Resolving MTP700 Unified Panel Missing in TIA Portal V16

1. Problem Overview

Engineers migrating a SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panel MTP700 (article number 6AV2128-3GB06-0AX1) into an existing TIA Portal V16 project report that the device is not present in the hardware catalog. After applying the V16 Update 6 maintenance package, the catalog still does not list the -0AX1 variant. The older -0AX0 variant appears only after the WinCC Unified option is installed. This is a recurring source of confusion because the MTP700 was released as a Unified Comfort device, and the WinCC Unified add-on must be explicitly selected during the TIA Portal installation or via subsequent package addition.

The root cause is the combination of three constraints that interact with one another:

• TIA Portal V16 product lifecycle: V16 was released in December 2020 and is now in the discontinued support phase. TIA V16 reached end of standard marketing in 2023 and is in the legacy service phase. New device support in HSP (Hardware Support Package) deliveries is no longer expanded for V16.
• WinCC Unified add-on: the WinCC Unified engineering option is a separate selectable feature and is not included in the default TIA Portal installation footprint. A default TIA V16 install includes WinCC Comfort/Advanced/Professional but not Unified.
• MTP700 -0AX1 vs -0AX0: the -0AX1 suffix is a later firmware/imaging release of the MTP700, manufactured after engineering was frozen for V16. Only the -0AX0 catalog entry was added to the last V16-compatible HSP, and the newer -0AX1 is supported from TIA V17 Update 2 onward.

2. Affected Versions and Article Numbers

Both article numbers refer to the same physical 7-inch widescreen Unified Comfort Panel with a 1280x800 multitouch display. The trailing -0AX0 vs -0AX1 indicates a hardware revision / imaging release, not a different product feature set. The -0AX1 was created because the panel was re-flashed at the factory with a newer system image, and the new image is only configurable from a TIA Portal that knows about it.

3. Root Cause Analysis

3.1 WinCC Unified Option Not Installed

The TIA Portal installer offers four HMI engineering options:

• SIMATIC WinCC Basic (Basic Panels)
• SIMATIC WinCC Comfort/Advanced (Comfort Panels, WinCC flexible migration)
• SIMATIC WinCC Professional (PC Runtime and SCADA)
• SIMATIC WinCC Unified (Unified Comfort Panels, Unified PC Runtime)

If the WinCC Unified option was not ticked during the TIA V16 installation, the catalog will not contain any Unified Comfort Panel (MTP400, MTP700, MTP1000, MTP1200, MTP1500, MTP1900, MTP2200). Only after the option is added do the -0AX0 entries appear, because the HSP for Unified devices is shipped together with the Unified option.

3.2 Product Lifecycle Status of TIA Portal V16

Siemens releases a new major TIA Portal version roughly every 12 to 18 months. TIA V16 was released in December 2020, and per the official Siemens product lifecycle, the standard marketing ended. New device support (HSPs) is delivered only for the current and the previous major versions. By the time the MTP700 -0AX1 was added to the catalog, V16 had already exited active HSP support, so the -0AX1 device entry exists only in the HSP for V17 Update 2 and later.

3.3 Configuration vs. Runtime Version Mismatch

According to the official WinCC Unified documentation, the configured Runtime version must be compatible with the Runtime version installed on the target device for the project to be downloaded. The same principle applies to TIA Portal configuration: the TIA Portal version that creates the project must be at least as new as the image running on the panel. Trying to load a project created with the TIA V16 image into an MTP700 -0AX1 that ships with a V17+ image is therefore rejected at compile or at download time. The panel must be re-imaged to the V16 image, or the project must be rebuilt on V17/V18/V19.

4. Prerequisites for Resolution

Pick the scenario that matches the project constraints before applying any of the steps below.

5. Step-by-Step Resolution

5.1 Add the WinCC Unified Option to an Existing TIA V16 Install

1. Close TIA Portal V16 and stop the TIA Administrator Service.
2. Insert the original TIA V16 installation media (DVD or mounted ISO).
3. Run Start.exe from the installation media. The installer reads the existing installation and offers "Modify".
4. In the product tree, expand SIMATIC HMI and tick SIMATIC WinCC Unified.
5. Accept the license dialog. The WinCC Unified option requires its own license key (either a valid license file or a 14-day trial key).
6. Click Next > Install. The installation adds the Unified catalog and the Unified Runtime engineering tools.
7. Restart the PC and re-open TIA Portal V16.
8. Open the project. In the hardware catalog, browse to HMI > SIMATIC HMI Unified > Unified Comfort Panels > 7" displays > MTP700. The 6AV2128-3GB06-0AX0 entry is now visible.

