed Windows 10 support with SketchUp 2026.1. On Mac, SketchUp 2027 needs Apple silicon and supports macOS 15 Sequoia, macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27; Intel Macs and older macOS versions need an earlier SketchUp version.
Can I run SketchUp on both my desktop and laptop?
Yes - sign in on up to two devices with your Trimble ID, and deauthorise one from your Trimble account when you want to use a third. An intermittent internet connection keeps the subscription active - it works offline for up to 28 days.
Does SketchUp Free need less hardware?
SketchUp Free runs in the browser, so a modern browser on almost any machine works - see Free vs Pro.