Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about AnyAutomation Studio. Can't find your question? Email support@anyautomation.ch.
Product & System Requirements
Which TIA Portal versions are supported?
AnyAutomation Studio supports TIA Portal V15 through V21 on Windows 10/11 (64-bit). Projects from the respective TIA Portal versions can be connected directly.
Does TIA Portal need to be installed?
Yes, TIA Portal must be installed on the same computer, but it does not have to be running. AnyAutomation Studio can either open projects directly from file or attach to a running TIA Portal instance.
Why does my user need to be in the "Siemens TIA Openness" group?
This is a Siemens requirement. Without membership in this Windows user group, TIA Portal refuses any Openness connection. Setup takes two minutes. See the Installation page for instructions.
Does AnyAutomation Studio support CODESYS?
Yes, from the Pro plan up. Studio opens CODESYS projects (CODESYS 3.5), shows their objects as a tree, opens a block's code for viewing, and exports objects to PLCopenXML, the vendor-neutral exchange format for IEC 61131-3 code. A local CODESYS installation on the same machine is required. Editing and writing back is planned for a later version. Details in the CODESYS documentation.
How much memory is required?
Minimum 4 GB RAM, 8 GB recommended. For projects with many blocks we recommend 16 GB.
What happened to TIA Openness Manager?
TIA Openness Manager was the predecessor desktop tool. Development continued in AnyAutomation Studio, an automation engineering IDE with the same TIA Openness core plus AI chat, PLC Online, unit tests and more. Existing accounts sign in unchanged. Details and a view-by-view mapping are on the migration page.
Licensing & Subscription
What license tiers are available?
AnyAutomation Studio comes in four tiers: Basic, Pro, Pro+, and Enterprise. A full overview with prices is on the Studio page.
What's the difference between Basic, Pro, and Pro+?
Basic (CHF 10/month or 110/year) includes the essential tools with up to 50 files per operation, TIA Portal connection, and the AI chat assistant (including Canvas). Pro (CHF 30/month or 330/year) removes the file limit and unlocks the engineering toolset, including PLC Online over OPC UA and S7 Native. Pro+ (CHF 50/month or 550/year) adds online commissioning, the Commissioning Report, Unit Testing, Hardware Simulation, Forge and the EPLAN Connector on top of Pro.
Is there an Enterprise option?
Yes. Enterprise offers role-based access control, team/organization management, and dedicated support. Single sign-on (SSO) is on the roadmap. Terms on request via support@anyautomation.ch.
Is there a trial version?
Yes, on first launch you get a 30-day trial with all features unlocked. After the trial you can choose the tier that fits you.
Can I transfer my license to another PC?
Yes. The license belongs to your account and is bound to one machine at a time: sign in on the new computer and the license moves there. The previous computer loses it. Up to 3 hardware switches per rolling 30 days are self-service, including releasing your current machine yourself on your account page (that release also counts as one switch). For more frequent switches, contact support@anyautomation.ch.
How often can I switch hardware (HWID-Switch)?
Up to 3 hardware switches per rolling 30 days, e.g. new laptop, hardware failure, or a second engineering workstation. For more frequent switches, contact support@anyautomation.ch.
What happens when I reach the hardware switch limit?
Nothing happens to your account and nothing is charged. Only the move to a further machine is refused: Studio on the new machine runs without the licensed features until a switch is available again, while the license keeps working on the machine it is currently bound to. The limit is a rolling window, not a monthly reset: each switch counts for 30 days, so the next one becomes available as soon as the oldest switch is older than 30 days. The current usage is shown in Studio in the License window. If you need to move earlier, for example after a workstation rebuild or a hardware replacement, write to support@anyautomation.ch naming your account address and we reset the binding and the switch window free of charge.
What counts as a hardware switch?
A switch is counted each time your account is bound to a machine it is not currently bound to, including a move back to a machine used before, and each time you release your machine yourself on your account page. The first activation, a reinstallation of Studio on the same machine, and signing in from a different Windows user profile or a remote session on the same machine do not count. A reinstallation of Windows or a replacement of the mainboard or CPU changes the machine identity and counts as one switch.
Can several people use Studio on one shared workstation or terminal server?
Yes. Each person signs in with their own Windows user profile and their own AnyAutomation account, and each person needs their own license (one license per named user, for a team best as an organization with named seats). Because all sessions run on the same machine, this does not consume any hardware switches. How many sessions can run at the same time is decided by the workstation and by TIA Portal, which needs its own instance per session, not by the license.
How does Volume Licensing for Teams work?
The Org-Owner buys N seats via Stripe Checkout and assigns them to team members by email invite. Each user creates their own account; hardware binding happens at first login. Seats are per-seat named-user, not floating. Org-Owners manage seats, members, and billing through the web portal.
How do I change my license tier?
Through the Stripe Customer Portal, directly in the web portal under "Manage Subscription". Tier changes are pro-rated and effective immediately, without data loss and without contacting support. For a license bought on invoice, send a short note to support@anyautomation.ch instead and we switch the license for you.
What happens if I cancel my subscription?
Paid features remain available until the end of the billed period. After that the paid functions are deactivated. Your data and settings stay intact.
Which payment methods do you accept?
Payments are handled by Stripe: credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, WeChat Pay, Klarna, Bancontact, and EPS. Billing is in CHF. Alternatively, you can purchase on invoice by bank transfer, without a subscription and without auto-renewal (see the next question).
Can I buy a license on invoice, without auto-renewal?
Yes. Besides the Stripe subscription, every plan is also available as a purchase on invoice: you receive an invoice by email, pay by bank transfer, and get the activation code once payment arrives. The license runs for the paid term and then simply ends; there is no auto-renewal, no stored payment method, and nothing to cancel. A short email with the plan and term you need to support@anyautomation.ch is all it takes.
Technical & Security
Are my TIA Portal projects uploaded to the cloud?
No. AnyAutomation Studio works entirely locally on your machine. Project data never leaves your computer: only license validation communicates with our server. Details on the Security page.
How secure is the Password Vault?
The Password Vault encrypts all entries with AES-256-GCM. Your master password never leaves your machine and is never stored. If you lose your master password we cannot recover entries.
Does AI Chat work offline?
With an external AI provider, AI Chat requires an internet connection. You bring your own API key (e.g. Anthropic or OpenAI), and we do not proxy requests through our server. For fully local inference you can use Ollama on your own hardware.
Is AnyAutomation Studio certified by Siemens?
AnyAutomation Studio uses the official Siemens TIA Portal Openness API, but is not a Siemens product and is not certified by Siemens. It is developed and maintained independently.
Support & Contact
How do I get help?
Email support@anyautomation.ch. Enterprise customers get dedicated support with prioritized response times.
Where can I find release notes and updates?
All updates and release notes are on GitHub. The app checks for new versions automatically.
Can I request a feature?
Absolutely. Email support@anyautomation.ch.