5.2 Scenario A - Downgrade the MTP700 Image to V16

1. Download the correct image from the Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) entry for the panel. Filter by article number 6AV2128-3GB06-0AX1 and select the V16 image (older revision, file name similar to MTP700_V16_Image.zip).
2. Extract the image to a USB stick formatted as FAT32.
3. On the panel, navigate to Control Panel > Service > Update OS.
4. Select the USB stick and confirm the downgrade. The panel reboots and presents the V16 image.
5. Verify the new image version under Control Panel > System > Device Version. It should now read "V16.x.x.x".
6. Re-add the panel to your TIA V16 project using catalog entry 6AV2128-3GB06-0AX0.
7. Compile and download the project.

5.3 Scenario B - Migrate the Project to TIA Portal V18

1. Install TIA Portal V18 (or V19) with both STEP 7 Professional and WinCC Unified options.
2. Back up the existing V16 project (.ap16) before any migration.
3. Open the .ap16 file directly in TIA V18. The migration wizard runs automatically and creates a .ap18 file.
4. Open the migrated project, right-click the PLC and select Compile > Software (rebuild all) to resolve any cross-references.
5. Add the MTP700 with article number 6AV2128-3GB06-0AX1 from the catalog.
6. Configure the HMI connection to the PLC. The connection wizard picks up the migrated PLC automatically.
7. Compile and download. No firmware change on the panel is required because the panel image is at least as new as the engineering version.

5.4 Scenario C - Mixed Version with Proxy Device

This is the recommended approach when the PLC must stay on V16 for customer reasons (validated code, audit trail) but the HMI must use V18 to support the -0AX1 panel.

1. Open the existing TIA V16 project.
2. Add a stand-in HMI to the V16 project: select a generic HMI placeholder, configure its IP and PROFINET name, but do not download the project to the real panel.
3. Save and close the V16 project.
4. Open TIA V18 and create a new project. Add the MTP700 -0AX1 from the catalog.
5. Configure the MMI connection on the V18 HMI to point at the same PLC IP that the V16 project uses.
6. The V16 PLC and the V18 HMI coexist as two independent projects targeting the same controller. The HMI connects via standard S7 communication over PROFINET, no proxy file is required at runtime.
7. Compile and download each project separately to its target device.

6. Version Compatibility Matrix

The compatibility is unidirectional: a project created in V16 can be opened and run on a panel with a V17+ image (compatibility mode), but the reverse is not true. A V17+ project cannot be opened in V16. This is the basis of the "project created in a newer version" error that appears during the download if you accidentally target a V16 image with a V17+ project.

7. WinCC Unified Version Compatibility Reference

Per the official Siemens documentation on Basics on version compatibility (RT Unified):

The configured Runtime version must be compatible with the Runtime version installed on the target device for the project to be downloaded.

This means the same principle that applies between TIA Portal versions and the panel image also applies between the WinCC Unified Runtime version embedded in the project and the Runtime version installed on the Unified Comfort Panel. The firmware image on the panel determines the maximum supported Runtime version. If the panel image is older than the project, the project will be downgraded automatically; if the panel image is newer, the project is uploaded in compatibility mode if the Runtime version installed on the panel is at least as new as the configured Runtime.

8. Verification Steps

1. Open the project in TIA Portal and select the MTP700 in the device tree.
2. Confirm the article number shown in the device properties matches the actual panel (either -0AX0 or -0AX1).
3. Right-click the panel and select Compile > Software (rebuild all). The compile must complete without errors.
4. Right-click the panel and select Download to device > PC Interface. The download wizard must detect the panel and offer a download.
5. If the wizard reports a version mismatch, compare the TIA Portal project version, the configured Runtime version, and the image version on the panel. They must satisfy the compatibility rule above.
6. Once the project runs on the panel, perform a tag test: cycle a Boolean tag in the PLC, verify it updates on the HMI within 100 ms (typical for S7 communication over PROFINET).

9. Troubleshooting Matrix

10. Field-Proven Caveats

• Don't rely on V16 for new deployments. Engineering and runtime exceptions (CVE patches, library updates, new driver support) are no longer delivered. Use V18 as a minimum for new projects with Unified Comfort Panels.
• Image downgrade is destructive. The procedure wipes the project on the panel. Back up the current project to an external storage before downgrading.
• License floating. WinCC Unified licenses can be borrowed from a license server. When migrating a project from V16 to V18, deactivate the V16 license and activate the V18 license on the same hardware to avoid license conflict.
• PROFINET device name must match. After re-imaging, the panel loses its PROFINET device name. Re-assign the name using the Topology Editor or the panel's Control Panel before downloading.
• Project size. Unified Comfort projects with large faceplates can exceed the panel's internal storage. Use the external SIMATIC HMI Memory Card (6AV2181-8XP00) if the project is bigger than 256 MB.

11. FAQ