PLC programming · Free online course
Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours
The first three hours of the Siemens TIA Portal course, cut to end on a win: what a PLC is, how it is wired, a project configured in TIA Portal, and your first ladder program running in simulation. Finish it in an evening or two, earn a certificate, and carry straight on into the full course.
- 9 modules
- 3h 16m of video
- Beginner
- English
- ₹0, free
₹0Free for good
Worth ₹1,999 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.
No card. Checkout takes a minute and gives you a receipt.
Overview
About Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours
The first three hours of the Siemens TIA Portal course, cut to end on a win: what a PLC is, how it is wired, a project configured in TIA Portal, and your first ladder program running in simulation. Finish it in an evening or two, earn a certificate, and carry straight on into the full course.
Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation, electrical and instrumentation. It has 9 modules and 3h 16m of video lessons by Instrumentation Tools, ControlByte Automation, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.
Who it is for: Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation, electrical and instrumentation
This course includes
- 3h 16m of video lessons
- 9 modules with written notes and diagrams
- One final assessment: 15 questions, pass mark 60%
- Ask-an-engineer support from practising engineers
- Lifetime access, the course does not expire
- Optional verifiable certificate when you finish
- Step 1 of 3
Learn the 9 modules
3h 16m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.
- Step 2 of 3
Pass the final assessment
15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.
- Step 3 of 3
Take the certificate, if you want it
Optional, paid once, only if you choose it. The course stays free either way.
See the certificate and its price
A look inside
From the lessons
What Automation Is, and What a PLC Actually Does
by Instrumentation Tools
Inside the PLC, Hardware and the Scan Cycle
by Instrumentation Tools
Wiring Basics, Sinking, Sourcing and 24 V DC
by Instrumentation Tools
Meet Siemens and TIA Portal
by Instrumentation Tools
Your First Project and Hardware Configuration
by Instrumentation Tools
Addressing, Inputs, Outputs and Memory
by Instrumentation Tools
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits and are shown from YouTube.
What you learn
What you will be able to do
Explain what a PLC does and how it scans, wire a sinking or sourcing sensor correctly, create and configure an S7-1200 project in TIA Portal, address inputs and outputs through a tag table, download to S7-PLCSIM, and write and prove a start/stop seal-in rung with contacts and coils.
- Explain what a PLC does, where it sits in the automation pyramid and why it replaced the relay panel
- Describe the scan cycle and the process image, and say what happens to a signal shorter than one scan
- Wire a sinking or sourcing sensor to an S7-1200 input without guessing, and say what fail-safe means
- Create a TIA Portal project, pick the right CPU order number and set its IP address
- Read and write I, Q and M addresses and build a tag table with symbolic names
- Download to S7-PLCSIM and prove a start/stop seal-in rung by forcing inputs and watching the coil
Syllabus
Course content, module by module
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- Modules
- 9
- Video lessons
- 19
- Of video
- 3h 16m
- Final questions
- 15
- 01
What Automation Is, and What a PLC Actually Does
2 lessons · 31m - 02
Inside the PLC, Hardware and the Scan Cycle
2 lessons · 17m - 03
Wiring Basics, Sinking, Sourcing and 24 V DC
1 lesson · 9m - 04
Meet Siemens and TIA Portal
4 lessons · 28m - 05
Your First Project and Hardware Configuration
2 lessons · 33m - 06
Addressing, Inputs, Outputs and Memory
3 lessons · 42m - 07
Simulation, Running a PLC You Do Not Own
1 lesson · 11m - 08
Contacts and Coils, The Two Symbols That Matter
3 lessons · 25m Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%
Project
The course project
Optional practice that ends in the kind of job the course prepares you for, with the documents that go with it.
About 8 hours
Carton conveyor with stop gate and reject pusher: contacts, coils and a signed FAT on an S7-1200
Design, program, test and document a small carton conveyor for a printing works: a sealed-in conveyor run, a pneumatic stop gate that holds cartons until the strapping machine is clear, and a reject pusher that removes any carton without a label, all in contacts and coils with the cylinder's own sensors proving each move. You deliver the program, your own I/O list and FAT record, and a hand-over note. The sample pack shows what a system integrator delivers for a job this size.
Sample document pack, 7 documents, filled in for the scenario
- Control narrativeSequence of Operations: Carton Conveyor CV-1 with Stop Gate and Reject Pusher
- I/O listI/O List: Panel CP-1
- BOMBill of Materials: Panel CP-1 and Field Devices
- Wiring drawingsSchematic and Termination Drawings: Panel CP-1, Sheet Index
- FATFactory Acceptance Test Record: Panel CP-1
- O&M manualOperation and Maintenance Manual: Conveyor CV-1 (Operation section)
- Handover certificateSite Acceptance and Handover Certificate: Conveyor CV-1
Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
Tools
Software, hardware and lessons
Software
TIA Portal V17+ (21-day trial) with S7-PLCSIM. Modules 1 to 3 need no software.
Hardware
None, everything runs in simulation
Who it is for
Absolute beginner. No prior PLC, electrical or programming knowledge assumed.
Video lessons by
- Instrumentation Tools
- ControlByte Automation
Independent creators, credited in full under Credits.
Software you need
What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.
Modules 1 to 3 need no software, so you can start while the download runs.
Required
- 01Free trial: 21 days
SIMATIC STEP 7 Professional and WinCC (TIA Portal) V21 Trial
Siemens
- Runs on
- Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit (24H2), Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC, or Windows Server 2022/2025. Windows 11 Home is supported only for the Basic editions.
- Account
- A free Siemens account registered for Industry Online Support (SiePortal)
- Size
- about 8.1 GB for the main ISO, plus an optional 3.1 GB DVD 2 with hardware support packages
Siemens lets registered users download the V21 trial of STEP 7 (Basic and Professional), STEP 7 Safety and WinCC and test it for 21 days. The same package is used for the full product; after 21 days you need a purchased licence to keep working.
