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
- Lab practice in your browser
₹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
Get your first PLC program running in three hours: wiring basics, an S7-1200 in TIA Portal and a start/stop rung.
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
By the end you will be able to:
- 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
- Download to S7-PLCSIM through a tag table
- Write and prove a start/stop seal-in rung
How it works
How this course works
Watch the lessons
Short video lessons, one module at a time, at your own pace.
Read the notes
Open the Reading tab for the written notes and diagrams of the module.
Practise in the 3D labOptional
Try the module in the free 3D lab, in your browser.
Check yourself
Answer the questions to see what stuck before you move on.
Final assessment
Pass the final once you have been through the modules.
Certificate, if you want oneOptional
Optional, with a page anyone can use to verify it.
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, with lab practice:
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, with lab practice:
1 lesson · 11m - 08
Contacts and Coils, The Two Symbols That Matter, with lab practice:
3 lessons · 25m Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%
3D lab
Practise in the 3D lab
Try your first ladder rungs on a working machine in the PLC lab: read the brief, build a start/stop, go online and see it run, the same logic you write in TIA Portal.
- Motor start/stop with overloadPLC labOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Motor start/stop with overload
Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.
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. It has a sealed-in conveyor run. It has a pneumatic stop gate that holds cartons until the strapping machine is clear. It has a reject pusher that removes any carton without a label. All of it is 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.
- 7documents in the pack
- 8steps to follow
- Laboptional: in the 3D lab
- 5things to hand in
- 8 hof work, at your pace
Do it in the lab: 4 steps.
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 Wartens Ltd (England and Wales, company no. 15262249) through the EDWartens training portal, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold in India by Wartens Automation Private Limited. 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.
Practise what you learn in the free 3D lab
Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.
- Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
- The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
- Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.
Why learn with EDWartens
What you get with this course.
- Free from the first lesson to the final assessment.
- Practice in a free 3D lab in your browser, with nothing to install.
- Video lessons with written notes and a project.
- An optional certificate that anyone can verify online.
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. It has 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 once you have written and proven your first ladder rung, which takes about three hours of video. If you 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?
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. 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?
You need a 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise machine with 8 GB of RAM, around 50 GB free on the drive, and administrator rights to install. The current TIA Portal V21 no longer supports Windows 10 Pro. Older versions such as V17 still install on Windows 10. 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?
You get an EDWartens Certificate of Completion for the starter course when you pass the final assessment. It has a unique number anyone can verify on our site. It is not a Siemens credential and we will never describe it as one.
Do I have to use the lab?
No. The lab is optional practice. You can skip it whenever you like, and it never blocks your progress, the final assessment or your certificate.
Is the lab free?
Yes. Every lab level for this course opens in your browser, free, with nothing to install.
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, ₹499 inclusive of GST for learners in India, 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
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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.