HMI
Siemens TIA Portal HMI: KTP and Comfort Panels with WinCC
Build operator screens in TIA Portal for KTP and Comfort panels: tags, buttons, trends, alarms, recipes and faceplates.
Siemens TIA Portal HMI: KTP and Comfort Panels with WinCC is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in automation and control. It has 11 modules and takes about 11.7 hours, with written notes, a practice task per module, a practical project and a final assessment of 15 questions (pass mark 60%). Learning costs nothing and needs only a free account. The optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code, is a one-off US$23.99 for you; it is not a vendor credential. Updated 1 November 2026.
- Free
- Beginner
- 11.7 hours
- Self-paced
- Certificate optional
- Lab practice in your browser
No card, no trial. The course is free for good. Certificate US$23.99, optional.
- Who it is for
- Engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in automation and control
- Jobs
- Roles that use this skill: SCADA engineer, HMI developer, control room technologist and systems integrator. No course guarantees a job.
- Tools
- The current TIA Portal trial (21 days) with WinCC for KTP Basic and Comfort panels, the panel runtime simulator and S7-PLCSIM, on 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise. Hardware: none. A KTP700 Basic panel makes it real but is not required.
- Updated
After this course you can
By the end you will be able to:
- Add a KTP or Comfort panel and connect HMI tags to the PLC
- Build screens with buttons, indicators, numeric fields and bars
- Add navigation, templates, trends and alarms
- Build recipes, faceplates and pop-up screens
- Manage users and languages and download to a panel
Who it is for, and what you need first
Who it is for
Engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in automation and control.
Level: Beginner. Beginner to intermediate. Basic TIA Portal PLC knowledge helps; the Siemens TIA Portal foundation course is the ideal preparation.
What you need
Software: The current TIA Portal trial (21 days) with WinCC for KTP Basic and Comfort panels, the panel runtime simulator and S7-PLCSIM, on 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise.
Hardware: None. A KTP700 Basic panel makes it real but is not required.. What to download, and how.
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.
What you learn
11 modules in order, at your own pace. 11.7 hours of video lessons, with written notes and a practice task in each module.
- 1Adding a Panel, HMI Tags and the PLC Connection, with lab practice: 45m
- 2Buttons, Indicators, Symbols and Multi-State Objects, with lab practice:
- 3Numeric Display and Input, Bar Graphs and Tank Levels, with lab practice:
- 4Screens, Navigation and Templates54m
- 5Symbols, Animation, Visibility and Machine State, with lab practice: 16m
- 6Trends and Alarms, with lab practice: 18m
- 7Recipes, Limits and Scaling on the Panel, with lab practice: 33m
- 8Pop-up Screens, Slide-in Screens and Events41m
Show the other 3 modules
- 9Faceplates with UDTs, with lab practice: 46m
- 10User Administration, Languages and a Modern Screen Template1h 37m
- 11Final Assessment
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.
WinCC Basic and Comfort, and the Runtime simulator, come with the TIA Portal trial. A KTP700 Basic panel makes it real but is not required.
Show what to download (2 tools)
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.
Practise in the 3D lab
Practise the screen design you build in WinCC: bind tags to indicators and bars, show trends and faceplates, and set alarms that an operator can act on.
- Read the P&IDProcess lab, about 20 minOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Read the P&ID
- Build an operator screenProcess lab, about 45 minOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Build an operator screen
- Alarm rationalisationProcess lab, about 50 minOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Alarm rationalisation
- Connect the panel to the PLCProcess lab, about 55 minOpen in the lab (opens in a new tab): Connect the panel to the PLC
Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.
Course project, about 16 hours
Cold-store compressor room on a KTP900 Comfort: screens, alarms, defrost recipes and a signed FAT
Build the operator panel for a seafood exporter's compressor room on a KTP900 Comfort. It has a two-level screen hierarchy, a compressor faceplate on a PLC UDT, alarms in three classes, a 30-day pressure log with a trend, defrost recipes and user groups. You deliver the HMI project, your own tag list and FAT record, and a backup note.
- 9documents in the pack
- 11steps to follow
- Laboptional: in the 3D lab
- 5things to hand in
- 16 hof work, at your pace
- URSUser Requirements: Operator Panel for Cold Store Block 1 Compressor Room
- HMI specHMI Screen Hierarchy and Screen Specification: KTP900 Comfort, CP-201
- Tag listHMI Tag List and Naming Convention: KTP900 Comfort against PLC DB HMI
- Alarm listAlarm List: Compressor Room and Cold Rooms, CS1
- SDSHMI Software Design: Project Structure, Faceplate, Alarms, Logs, Recipes, Users
- IP planIP Address Plan and Device List: Compressor Room Network
Do it in the lab: 5 steps.