Steps
- 1.Open the Siemens trial page (entry 109989774) and sign in with your Siemens Industry Online Support account.
- 2.Download TIA_Portal_STEP7_Safety_WinCC_V21.iso (8.1 GB).
- 3.Download S7-PLCSIM_V21.iso (2.5 GB) from the same page: PLCSIM is a separate download.
- 4.Right-click each ISO, choose Mount, and run Start.exe as administrator. Install STEP 7 and WinCC first, then PLCSIM.
- 5.Follow the setup, accept the licence terms and restart the PC when asked.
- 6.Open TIA Portal V21 and create a new project to confirm it runs.
- Install from a local drive with plenty of free space; Siemens lists 20 GB free as the minimum and the ISOs alone are over 10 GB.
- You only need DVD 2 if you want extra hardware support packages.
- If you cannot install locally, Siemens also offers a 21-day TIA Portal Cloud trial in the browser (one-hour sessions, not in every country).
Official download pagesupport.industry.siemens.comAlternatives
- TIA Portal Cloud trial: 21 days free in a cloud virtual machine, no install. Sessions are limited to one hour and it is not available in every country.
- 02Free trial: 21 days
S7-PLCSIM V21 (TIA Portal) Trial
Siemens
- Runs on
- Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit (24H2), Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC, or Windows Server 2022/2025. Windows 11 Home is supported only for the Basic editions.
- Account
- A free Siemens account registered for Industry Online Support (SiePortal)
- Size
- about 2.5 GB (ISO)
S7-PLCSIM V21 is offered as a 21-day trial on the same Siemens page as the STEP 7 and WinCC V21 trial. It needs STEP 7 V21 installed on the same PC.
Steps
- 1.Open the Siemens STEP 7 and WinCC V21 trial page (entry 109989774) and sign in.
- 2.Install STEP 7 V21 from the main TIA Portal ISO first.
- 3.Download S7-PLCSIM_V21.iso (2.5 GB) from the section Download S7-PLCSIM Standard V21.
- 4.Mount the ISO, run Start.exe as administrator and follow the setup.
- 5.In TIA Portal, select your CPU and click Start simulation to open PLCSIM.
- Siemens notes that the PLCSIM Standard V21 installation also includes S7-PLCSIM Advanced V8.0.
Official download pagesupport.industry.siemens.com
Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours
Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.
Verifiable by anyone
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
QR code on the certificate
Names what you can do
A permanent link
Earned, not attended
Learning is free. The certificate is optional.
Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.
Issued by EDWartens India (Wartens Automation Private Limited) as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.
FAQ
Common questions
How is this different from the full Siemens TIA Portal course?
It is the first eight modules of that course, the same lessons in the same order, with its own short final assessment and its own certificate. The full course goes on to timers, counters, analog scaling, function blocks and a WinCC HMI screen over 22 modules. This one stops at the point where you have written and proven your first ladder rung, which takes about three hours of video. If you finish it and want more, you continue into the full course from module 9 and nothing is repeated.
Why would I take the short one rather than the full course?
Because most people who start a 22-module course never reach the end, and the certificate is earned at the end. This course gets a working program and a certificate into your hands in an evening or two. It is also the honest test of whether PLC work suits you before you give it six weeks.
Do I need to buy TIA Portal?
No. Siemens publishes a free 21-day trial of TIA Portal with S7-PLCSIM included, and it needs only a free Siemens account to download. Modules 1 to 3 need no software at all, so do those first and install before module 4.
Do I need a real PLC?
No. Every exercise runs in S7-PLCSIM, the simulator included in the trial. Nothing in this course assumes you have hardware.
What kind of computer do I need?
A 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise machine (the current TIA Portal V21 no longer supports Windows 10 Pro; older versions such as V17 still install on Windows 10) with 8 GB of RAM, around 50 GB free on the drive, and administrator rights to install. TIA Portal does not run on macOS or Linux natively; a Windows virtual machine works if it is given enough memory.
Is the Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours course really free?
Yes. Every module, every practice task and the final assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessment can be marked. The only paid item is the certificate, and only if you decide you want it.
What certificate do I get, and is it a Siemens qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion for the starter course, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a unique number anyone can verify on our site. It is not a Siemens credential and we will never describe it as one.
Is the Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?
Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹499 including GST for this beginner course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.
Is there classroom PLC training in India as well?
Yes. EDWartens India runs the Automation Engineer Program (AEP), a classroom programme at its Electronic City centre in Bangalore. The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) teaches Siemens PLC programming in TIA Portal in person at our Electronic City centre, alongside the other PLC brands it covers. This free course is separate and fully online; it is a good way to try the subject before deciding on classroom training. Details are at edwartens.co.in/siemens-tia-portal-training-bangalore, and the programme itself at edwartens.co.in/courses/aep.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹1,999.
- Who it is for
- Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in automation, electrical and instrumentation
- Format
- 9 self-paced modules, 3h 16m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Absolute beginner. No prior PLC, electrical or programming knowledge assumed.
- Brand
- Siemens
- Software
- TIA Portal V17+ (21-day trial) with S7-PLCSIM. Modules 1 to 3 need no software.
- Hardware
- None, everything runs in simulation
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- Instrumentation Tools, ControlByte Automation (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
Pairs well with
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Classroom course, Bangalore
Siemens PLC and TIA Portal training in Bangalore
The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) teaches Siemens PLC programming in TIA Portal in person at our Electronic City centre, alongside the other PLC brands it covers.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- Instrumentation Toolsthe Siemens TIA Portal lesson series that carries the course
- ControlByte Automationthe project creation and hardware configuration lessons
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.