SketchUp 2026 closes when opening .skp files by double-click, but works from File > Open

Technical Problems SketchUp
1

Hi everyone,

I am having a very specific issue with SketchUp 2026 on Windows.

SketchUp 2026 opens normally when I launch it from the desktop icon or Start menu.

Once SketchUp is open, I can open .skp files normally using:

File > Open

The problem only happens when I try to open a .skp file from Windows Explorer, either by double-clicking the file or by launching SketchUp with the file path as an argument.

When I double-click any .skp file, a small white window appears for about one second and immediately closes. SketchUp does not stay open and the file does not load.

I also tested launching it from Command Prompt with:

“C:\Program Files\SketchUp\SketchUp 2026\SketchUp\SketchUp.exe” “C:\SKP_TEST\prueba.skp”

The same thing happens: a small white window appears briefly and then closes.

The issue is not limited to one file. I created a clean test file in:

C:\SKP_TEST\prueba.skp

and the same problem happens.

What works:

  • Opening SketchUp from the icon works.
  • Opening files from inside SketchUp using File > Open works.

What does not work:

  • Double-clicking any .skp file from Windows Explorer.
  • Launching SketchUp.exe with a .skp file path from Command Prompt.

Things already tried:

  • Updated graphics drivers.
  • Uninstalled and reinstalled SketchUp 2026.
  • Performed a clean install.
  • Deleted login_session.dat.
  • Disabled plugins by renaming the Plugins folder.
  • Reset SketchUp preferences in AppData.
  • Cleared temporary files.
  • Checked the .skp file association in Windows.
  • Confirmed that .skp points to SketchUp 2026.
  • Checked the registry command, and it appears correct:

“C:\Program Files\SketchUp\SketchUp 2026\SketchUp\SketchUp.exe” “%1”

  • Tested with a clean .skp file in a simple path.
  • Checked Windows Event Viewer, but I could not find a clear SketchUp Application Error related to this behavior.

My conclusion so far:
SketchUp 2026 works normally when opened first, but fails only when it starts with a .skp file passed as an external argument.

Has anyone seen this behavior in SketchUp 2026?

Could this be a known issue with SketchUp 2026, Windows file launching, or the way SketchUp handles .skp arguments at startup?

System:

  • SketchUp version: SketchUp 2026
  • Windows version: [write your Windows version here]
  • GPU: [write your graphics card here]
  • Graphics driver version: [write driver version here, if available]

Any help would be appreciated.

I am planning to install SketchUp 2025 in parallel to check whether the issue is specific to SketchUp 2026.

2

I looked at the one bugsplat that you have sent in. For that case SketchUp crashed while loading template files. Do you have any custom templates? If you do, can I take a look at them?

3

Hi , i don’t have custom templates the problem is this" SketchUp 2026 closes when opening .skp files by double-click int e file to open"

4

Share a SketchUp file that crashes SketchUp when you double click on it.

5

The problem is with every file, not just this

(attachments)

Rivet±+Remache±++Rivetto+in+rame+.skp (554 KB)

6

I successfully opened your file in SketchUp 2026 on my machine. I did see some modeling issues but nothing that should prevent it from opening. So the issue doesn’t apply to every installation of SketchUp 2026.

Does this version behave differently on your machine?
Rivet±+Remache±++Rivetto+in+rame+.skp (656.9 KB)

7

The issue is that when I try to open any file by double-clicking, SketchUp does not open anything. However, if I first launch SketchUp and then choose “Open File,” it works. I have already uninstalled SketchUp and performed a clean installation from scratch, but the problem remains.

8

Yes. I understood that from your first post. My point is that while it might be happening on your machine, it doesn’t happen for everyone. I have no trouble double clicking on a SketchUp file to open SketchUp. We’re using the same SketchUp software so what is different on your machine compared to mine?

Did you install SketchUp 2026 correctly? On Windows that requires right clicking on the downloaded installer and selecting Run as administrator.

Where are you trying to open your model files from? Where are they saved.

9

Do you have older versions of SketchUp installed? SKP files might be linked to one of them in Windows, so double-clicking tries to open them in an older version. That has happened to me, and for an unknown reason, Explorer refuses to update the link. The normal behaviour should be that the fikes are automatically linked to the version you used latest to open them.

10

I have the same issues. Double clicking causes the same behaviour as described, and as well some my files have inadvertantly been saved as 2022.

11

Since 2021 all the files are the same, SketchUp can recognize if a file was created on a previous version of SketchUp but natively can not save to older versions, meaning version 2020 and prior, version 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 can be opened on either of those versions without any issue. You probably have version 2022 installed and when you open a file by double clicking on it, probably SketchUp 2022 is being opened instead of the latest version you’ve been using, you can check that by right clicking on any SketchUp file go to the properties and see what’s the default program to open .skp files. Some people including me had some problems with SketchUp 2026 and 2025, they crashed before opening any file, I made a fresh installation of windows and reinstalled SketchUp 2026, but I kept having the same issue. I sent a lot of bugsplats and Colin told me that the problem occurred while loading dynamic components sometimes, advanced camera tools other times or Ai features. It took me some time to notice that every time I create a custom toolbar with either of those tools, the next time I tried to open SketchUp it crashed immediately, I haven’t created any toolbar and haven’t had any issue, I asked @colin of someone on the development team or any other windows user could replicate this bug or if it’s just my machine. By the way you don have to install windows all over again I recommend you to get Revo uninstaller, it deletes every single trace of any program you have installed, I used to delete all the malware that comes with windows, copilot and one drive, and SketchUp 2025 and 2026 several time until I discovered the reason of the crashes.

12

Thanks for the comprehensive breakdown.

13

I realized a situation: I installed the Revit importer, and when the 7‑day trial ended, that’s when I started having the problem. I uninstalled the Revit importer, and the issue was resolved.