To Configure Content Center

What's New: 2026

Before you start using Content Center, configure libraries in the current project, and specify Content Center settings in Application Options.

Important: To access the Content Center libraries (Desktop Content), they must be 1) installed and 2) enabled for use in the active project.

For troubleshooting information, refer to the following help and support articles for more details:

To Access Content Center (Desktop Content) Libraries

Content Center files not available in Inventor

Missing Content Center files after upgrading Inventor

Configure Content Center Libraries and Component Storage in the Project

The configuration of Content Center libraries must be set up for each Inventor project separately.

  1. Click File Manage Projects.

  2. In the Projects dialog box, click Configure Content Center Libraries.

    The Configure Libraries dialog box is displayed.

  3. Refine the list of available libraries:

    • (Desktop Content Configuration Only) To adjust search settings, select a writable library, and click Search Settings. In the Search Settings dialog box, select the option for the search and click Add. The following options are available:

      • Default: Search is performed on the default set of Inventor parameters.

      • Default + Specified Parameters: Search is performed on the default set of Inventor parameters and additional user-defined parameters.

      • All Parameters: Search is performed on all parameters.

        Run the Update Tool to synchronize out-of-date user libraries.

    • To transfer a library from Desktop Content to the server or from the server to Desktop Content, click Library Transfer Guide.

    • To migrate or update out-of-date user libraries, click Update Tool.

    • (Desktop Content Configuration Only) To create a read/write library in the Desktop Content location, click Create Library. In the Create Library dialog box, enter the Library Display Name and File Name, and click OK.

    • (Desktop Content Configuration Only) To view properties of a library, or to edit the Display Name of a library, select the library, and click Library Properties.

    • (Desktop Content Configuration Only) To delete a library from the Desktop Content folder, click Delete Library.

    • (Autodesk Server Configuration Only) Use the server console to set up Content Center libraries on the server. Only libraries from the library partition corresponding to the current Inventor version display in the Configure Libraries dialog box.

  4. Specify libraries to be used:

    • To add a library to the configuration, select In Use for the library.
    • To remove a library from the configuration, clear the In Use check box for the library.

  5. Click OK to close the Configure Libraries dialog box.

  6. To change the folder to store the parts placed from Content Center, in the Projects dialog box, expand Folder Options. Right-click the Content Center Files entry, and then:

    • Click Default to use the Default Content Center Files folder specified in the Application Options dialog box.
    • Click Edit to specify a new location of the Content Center Files folder.

  7. Click Save and Done to close the Projects dialog box.

Set Content Center Application Options

  1. On the ribbon, click Tools tab Options panel Application Options.

  2. On the File tab of the Application Options dialog box, review or change the Default Content Center Files folder. The Content Center Files folder stores parts placed from Content Center.

  3. On the Content Center tab:

    • Select Refresh Out-Of-Date Standard Parts During Placement to automatically replace the existing standard part files in the Content Center Files folder when a newer version exists in a library. Clear the selection to preserve the version of standard parts available in the Content Center Files folder.
    • Set Custom Family Default to specify the default placement method for Content Center parts with a custom parameter. The setting is applied in the Family dialog box, and can be overridden.
    • If appropriate, change Access Options to specify location of libraries in a local Desktop Content folder or on an Autodesk Vault Server.

  4. Click Apply and OK to close the Application Options dialog box.

Parent page: About Configuration of Content Center Libraries