Download a trial version of TinkerPlots for free! You can preview TinkerPlots for a 20-minute session with the print, save, copy, and paste functions disabled. Purchase a license to unlock the full feature set!

See system requirements.

For help installing TinkerPlots on your computer or network, and information about registering and deregistering TinkerPlots:

• Download a step-by-step guide (.pdf) on installing TinkerPlots and Key’s software license agreement.
• Download network installation guides (.zip) for four common networks.

TinkerPlots is now sold by McGraw-Hill Education. To purchase, visit MHEonline.com. If you're a customer in a U.S. territory or outside the United States, find ordering information here.

The most current version of TinkerPlots is 2.1.

To see what version of Tinkerplots you have installed, launch TinkerPlots, choose Help | About TinkerPlots (on a PC) or TinkerPlots | About TinkerPlots (on a Mac), and read the version number in the pop-up window. 

If your version of TinkerPlots is not up-to-date, choose Help | Check for Updates to access a link to download the latest version. Updating your software is free and often solves minor technical issues.

If your school or institution has a TinkerPlots Version 1 license, you may be eligible to upgrade to TinkerPlots Version 2 for a reduced price. Contact your McGraw-Hill sales representative.

To get started using TinkerPlots, we recommend that you work through the four tutorials, watch the instructional videos, and possibly try some sample activities. For professional development on integrating TinkerPlots into your teaching, you can attend a free webinar, sign up for the TinkerPlots online course, or sign up for a face-to-face workshop for your school. 

1. How can I install and register TinkerPlots 2 on multiple computers as efficiently as possible?

To install TinkerPlots on a few computers, follow the directions in the Installation Guide and License Agreement (.pdf). For network installation, please review the Network Installation Guides (.zip). To install and register TinkerPlots on more than just a few computers without doing a network installation, we recommend the following:

1. Download and save TinkerPlots onto one or more flash drives.
2. Copy, paste, and save the License Name and Authorization Code into a text file on the flash drive(s) so you can easily copy and paste it into the registration form.
3. Use the saved files on the flash drive(s) to install and register TinkerPlots on each computer. This method is also useful for installing TinkerPlots onto computers with no internet connection.

2. In TinkerPlots, is there a limit to the size of a data set?

We suggest you work with 1,000 cases or fewer when designing a data set or activity in TinkerPlots; data sets with 10,000 cases will run more slowly. Our tests show that data sets with more than 100,000 cases are not workable in the current version of TinkerPlots.

3. Can I import data into TinkerPlots from the internet?

Yes. TinkerPlots allows easy access to data files on the internet. You can load data from a URL in a variety of ways, and TinkerPlots will attempt to interpret the incoming data as cases in a collection. While not 100% foolproof, this feature can greatly reduce the amount of work necessary to get data into a suitable form.

4. How do I register my TinkerPlots 2 license?

1. First, be sure to run the installation and registration as a system administrator to ensure proper set-up.
2. When you launch your TinkerPlots 2 software, you will be asked whether you want to run in Preview mode, Purchase, or Register. Click the radio button to “Register a license on this computer.”
3. Enter the License Name and Authorization Code that was provided to you. Use all characters and spaces as shown. We recommend that you copy and paste the License Name and Authorization Code to ensure that TinkerPlots 2 registers correctly.
4. Click the Register button.

5. Does TinkerPlots handle data units (e.g., cm, feet, a.m./p.m.)?

In TinkerPlots, the units for an attribute can be entered in the data card, and these units will appear on the axes when the data are graphed. TinkerPlots does not automatically convert units, but a formula can be used to explicitly convert values from one data unit to another.

If your question isn't answered here, trying searching our database of frequently asked questions.

If your question isn't answered here, try searching the FAQ Knowledge Base.

For additional support, please contact customer support at McGraw-Hill Education.