HOW TO: "Force Release" a serial number?

When should you use the Force release?

The Force Release option should be done very rarely as:

• the application that uses the activation will go into demo mode. If you Force release the wrong serial, you have a potential risk to impact a production. So make real sure of what you do.
• it may flag your account for review if it is used too often. Indeed, the "clean" way to do a release is from the application where the serial is currently activated, from the "Application Licenses > Manage Serials" window.

It is only to be used if you are not able to do a "clean" release, if

• the computer is broken or lost
• you have reformatted your drive

Note that you can only do a "Force Release" for serial numbers that were activated using the new copy protection scheme, which was released in our applications starting at the end of 2024. If you don't have access to your computer and you were still using an old activation, contact Softron Support.

From where can you do a "Force release"?

You can do a "Force Release" either:

• from the "Application Licenses > Manage Serials" window
• from any browser on the "Softron License Manager" platform

Check the following article to see the differences between the two.

From the Application "Manage Serials" window

In the "Manage Serials" window, you will only see the "Force Release" button if the serial is activated on another computer. If the serial was activated on the same computer, you will see a "Re-Activate" button.

You can see that in the "Status" window, it shows the name of the computer on which it was activated previously. Make real sure you can't access that computer anymore. When you click on the "Force Release" button, this window shows up:

Again, make real sure that you can not do a clean release of the activation, and that you are doing a force release of the correct serial number. Once you have confirmed that, click on the "Force Release" button. You will be asked for the account password to confirm.

Once the Force Release has been done, the serial will be available and ready to be activated in your application:

Note that there is a warning icon on the status badge.  It will be shown there for as long as you can't do another "Reactivate", or "Force Release". You can hover it with your mouse for a description, showing also until which date and time you won't be able to do another Force Release or Reactivation.

Once there is no more warning, it means you would be able to do a Force Release again, but let us insist that it's not the clean way to "Release" serial numbers. Check the article on how to properly release a serial number.

From a browser, on the "Softron License Manager" Platform

In any browser, you can access the "Softron License Manager" Platform.

From there you can do a force release of all your applications. For that, simply click on the 3 dots button at the right of the serial number:

This will open the serial number detail view, where you can view the history of activations, check on which computer it has last been activated.

Again, make real sure that you can not do a clean release. of the activation, and that you are doing a force release of the correct serial number. Once you have confirmed that, click on the "Force Release" button. You will be asked for the account password to confirm.

Once the Force Release has been done, the serial will be available and ready to be activated in your application:

Note that there is a warning icon on the status badge.  It will be shown there for as long as you can't do another "Reactivate", or "Force Release". You can hover it with your mouse for a description, showing also until which date and time you won't be able to do another Force Release or Reactivation.

Once there is no more warning, it means you would be able to do a Force Release again, but let us insist that it's not the clean way to "Release" serial numbers. Check the article on how to properly release a serial number.