The project is optional practice. The certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
After the course, your next step
Show what you can do, then keep going in the same field.
A certificate you can verify
Finish the modules and pass the final assessment (15 questions, pass mark 60%) and you can add a certificate with a public verification page. One-off, US$23.99 for you. It is not a vendor credential.
Want a free certificate? Do the matching Free internship: 4 weeks, nothing to buy, with a free certificate of completion.
SCADA and HMI
Eight short weeks of tags, screens, alarms and trends: notes, diagrams, a few videos and practice in LADX Mini and free web SCADA tools. Finish weeks 1 to 4 and the final, then claim a free Internship Completion Certificate with your real dates and study hours, and a QR code anyone can scan to verify it. Training, not employment.
See the internshipPart of a learning path
Courses in a planned order, so each one builds on the last.
Roles that use this skill
- SCADA engineer
- HMI developer
- Control room technologist
- Systems integrator
These are the kinds of roles where the skill is used. We make no promise of a job or an interview.
Plain notes
- Free: the whole course, the notes, the practice tasks, the final assessment and support from practising engineers.
- Paid, and optional: the course certificate, and the Engineer-verified internship (the Free internship costs nothing).
- No job promise: the course teaches a skill. It does not place you in a job.
- Lessons by: Hegamurl, PLCskilltree, EDWartens UK. Independent creators; the lessons stream from their own channels. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, practice tasks and assessments.
EDWartens UK · Hegamurl · PLCskilltree. If you are one of these creators and want a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@edwartens.com.
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, and what comes after it.
- 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.
- Free internships to keep practising afterwards.
Common questions
Which panel does the course use?
KTP Basic panels for most of it and Comfort panels where a feature (faceplates, slide-ins) needs one. Everything runs in the WinCC Runtime simulator without a panel.
Is WinCC Unified covered?
No. Unified is its own course on this site. This one is WinCC Basic, Comfort and Advanced, the panels most plants already run.
Is the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
What certificate do I get, and is it a Siemens qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Siemens credential and is never described as one.
Who made the video lessons in the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
How long does the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course take?
Plan on about 12 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the eleven modules at your own speed.
Can I take it if I have never built an HMI screen?
Yes. It is pitched at beginner to intermediate level and starts from adding a panel and creating HMI tags. Basic TIA Portal PLC knowledge helps, and the free Siemens TIA Portal foundation course is the ideal preparation.
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.
What topics does the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course cover, module by module?
The Siemens TIA Portal HMI course has 11 modules. It opens with "Adding a Panel, HMI Tags and the PLC Connection", goes through "Buttons, Indicators, Symbols and Multi-State Objects", "Symbols, Animation, Visibility and Machine State", "Recipes, Limits and Scaling on the Panel" and "User Administration, Languages and a Modern Screen Template" and ends with "Final Assessment". The full list with minutes is under "What you learn" on this page.
What can I do after the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course?
After the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course: Add a panel, create HMI tags and connect them to PLC tags; Build buttons, indicators, symbols, numeric input and bar graphs; Design screen navigation, templates and a modern screen layout. These are the practical outcomes the course is written around, and the final assessment of 15 questions checks them.
What software and hardware do I need for the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course, and does it cost anything?
For the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course, software: The current TIA Portal trial (21 days) with WinCC for KTP Basic and Comfort panels, the panel runtime simulator and S7-PLCSIM, on 64-bit Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise. Hardware: none. A KTP700 Basic panel makes it real but is not required. The course itself is free.
Is the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course suitable for me, and what level is it?
Siemens TIA Portal HMI is rated beginner. Beginner to intermediate. Basic TIA Portal PLC knowledge helps; the Siemens TIA Portal foundation course is the ideal preparation. It is written for engineering students, apprentices, technicians and working engineers in automation and control, and takes about 11.7 hours at your own pace.
Which jobs use the skills from the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course?
Skills from the Siemens TIA Portal HMI course (for example: add a panel, create HMI tags and connect them to PLC tags) are used in roles such as SCADA engineer, HMI developer, control room technologist and systems integrator, and in automation engineer work. The course gives you practical evidence of the skill; it does not promise a job, and employers decide on experience and interview.
Start free today
Siemens TIA Portal HMI: KTP and Comfort Panels with WinCC, at your own pace. Add the certificate only if you want one.