TIA Portal (Totally Integrated Automation Portal) is Siemens's unified engineering platform for S7-1200, S7-1500, S7-300, and S7-400 PLCs. This guide covers the 21-day trial, license tiers, PLCSIM setup, system requirements, and how to build Siemens ladder logic skills in your browser while you get access.
TIA Portal (Totally Integrated Automation Portal) is Siemens's integrated engineering environment that combines PLC programming (STEP 7), HMI configuration (WinCC), drive parameterisation (STARTER/Startdrive), and motion control in a single application. It replaced the older STEP 7 Classic (SIMATIC Manager) for new projects starting around 2012.
The current hardware families programmed in TIA Portal are the S7-1200 (compact, cost-effective, IEC 61131-3 native), S7-1500 (high-performance, safety variants available), and S7-300/400 (legacy but still extensively installed). TIA Portal supports all five IEC 61131-3 languages: Ladder Diagram (LAD), Function Block Diagram (FBD), Structured Text (ST), Instruction List (IL, deprecated in newer versions), and Sequential Function Chart (SFC/GRAPH).
Licensing
TIA Portal license tiers
All pricing should be verified directly with Siemens or an authorised distributor — prices vary by region and change over time.
Edition
Covers
PLCSIM included
Cost
Trial (21 days)
Full Professional features
Yes (Standard)
Free — requires Siemens ID account
STEP 7 Basic
S7-1200 only; WinCC Basic HMI
Yes (Standard)
Check vendor for current pricing
STEP 7 Professional
S7-300/400/1200/1500 + all languages
Yes (Standard)
Check vendor for current pricing
STEP 7 Professional + PLCSIM Adv.
As above + real-time simulation, OPC UA
PLCSIM Advanced (add-on)
Check vendor for current pricing
Academic license
Professional features — subsidised
Yes
Apply via Siemens Academic Program
Requirements
TIA Portal system requirements
TIA Portal is one of the most resource-intensive PLC IDEs available. Requirements below are for current V18/V19 — always verify against the Siemens SIOS release notes for your specific version.
Operating systemWindows 10 (64-bit, 21H2 or later) or Windows 11 — no macOS, no Linux natively
RAM16 GB minimum; 32 GB recommended when running PLCSIM and WinCC simultaneously
Disk space50–80 GB for full installation (STEP 7 + WinCC + PLCSIM + drives)
Display1920 × 1080 minimum (TIA Portal UI is dense; smaller resolutions are impractical)
Processor2 GHz or faster, quad-core recommended
.NET Framework.NET 4.8 required; .NET 6+ runtime also used in V18+
PLCSIMIncluded in trial and Professional editions; runs on same Windows PC as TIA Portal
Download steps
How to download the TIA Portal 21-day trial
1
Create a Siemens ID account
Go to siemens.com and create a free Siemens ID account. This is Siemens's unified login for the Industry Online Support portal, Software Delivery Portal, and license management. You need an email address and a Siemens ID to download any TIA Portal package.
2
Go to the Siemens Software Delivery Portal
Navigate to the Siemens Software Delivery Portal (support.industry.siemens.com/cs/document/109784440). Search for "TIA Portal Trial" or navigate through the STEP 7 category. Select the most recent version and your preferred download format (DVDs ISO or executable package).
3
Download the trial package
The full TIA Portal trial download is large — typically 15–25 GB for Professional + WinCC + PLCSIM. Use a download manager or the Siemens Download Manager tool to avoid interrupted downloads. Allow several hours on a typical broadband connection.
4
Run the installer as Administrator
Extract the downloaded package and run the start center as Administrator. Select the components you want: at minimum STEP 7 Professional and PLCSIM. WinCC Basic is useful if you are also learning HMI. The installer handles all dependencies including .NET and SQL Server LocalDB.
5
License activates automatically for 21 days
The trial license installs automatically during setup. You do not need a separate license key for the trial — the 21-day clock starts on first launch. After 21 days, TIA Portal reverts to a feature-limited mode until you activate a paid license. Save your work frequently near the end of the trial.
Versions & gotchas
Which TIA Portal version — and the PLCSIM export-control trap
Siemens ships roughly one major TIA Portal version per year. As of writing the current releases are V18, V19, V20 (December 2024), and V21 (December 2025), with V17 still common in installed plants. Project files are version-locked in one direction: a newer TIA Portal opens an older project, but an older TIA Portal cannot open a newer one. For learning, download the latest trial your target hardware (S7-1200 / S7-1500) supports.
The most common surprise when downloading: S7-PLCSIM is subject to German export-control rules. On the Siemens portal, the PLCSIM download can require an additional export-control clearance step on your Siemens account that is not instant — it can take a day or more to be approved. Plan for this if your goal is simulation: request PLCSIM access early so it is cleared by the time STEP 7 finishes installing. Standard PLCSIM (sufficient for S7-1200/1500 learning) is included in the trial; PLCSIM Advanced is a separate, higher-cost add-on.
One more download tip: the trial package usually ships as two DVD images. DVD 1 is the Setup you need for STEP 7 and PLCSIM; DVD 2 holds supplementary components most learners can skip. Downloading only DVD 1 saves several gigabytes and hours.
What transfers
The Siemens ladder fundamentals, illustrated
While your 50–80 GB TIA Portal download runs, here is what you can already be practising. Every diagram maps to an IEC 61131-3 instruction TIA Portal uses — the same Normally Open / Normally Closed / TON / CTU model the browser simulator runs.
