MEMO: Steinberg eLicenser Ending Service in 2025
Steinberg has announced that their eLicenser-based licensing system has officially been discontinued as of May 20, 2025. Recently, Steinberg products have transitioned to the new Steinberg Licensing system, so this change will only affect users of older Steinberg products that still rely on the eLicenser-based system.
Please visit Steinberg’s support page for more information.
What Does This Mean?
If you have a product currently licensed via the eLicenser service, you won’t be able to activate or reactivate it. If you have an activation code for eLicenser-based software, you must activate it before the end of service.
However, you can still update your eLicenser-based product to the latest version. Just make sure the eLicenser-based product is registered in your MySteinberg account!
Also, you cannot recover eLicenser-based licenses. If you lose a license before or after the end-of-service date, you must contact Steinberg support immediately!
You won’t be able to move one USB-eLicenser-based license to another after the end-of-service date, either. If you do have multiple USB eLicensers or have both USB- and Soft-eLicenser-based licenses, it’s recommended that you consolidate the licenses onto a single eLicenser before the end of service, preferably an eLicenser USB dongle. You cannot reactivate any Soft-eLicenser-based product after installing a new OS.
eLicenser FAQ
We understand this change affects many users, so we’re here to answer some questions you may have.
What products use the eLicenser licensing service?
Steinberg introduced the Steinberg Licensing management system in 2022, so any products released before then use the eLicenser licensing system. Please visit Steinberg’s support page to learn what programs still support eLicenser technology.
Can I still use my eLicenser-based product?
Yes! If the eLicenser license is active, you can still use your product. This applies to both Soft-eLicenser- and USB-eLicenser-based products.
However, you cannot transfer or reactivate any licenses after the end-of-service date. This includes any reinstallation of your computer’s OS. Transfer your licenses to the Steinberg Licensing system to avoid licensing transfer- or reactivation issues.
I lost the USB-eLicenser after the eLicenser service shut down!
If your USB-eLicenser is broken or lost after the service has shut down, you must contact Steinberg support directly for an individual solution. Only eLicensers registered via MySteinberg can be supported.
Transfer eLicenser to Steinberg Licensing
If you want to stay connected and continue working with your eLicenser-based product after the eLicenser service shuts down, transfer that license to the new Steinberg Licensing system via your MySteinberg account. This ensures a smooth transition without any disruption.
- Log in to your MySteinberg account, click Products, choose Show eLicenser-based products, and click Register eLicenser/software.
- On the page that opens, click Register eLicenser/software, then enter the eLicenser number (or activation code) shown in eLicenser Control Center.
Click the image to sign in to your MySteinberg account.
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