Home Designer Minimum System Requirements

QUESTION

I have to replace my computer that I run Home Designer on. What are the system requirements for running the software?

ANSWER

While it may be possible to operate Home Designer on a computer that does not meet these minimum system requirements, Chief Architect, Inc. will not support any configuration that is not listed below.

• Home Designer 2025
  
• Home Designer 2024
  
• Home Designer 2023
  
• Home Designer 2022
  
• Home Designer 2021
  
• Home Designer 2020
  
• Home Designer 2019
  
• Home Designer 2018
• Home Designer 2017
• Home Designer 2016
• Home Designer 2015
• Home Designer 2014
• Home Designer 2012
• Home Designer 10
• Home Designer 9
• Home Designer 8
• Home Designer 7
• Home Designer 6

Home Designer 2025

Version 26, released in 2024

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) or macOS 13 / 14 / 15 (Ventura / Sonoma / Sequoia)
  
• 16 GB of RAM
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Video Card:
  
  • Windows: 4 GB of dedicated RAM or Intel integrated graphics on 8th generation or newer Intel processors. DirectX 12 requires Shader Model 6.0 or newer.
    
  • Mac: Apple M1 or newer, or an Intel/AMD card with 2GB of dedicated memory with support for Metal GPUFamily macOS 2 or newer.
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
• 1 TB SSD
• PC
• • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 9
    
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 / AMD Radeon RX 7900
  • A screen of 16" or more
    
• Mac
  
• • Metal GPUFamily: Apple M3 or newer
  • Desktops: Mac Pro
  • Laptops: MacBook Pro 16"

Home Designer 2024

Version 25, released in 2023

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) or macOS 12 / 13 / 14 (Monterey / Ventura / Sonoma)
  
• 8 GB of RAM
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Video Card:
  
  • 4 GB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 6th generation or newer Intel processors (i3/i5/i7).
  • DirectX 12 supporting Shader Model 6 for a Windows-based PC.
  • Apple M1 or newer OR Intel/AMD card: 2 GB of RAM with support for Metal GPUFamily macOS 2 or newer.
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
• 1 TB SSD
• PC
• • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 9
    
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 / AMD Radeon RX 7900
  • Laptops: Minimum 16" screen
    
• Mac
  
• • Metal GPUFamily: Apple M3 or newer
  • Desktops: Mac Pro
  • Laptops: MacBook Pro 16"
    

Home Designer 2023

Version 24, released in 2022

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) or macOS 11 / 12 / 13 (Big Sur / Monterey / Ventura)
  
• 8 GB of RAM
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Video Card:
  
  • 2 GB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 6th generation or newer Intel processors (i3/i5/i7).
  • DirectX 12 supporting Shader Model 6 for a Windows-based PC.
  • Apple M1 or newer OR Intel/AMD card: 2 GB of RAM with support for Metal GPUFamily macOS 2 or newer.
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
• 512 GB SSD
• PC
• • Desktops:
    
  • • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 5000
      
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX6800
  • Laptops:
    
  • • Minimum 15" screen
    • Intel i7
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800M
      
• Mac
  
• • Desktops:
  • • Mac Pro
  • Laptops:
    
  • • MacBook Pro 16"
      
    • Metal GPUFamily: Apple M1 or newer
    • 8 GB video memory

Home Designer 2022

Version 23, released in 2021

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) or macOS 10.15 / 11 / 12 (Catalina / Big Sur / Monterey)
  
• 8 GB of RAM
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Video Card:
  
  • 2 GB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 6th generation or newer Intel processors (i3/i5/i7).
  • DirectX 12 supporting Shader Model 6 for a Windows-based PC.
  • Metal GPUFamily: Apple 7 (M1) or macOS 2 (Intel) for macOS systems.
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
• 512 GB SSD
• PC
• • Desktops:
    
  • • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 5000
      
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX6800
  • Laptops:
    
  • • Minimum 15" screen
    • Intel i7
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800M
• Mac
  
• • Desktops:
  • • Mac Pro
  • Laptops:
    
  • • MacBook Pro 16"
      
    • Intel i9
    • 8 GB video memory
      

Home Designer 2021

Version 22, released in 2020

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 8 / 7 (64-bit) or macOS 10.14 / 10.15 / 11 (Mojave / Catalina / Big Sur)
• 4 GB of RAM
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Video Card:
  
  • 1 GB of dedicated video card memory (minimum) or Intel integrated graphics on 5th generation or newer Intel processors (i3/i5/i7).
  • OpenGL 3.3 or higher (Windows)
  • OpenGL 4.1 or higher (Mac)
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation, video, and library catalog access. Internet access for license validation is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Home Designer 2020

Version 21, released in 2019

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 8 / 7 (64-bit) or macOS 10.13 / 10.14 / 10.15 (High Sierra / Mojave / Catalina)
• 4 GB of memory (RAM)
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Video Card:
  
  • 1 GB of dedicated video card memory (minimum) or Intel integrated graphics on 3rd generation or newer Intel processors.
  • OpenGL 3.3 or higher (Windows)
  • OpenGL 4.1 or higher (Mac)
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation, video, and library catalog access. Internet access for license validation is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Home Designer 2019