The STEP 7 ladder symbol set — NO/NC contacts, coils, Set/Reset.A STEP 7 rung — contact in, coil out, the same logic TIA Portal runs.Siemens TON / TOF / TP timers — the same behaviour PLCSIM simulates.The scan cycle PLCSIM runs — read inputs, solve, write outputs, repeat.TIA Portal's languages — LAD, FBD, SCL (Structured Text) and GRAPH.Practise in the browser — no 21-day clock, no Windows, no 80 GB install.
Practice now
Practice Siemens ladder logic in your browser while your download finishes
The TIA Portal download is large and installation takes time. Our browser simulator lets you start building Siemens ladder logic fluency immediately — using the same Normally Open / Normally Closed / Set / Reset / TON / TOF / CTU terminology that TIA Portal uses. No 21-day clock, no Windows required.
TIA Portal is not free. Siemens offers a 21-day trial that includes STEP 7 Professional (for S7-300/400/1200/1500 programming) and WinCC Basic (for basic HMI). After 21 days you need a paid license. Siemens also offers TIA Portal STEP 7 Basic — a lower-cost tier that programs S7-1200 only. Educational institutions can apply for academic licenses through the Siemens Academic Program. There is no permanently free version of TIA Portal.
TIA Portal versions correspond to Siemens firmware generations. V18 and V19 are the most current at time of writing, adding new S7-1500 firmware features, improved safety programming, and updated PROFINET diagnostics. V17 is still widely used in industry. Project files are version-locked in one direction: you can open an older project in a newer TIA Portal, but not the reverse. For learning, use the latest trial version your hardware supports.
No. TIA Portal is Windows-only software. It requires Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11. macOS and Linux users can run it in a Windows virtual machine (VMware Fusion, Parallels, or VirtualBox), but Siemens does not officially support or test VM installations — some features, particularly hardware-bound licenses, behave differently in VMs. For Siemens ladder logic practice on macOS or Linux without Windows, our browser-based simulator is the practical alternative.
PLCSIM is Siemens's software PLC simulator that runs alongside TIA Portal, allowing you to download and test programs without physical hardware. Standard PLCSIM is included with TIA Portal Professional and Advanced editions. PLCSIM Advanced (a higher-cost add-on) provides a more accurate simulation including real-time behavior and OPC UA communication. For S7-1200 and S7-1500 learning programs, standard PLCSIM (included in the trial) is sufficient.
Current TIA Portal releases (V18/V19) require: Windows 10 (64-bit, version 21H2 or later) or Windows 11; minimum 16 GB RAM (32 GB recommended for large projects with WinCC and PLCSIM running simultaneously); 50–80 GB disk space for a full installation including PLCSIM; a display of 1920 × 1080 or higher; .NET Framework 4.8 or later. TIA Portal has historically been one of the most resource-intensive PLC IDEs — check the Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) portal for exact requirements for your version.
There is no permanently free student edition you can simply download, but Siemens runs an Academic Program: students and educational institutions can apply for subsidised or no-cost TIA Portal licenses through their school. For self-learners without an institution, the 21-day Professional trial is the practical free route, and browser-based practice covers the ladder fundamentals with no clock at all.
S7-PLCSIM is classed under German and EU export-control regulations, so the Siemens portal may require an additional export-control clearance on your Siemens ID before it releases the PLCSIM download. This is not instant — approval can take a day or more. If you intend to simulate without hardware, request PLCSIM access early so it is cleared by the time STEP 7 finishes installing. Standard PLCSIM is included with the trial and Professional editions; PLCSIM Advanced is a separate paid add-on.
Download the most recent version your target hardware supports. As of writing, V18, V19, V20 (Dec 2024) and V21 (Dec 2025) are current, with V17 still widely used in industry. Remember project files are version-locked in one direction: a newer TIA Portal opens older projects, but an older TIA Portal cannot open projects saved in a newer version. For learning on S7-1200/S7-1500, the latest trial is the safe choice.
Yes — the core ladder logic concepts transfer directly. TIA Portal uses IEC 61131-3 terminology: Normally Open contact (--| |--), Normally Closed contact (--|/|--), Output coil (--( )--), Set/Reset coils, TON/TOF/TP timers, CTU/CTD counters. These are the same instructions we simulate, using Siemens syntax. The TIA Portal-specific parts — hardware configuration, device trees, PROFINET topology, safety programming — are not covered in our simulator, but the fundamental ladder programming transfers.
Siemens ladder logic — free in your browser, any OS.
Same IEC 61131-3 instructions. Real scan cycle. No 21-day clock.
The reader can identify the required product context, verify official access and prepare a bounded Siemens-oriented practice case before target connection.
Written for siemens PLC learners and technicians matching TIA Portal edition and version to an S7 CPU, HMI, PLCSIM need and legitimate software route.
System map / 02
NODE 01observable
01
Platform context
The S7 CPU, HMI or drive target, TIA version and edition, operating system, project version, PLCSIM need and entitlement.
NODE 02observable
02
Tags and addressing
Official access and installation through license, device support, project, compiler and simulator or target connection.
NODE 03observable
03
Reference pattern
One small block, tag and I/O example prepared and compiled in the supported environment.
NODE 04observable
04
Timing and limits
Edition limits, version conversion, operating system, license, device support, firmware, PLCSIM and project backup.
NODE 05observable
05
Diagnostics
A download, install, license, version, device, compile or connection mismatch.
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Official-tool transfer
The project backed up, compiled, simulated and accepted with current official Siemens tools.
Answer surface / 07
Q01
Is there an online TIA Portal simulator?
Browser tools can teach Siemens-oriented concepts, but they do not run TIA Portal or S7 firmware. Use official PLCSIM or target hardware for project and controller validation.
Q02
Can I download TIA Portal from this site?
No. Use official Siemens access and licensing routes. This page helps identify the correct product context and practice path.
