STEP 7 Basic V21
Suitable for: Small machines, S7-1200 and Basic or Unified Basic panels
An economical choice for projects that do not require S7-1500, legacy PLCs or Professional capabilities.
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Siemens · Current version V21
TIA Portal, STEP 7 and WinCC
An integrated engineering environment for SIMATIC programming, HMI design, troubleshooting and Siemens automation project management.
Information updated
2026-08-31The final order number is recommended only after reviewing the controller, HMI, firmware, operating system, runtime and current licensing status.
What matters in V21 ?
A practical summary based on official manufacturer documentation, not advertising or copied reseller text.
- Support for new controller, HMI, drive and motion workflows within an integrated engineering environment
- New Source Document and Version Control Interface capabilities for project collaboration and version control
- PROFINET security enhancements, software integrity protection and engineering change logging
- Expanded WinCC Unified support, redundant server architecture and online data transfer
- New cumulative update and hotfix approach; separate service packs are no longer provided from V21 onward
Selection guide
Which edition is suitable?
STEP 7 Professional V21
Suitable for: S7-1200, S7-1500 and professional or multi-controller projects
Recommended for machine builders, integrators and maintenance teams with varied project requirements.
STEP 7 Professional V21 / 2021 Combo
Suitable for: Sites maintaining both TIA and STEP 7 Classic projects
For supporting modern generations alongside legacy S7-300/400 systems; verify exact CPU and firmware compatibility.
WinCC Unified / Professional V21
Suitable for: HMI, SCADA, multi-station or redundant-server architectures
Select engineering and runtime types and PowerTag/client counts according to the actual project architecture.
Before installation and purchase
Prerequisites and compatibility checks
- Windows 10 or 11 Professional/Enterprise; some packages also support Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025.
- Check exact CPU, HMI, drive, firmware and option-package compatibility in the Siemens Compatibility Tool before purchasing.
- Safety, motion, PLCSIM Advanced, Test Suite and other options may require separate installation and licensing.
- Create a valid project backup before migration; opening a project in a newer version generally does not guarantee direct conversion back to the previous version.
- Determine CPU, RAM and disk requirements from the official readme for the exact update and the installed combination of STEP 7, WinCC, Startdrive and PLCSIM.
Optional components
Related packages
STEP 7 Safety AdvancedS7-PLCSIM and S7-PLCSIM AdvancedSINAMICS Startdrive and DCCWinCC Unified Engineering and RuntimeTIA Portal Test SuiteTIA Portal Multiuser / Project ServerTIA Portal Openness and Version Control Interface
Commercial model
License types
Floating License
A standard engineering license available locally or over a network to one authorized user.
Single License
Typically for runtimes and runtime options, installed and used on one local system.
Upgrade License
For upgrading from an earlier version or capacity; ownership and installation of a qualifying base are required.
PowerPack
For upgrading an edition or capacity, such as Basic to Professional or increasing runtime capacity.
Trial / Demo
Time- or function-limited evaluation use; not a replacement for a production license.
Activation method and license server
Choosing the wrong local, floating, runtime or network license can cause extra cost and downtime.
- Local engineering-station licensing through Automation License Manager
- Floating license on a network license server for controlled client allocation
- License key delivery on USB or by software download, depending on order number and sales region
- Runtime and option licenses by PC, server, tag, client, CPU or axis; finalize the architecture before ordering
Reference