Version 20, released in 2018

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 8 / 7 (64-bit) or macOS 10.12 / 10.13 / 10.14 (Sierra / High Sierra / Mojave)
• Multi-core processor
• 4 GB of memory (RAM)
  
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
  
• Video Card:
  
  • 1 GB of dedicated video card memory or Intel integrated graphics on 3rd generation or newer Intel processors.
  • OpenGL 3.3 or higher (Windows)
  • OpenGL 4.1 or higher (Mac)
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation, video, and library catalog access. Internet access for license validation is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Home Designer 2018

Version 19, released in 2017

Minimum

• Windows 10 / 8 / 7 (64-bit) or Mac OSX 10.11 / 10.12 (El Capitan / Sierra)
• Multi-core processor
• 4 GB of memory (RAM)
  
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
  
• Video Card:
  
  • At least 512 MB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 3rd generation or newer Intel processors.
  • OpenGL 3.3 or higher (Windows)
  • OpenGL 4.1 or higher (Mac)
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation, video, and library catalog access. Internet access for license validation is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Home Designer 2017

Version 18, released in 2016

• Windows 10 / 8 / 7 (32- or 64-bit) or Mac OSX 10.10 / 10.11 (Yosemite / El Capitan)
• Multi-core processor
• 4 GB RAM (64-bit) / 2 GB of RAM (32-bit)
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• OpenGL 2.1 or newer
  
  • 512 MB dedicated video memory / Integrated Graphics
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation, video and library catalog access. Internet access for license validation is required once every 14 days.
  
  

Home Designer 2016

Version 17, released in 2015

• Windows 7 / 8 / 10 (32- or 64-bit) or Mac OS X 10.9 / 10.10 (Mavericks / Yosemite)
• 2.4 GHz processor or Multi-Core Processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM (32-bit) / 4 GB of RAM (64-bit)
• 512 MB of dedicated video memory or Integrated Graphics
  
• Monitor resolution of 1024 x 768
• High speed internet for registration, license authentication, deactivation, video and library catalog access
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)
  
  

Home Designer 2015

Version 16, released in 2014

• Windows Vista / 7 / 8 (32- or 64-bit) or Mac OS X v10.8 (Mountain Lion)
• 2.4 GHz processor or Multi-Core Processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM (32-bit); 4GB of RAM (64-bit)
• 512 MB of dedicated video memory or Integrated Graphics
  
• Monitor resolution of 1024 x 768
• High speed internet for registration, license authentication, deactivation, video and library catalog access
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)
  
  

Home Designer 2014

Version 15, released in 2012

• Windows Vista / 7 / 8 (32- or 64-bit)
  Windows XP (32-bit only)
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory supporting OpenGL 2.1 or higher
  
  

  Integrated graphics chipsets not supported.
  
  

• Monitor resolution of 1024 x 768
• High speed internet for registration, video access, content downloads
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)
  
  

Home Designer 2012

Version 11, released in 2011

• Windows Vista / 7 (32- or 64-bit)
  Windows XP (32-bit only)
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory supporting OpenGL 2.1 or higher
  
  

  Integrated graphics chipsets not supported.
  
  

• High speed internet for registration, video access, content downloads
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)
  
  

Home Designer 10

Released in 2010

• Windows XP / Vista /  7
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory supporting OpenGL 2.0 or higher
  
  

  Integrated graphics chipsets not supported.
  
  

• High speed internet for registration, video access, content downloads
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)
  
  

Home Designer 9

Released in 2009

• Windows XP / Vista / 7
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory supporting OpenGL 2
  
  

  Integrated graphics chipsets not supported.
  
  

• High speed internet for registration, video access
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)
  
  

Home Designer 8

Released in 2007

• Windows XP / Vista
• 1.2 GHz processor 
• 1.5 GB of available hard disk space
• 1 GB of RAM when running Vista
• 512 MB of RAM when running XP
• A DVD-ROM drive
  
  

  Integrated graphcis chipsets not supported.
  
  

Home Designer 7

Released in 2005

• Windows 98 SE / 2000 / XP
• 400 MHz processor
• 800 MB of available disk space
• 64 MB of RAM or greater
• A CD-ROM drive
  
  

  Integrated graphics chipsets not supported.
  
  

Home Designer 6

Released in 2003

• Windows 98 SE / ME / NT / 2000 / XP
• 400 MHz processor
• 1 GB of available hard disk space for a full installation (400 MB to install without all available program content)
• 64 MB of RAM
• CD-ROM drive
• 2-button mouse supported by Windows
• Color monitor which supports 16-bit color
  
  

  Integrated graphics chipsets not supported.
  
  

Chief Architect Home Edition 5.0

• Windows 95 / 98 / ME / NT / 2000 / XP
• 256 MHz processor
• 400 MB of available hard disk space
• 64 MB of RAM
• CD-Rom Drive
• 2-button mouse supported by Windows
• A color VGA, Super VGA, or higher resolution monitor supporting a minimum of 256 colors.