FAQ

What is DIALux?

DIALux evo is a comprehensive planning tool that provides you with all the necessary functions for professional lighting design free of charge. You can calculate and visualize lighting for indoor and outdoor areas. From entire buildings and individual rooms, to parking spaces and road lighting, with artificial lighting, daylight and emergency lighting. DIALux evo supports you in verifying regional or international standards and helps you to document this verification. Learn more about the capabilities of DIALux evo here.

What is the latest version of DIALux?

The latest version is DIALux evo 13 Patch 2 (5.13.0.9529, 30/10/2024). Learn what’s new in the latest version. You can find a detailed version history here.

Is DIALux really a free software?

DIALux is free of charge for users. Anyone can use DIALux for personal, educational and commercial purposes. Luminaire manufacturers can present their brand in DIALux and offer detailed product data for planning. To do so, manufacturers need to buy a DIALux membership and these membership fees fund the development of the DIALux software. Additionally, since 2020, we also sell extensions/add-ons for DIALux to users by subscription. Learn more about our business model here.

What is a DIALux ID and where can I register?

Starting with DIALux evo 11, you need a user account to log in when starting the software, your DIALux ID. Registration is possible directly in DIALux. It is done rapidly and, of course, free of charge. With your DIALux ID you can also use other DIALux offers, such as the DIALux Community or our User Support. More information about the DIALux ID is available here.

Where can I get luminaire data for planning in DIALux?

We cooperate with all leading brands in the lighting industry. You can download their catalogues here to use the products in DIALux. DIALux is open to standard photometric file formats like EULUMDAT *.ldt or *.ies. You can support DIALux by using products and data from DIALux members. Learn more about our business model here.

What are the hardware requirements for DIALux evo?

As DIALux evo is a 3D CAD application, you benefit from a powerful multi-core CPU and graphics card and a sufficiently large main memory (RAM). We currently support CPUs with an x86-64 architecture (e.g. AMD and Intel). CPUs with ARM architecture are not currently supported, but we are looking into supporting ARM CPUs for a future evo version. The RAM should be at least 4 GB; we recommend 8 to 16 GB for professional use. Your graphics card should support OpenGL 3.2, and a large memory is also helpful here: at least 2 GB, 4 GB+ is recommended. Please keep your GPU drivers as up-to-date as possible. DIALux evo runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Is it possible to run DIALux evo on a Mac?

We develop DIALux evo for Windows environments and have currently no plans to provide a Mac version in the future. We know that it is possible to run DIALux evo on a Mac by using virtualization software such as Parallels or Fusion. Check out Google and you will find some first-hand information from users who have successfully done so. Please understand that we do not provide support for problems on Mac systems.

In which languages can I use DIALux evo?

DIALux supports the following languages for GUI and documentation: Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Eesti, English (UK/US), Español, Français, Italiano, Magyar, Nederlands, Norsk, Polski, Português, Română, Slovenščina, Suomi, Svenska, Türkçe, Ukrainian, Ελληνικά, русский, 한국어, 简体中文, 繁體中文, 日本語.

Which regional and international standards does DIALux evo support?

I have been working with a different lighting design software. Is it hard to switch to DIALux?

Welcome and good to have you here! If you’ve been working with RELUX or AGi32 switching to DIALux is easy and you won’t regret this step, promised! Of course, you will have to get used to it because DIALux, for example, works with entire buildings and is not limited to individual rooms like Relux. Of course, this seems complicated at first, but the mental leap is quickly mastered.
Also, we have a very vibrant and active community around DIALux, which you can access on Facebook, Linkedin or Instagram. At Youtube you can find our DIALux channel and many users around the world providing you with tutorials and a helping hand. If you are completely stuck and need help fast contact our support team at any time. For free, of course.
And an online course is a thousand times better than any PDF manual: A good start is our Free DIALux Basic Course in which Ariane explains a complete planning workflow in DIALux and offers you a lot of learning material such as example projects to download, so you don’t have to start from scratch and can get to know the capabilities of DIALux quickly and easily.

What exactly is DIALux Pro?

Since DIALux 12, we offer a purchase version in addition to the free version of DIALux: DIALux Pro. DIALux Pro contains special functions that enable professional users to significantly increase productivity and efficiency in their work. For example, only in DIALux Pro it is possible to import or export certain file formats (such as *.ifc, *.ppt, *.docx, *.xlsx, *.xml, *.csv). Learn more about DIALux Pro here.

Can I still purchase individual DIALux Pro Features?

No. The DIALux Pro version combines all previously released DIALux Pro Features and in the future, we will continue to develop this purchase version in parallel to the free version of DIALux. It will no longer be possible to purchase individual features.

What if I have a Pro feature subscription?

Existing subscriptions stay valid and continue unchanged until you cancel them. However, it is not possible to buy them again.

How can I manage my DIALux Pro subscription?

Please login to your account at my.dialux.com. There you can manage your licences and contracts, make or cancel subscriptions for yourself or team members.

I cannot activate my DIALux Pro trial. What is wrong?

Please keep in mind that you can sign up for only one 30-day trial period. If you are not sure whether you have already had a trial, please check your profile on my.dialux.com. If you’ve never had one in the past, and are still having problems signing up, please contact our support.

