New in Altium Designer

This page details the improvements included in the initial release of Altium Designer 25, as well as those added in subsequent updates. Along with delivering a range of improvements that develop and mature the existing technologies, each update also incorporates a large number of fixes and enhancements across the software based on feedback raised by customers through the AltiumLive Community's BugCrunch system, helping you continue to create cutting-edge electronics technology.

When using a Standalone or Private Server license, you may need to reactivate/refresh that license to be able to access and use new features and functionality.

Alternatively, a license file (ALF) can be activated by a Group Administrator or License Administrator through the Company Dashboard. Switch out your current license for this newly-activated one.

It is advised to restart Altium Designer after reactivating/refreshing any licensing.

You can choose to continue with your current version, update your current version, or install Altium Designer 25 alongside your current version to access the latest features. Your current version can be updated from within the software in the Extensions and Updates view. If you prefer to install Altium Designer 25 alongside your current version, visit the Altium Downloads page to download the installer, then choose New installation on the Installation Mode page of the installer.

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Altium Designer 25.6

Released: 14 May 2025 – Version 25.6.2 (build 33)

Release Notes for Altium Designer

PCB CoDesign Improvements

Added Ability to Specify Conflict Resolution for Categories and Selected Changes

In the PCB CoDesign panel, when choosing whether to apply a local or remote change for a detected conflict, you now have the ability to quickly set the desired setting for all changes in a specific category.

In addition, you can also quickly apply the desired setting to all currently selected change entries. To do this, select the required entries using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click techniques and then choose the desired setting for an entry in the selection.

For information about the PCB CoDesign functionality, refer to the PCB CoDesign page.

Keyboard Navigation of the PCB CoDesign Panel

Working with the differences and conflicts sections of the PCB CoDesign panel has been enhanced. Now you can use keyboard shortcuts for the following actions:

  • Traversing the lists of differences and conflicts (Up Arrow/Down Arrow)

  • Switching between conflict resolution settings in the list of detected conflicts (Left Arrow/Right Arrow)

  • Expanding/collapsing a category of differences or conflicts (Spacebar).

Javascript ID: Pnl_PCBCoDesign_Keyboard_AD25_6

Use Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to traverse the lists.

Use Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys to switch between conflict resolution settings.

Use the Spacebar key to expand/collapse a section.

For information about the PCB CoDesign functionality, refer to the PCB CoDesign page.

Constraint Manager Improvements

Added Undo/Redo Capability

You can now quickly undo or redo changes made in the Constraint Manager. Previously, if data was mistakenly deleted or overwritten, the correct information needed to be reentered or the Constraint Manager needed to be closed without saving it. The controls highlighted in the image below can now be used, which makes updating information easier and faster. The new capability is available in most areas of the Constraint Manager including rules, scopes and constraint sets. As in other areas of the software, the icons/commands are only available if an action (for undo) or undo action (for redo) has been performed.

For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.

Improved Migration of Clearance Design Rules

The way in which a Clearance rule is imported to the Clearance Matrix has been improved when migrating from the old design rules system for a project. When first and second scope expressions (Where the First Object Matches and Where the Second Object Matches) of a Clearance rule are set to All, the net scope / connective checking option is now taken into account as follows:

  • Different Nets Only – the rule is added to the All NetsAll Nets cell of the clearance matrix in the Clearances view.

  • Different Differential Pair – the rule is added to the All Differential Pairs – All Nets cell of the clearance matrix in the Clearances view.

  • Same Net Only – the rule is added to the Same Net Clearance cell for All Nets in the Physical view.

  • Same Differential Pair – the rule is added to the Same Net Clearance cell for All Differential Pairs in the Physical view.

Javascript ID: CM_Migration_Clearance_AD25_6

For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.

Toggling Display of Information for a Diff Pair Directive Attached to a Blanket

For a differential pair directive that is attached to a blanket, it is now possible to toggle the display of diff pair class and associated rules information in the design space after syncing/importing with/to directives to the Constraint Manager.

For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.

Harness Design Improvement

Ability to Store 3D Models in the Layout Drawing (Open Beta)

In order to improve integration when using Altium MCAD CoDesigner with harness design projects, 3D models of objects used in the layout drawing document (harness components and connection points) are now embedded (in Parasolid format) to the document. Each 3D model is created/embedded when adding a physical view for a harness component or connection point.

Any missing 3D models (existing but not embedded) will be embedded after saving the document (File » Save).

For information about working with layout drawing documents, refer to the Creating the Layout Drawing page.

This feature is in Open Beta and available when the HarnessDesign.Embed3DModel option is enabled in the Advanced Settings dialog.

Platform Improvement

'Purchased' Tab Renamed 'Available'

The Purchased tab on the Extensions and Updates page has been renamed Available. The new name more accurately defines that the tab includes all the available extensions that have not been installed on your local installation of Altium Designer.

Similarly, the option Purchased but not installed has been renamed to Available but not installed.

Note that while all extensions can be installed, some functionality may require additional purchase/licensing to fully use.

For more information, refer to the Extending & Updating Your Altium Designer Installation page.

Import/Export Improvement

Ability to Import Off-Page Connectors as Ports for xDXDesigner Imports

An option has been added that allows you to import off-page connectors as ports (rather than default off-sheet connectors) on generated schematics and enables compatibility between xDXDesigner and Altium connectors. To use the feature, enable the Import Mentor Off-Page connectors as Altium Ports (instead of default Off-sheet connectors) option on the Reporting Options page of the Import Wizard (File » Import Wizard).

Enabling this new option automatically enables the Allow Ports to Name Nets option (part of the Netlist Options, on the Options tab of the Project Options dialog for the generated Altium Designer PCB project).

For more information, refer to the Importing a Design from xDX Designer or DxDesigner page.

Features Made Fully Public in Altium Designer 25.6

The following features are now officially Public with this release:

Altium Designer 25.5

Released: 16 April 2025 – Version 25.5.2 (build 35)

Release Notes for Altium Designer

Altium Designer 25.4

Released: 13 March 2025 – Version 25.4.2 (build 15)

Release Notes for Altium Designer

Altium Designer 25.3

Released: 17 February 2025 – Version 25.3.3 (build 18) HotFix

Release Notes for Altium Designer 

Altium Designer 25.2

Released: 14 January 2025 – Version 25.2.1 (build 25)

Release Notes for Altium Designer

Altium Designer 25.1

Released: 12 December 2024 – Version 25.1.2 (build 22)

Release Notes for Altium Designer

Altium Designer 25.0

Released: 12 November 2024 – Version 25.0.2 (build 28)

Release Notes for Altium Designer

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Note

The features available depend on your Altium product access level. Compare features included in the various levels of Altium Designer Software Subscription and functionality delivered through applications provided by the Altium 365 platform.

If you don’t see a discussed feature in your software, contact Altium Sales to find out more.

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