Can I Install Multiple Versions of LabVIEW on the Same Computer?

Issue Details

• Can a later version of LabVIEW be installed without affecting the existing LabVIEW installation?
• Can VIs still be opened using an earlier LabVIEW version after installing the later version? 
• How can I properly install a newer version of LabVIEW if I already have previous versions of LabVIEW installed on the same machine?

Solution

You can have multiple versions of LabVIEW installed on the same computer. These versions can operate alongside each other. This is true for: 

• LabVIEW Release Versions: LabVIEW yearly releases can be installed on the same machine and will not affect each other.
• Bitness: You can have both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of LabVIEW on the same machine.

Different service pack versions (SP1, etc.) or the original can not be installed side-by-side as they are installed in the same folder.
(For example, installing LV 2018 SP1 will override the files of LV 2018, because the installation path for both is C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2018 .)

If you have LabVIEW code written in previous versions and install a later version, you are still able to open your code in previous versions. 

• If you are interested in using your previously written LabVIEW code in a new version, follow the steps to upgrade LabVIEW code to a later version.
  • Note: It is possible to save over your original code when upgrading! Follow the guidance in upgrading LabVIEW code to avoid this.
• If you would like to use code written in later LabVIEW versions in an earlier version, follow the steps to revert LabVIEW files to a previous version.

​​You do not need to uninstall previous versions of LabVIEW you already have on your machine to install a newer version of LabVIEW on the same machine. Each version of LabVIEW will be installed separately and can have its  modules. 

Note: For a breakdown of the considerations you should take into account when looking into using different versions of LabVIEW, please see Recommendations When Using Multiple Versions of LabVIEW and LabVIEW Toolkits .

Additional Information

• When running various versions, you will want to check that your desired versions are compatible with your operating system:
  • LabVIEW and Microsoft Windows Compatibility
  • LabVIEW and macOS Compatibility
  • LabVIEW and Linux OS Compatibility
• If you open a project or VI without manually selecting the LabVIEW program, LabVIEW will automatically launch in the version that was last used. For example: 
  • If the last open instance of LabVIEW was 2012 and you try to open a LabVIEW 2017 VI, the LabVIEW will attempt to open the VI in the LabVIEW 2012 environment. In this case, this will result in a version compatibility error.
  • Conversely, if the last open instance of LabVIEW was 2017 and you try to open a LabVIEW 2012 VI, LabVIEW will open the VI in the LabVIEW 2017 environment. If you make any changes to the VI and save or run it, it will be compiled to be a LabVIEW 2017 VI.