How can I cancel my DIALux Pro subscription?

Please login to your account at my.dialux.com. Access your licences and contracts. Here you can find all licenses assigned to you and the options to edit or cancel them separately.

Can I manage multiple licenses?

It is possible to purchase multiple licenses on my.dialux.com. These can then be distributed to specific users. These users must have a verified DIALux ID.

I have lost my password/my DIALux ID. How can I reset it?

1. Go to my.dialux.com and click on “Forgot your password?” right below the login form
2. Enter your e-mail address and click on “Continue”
3. Check your inbox for an e-mail with the subject "Reset your password at my.dialux.com" It may take some time until you receive the e-mail, please also check your spam folder
4. Click on the password reset link in the e-mail. You will be guided to my.dialux.com in your web browser
5. Enter a new password and repeat it. Click on “Save password”
6. You can now login to your account with your new password at my.dialux.com

How do I purchase DIALux Pro?

You can purchase the Pro version directly from DIALux by clicking on a paid feature marked with the Pro banner. You will then be redirected to the purchase process on my.dialux.com. Please note: You need a DIALux ID with a confirmed email address to purchase.
Here you can go directly to the purchase.

How can I make my payment for DIALux Pro?

We offer you a monthly and an annual subscription. You can pay either by credit card (Mastercard, Visa, American Express) or via SEPA direct debit mandate.

Help with failed payments

Step by step instructions

1. Do you have sufficient funds for the payment method?
2. Has the card expired or been cancelled?
3. Has the card been enabled for purchases abroad, online and regular transactions? You can check these settings, for example, in the bank's mobile app or online portal.
4. Try entering your payment details in a private browser session or incognito window.
5. There may have been temporary problems with the connection. Wait a few hours and try again.
6. Contact your bank.

Transaction Limits

Some banks have single transaction limits or daily limits. Even if the funds are available, your bank may not release them. Contact your bank to have the transaction approved or to obtain information about your bank's online purchasing policies.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. You must increase the limit with the bank or through the bank's customer portal.

Failed direct debit

Step-by-step instructions

1. Did you want to pay an amount over €3,000 via SEPA? For amounts over €3,000 there are problems with the banks as the risk assessment is very high. You should choose a different payment method. 
2. Is the IBAN eligible for direct debit? You can an check this on the card or ask the bank. This can be checked with the IBAN checker: https://de.iban.com/iban-checker
3. You can ask your bank whether they need to explicitly authorize the direct debit beforehand. (Mandate reference)

What do I do if 3D Secure fails during a payment?

If payments in the customer portal with the 3D Secure system fail, you can try the following

Step-by-step instructions

1. Is 3D Secure activated on the card? 
2. Are the names that have been entered identical to those on the card? 
3. Are pop-up blockers active? 
4. Try a different browser.

What happens if I send too much money?

We will refund the money manually. Please contact us.

What happens if I make a partial payment and then the contract is cancelled?

We will manually refund the money. Please contact us.

What happens if I make a partial payment and then my contract is cancelled and I pay the balance later?

We will refund you manually. Please contact us. Since the contract has been terminated, you will have to make the purchase again.

Can I still use DIALux 4.13?

We strongly recommend using DIALux evo. As the successor to DIALux 4, DIALux evo offers a lot more features, a more convenient interface and uses the latest technology. DIALux 4 is technically outdated; it was limited to single rooms and therefore unsuitable for contemporary BIM workflows. The calculation of DIALux 4 is based on outdated standards. We do not maintain the version any further. We also do not offer DIALux 4 for download any longer. Please also keep in mind that Microsoft gradually phases out the Windows versions supported by DIALux 4.

Can I import DIALux 4 projects (*.dlx) into DIALux evo?

Yes, but you can only import interior scenes to DIALux evo created with DIALux 4 from version 4.10.0.2 onwards. Unfortunately, it is not possible to import outdoor scenes. In addition, a room-based design from DIALux 4 cannot be converted properly into a building during import. As before, it will be composed of simple objects. Likewise, calculation results may differ because DIALux 4 is working with outdated standards and calculation surfaces or value specifications may have changed.
Please note: It is necessary that DIALux 4.13 is installed on your computer. For the import to work, you need to run the 32-bit version of DIALux evo, as DIALux 4 is also a 32-bit application. Watch our short video “How to open a DIALux 4 project in DIALux evo” for instructions.

How do I archive DIALux 4 projects for future reference?

Our recommendations: Create a comprehensive documentation of the project as a PDF with all important views, plans and values. Make sure that you store any luminaire data (e.g. ULDs), textures or 3D objects that you have used in the project as well. You may also export the geometry as an *.STF file. This way you have your results fixed and a good basis if you have to rebuild the project in DIALux evo.

Is there any material to help me upgrade from DIALux 4?

Don’t worry: DIALux evo is much more powerful than DIALux 4 and is easy to use. Of course, the interface and the workflow will be unfamiliar to you if you have worked with DIALux 4 up to now. In 2020 we offered a webinar you can still watch on YouTube: DIALux evo for DIALux 4 users. If you need a detailed introduction to DIALux evo, you can find a free, multi-part DIALux basic course on our website that explains the complete workflow: Free DIALux Basic Course.