When should you "Release" your license activation?

Licenses managed by the Softron License Manager are activated on a specific computer and system configuration. To ensure everything works smoothly, it is recommended to release your license before performing certain system operations.

If an activation is lost (for example after a hardware failure or system reinstall), you can usually recover your license by using the Force Release feature in the Softron License Manager.

When you should release your license first

It is recommended to release your license BEFORE doing any of the following operations, as they may invalidate the current activation:

• Moving your disk from one computer to another
• Booting from a clone of your hard drive
• Reformatting your drive and reinstalling the system
• Performing a major macOS upgrade
• Deleting or modifying Softron application preferences
• Sending your computer for repair

For example, if your computer needs repair, the technician may replace or reformat your hard drive. In that case, releasing the license beforehand ensures that you can easily activate it again later.

If one of these operations is performed without releasing the license first, the activation may be lost. In that case, you can typically recover your license by using the Force Release option in the Softron License Manager.

When you do NOT need to release your license

You do not need to release your license in the following situations:

Updating your Softron application

Simply download the latest version, unzip it, and launch it instead of the previous version. No other action is required. Just make sure your license covers the version you are using (paid upgrades only occur between major versions, for example between MovieRecorder 3 and MovieRecorder 4).

Updating macOS

Minor macOS updates usually do not require releasing the license beforehand. For major macOS upgrades, releasing the license first is recommended as a precaution.

What if you forgot to release the license?

If you forgot to release your license before performing one of the operations listed above, the activation may be lost.

In most cases, you can simply use the Force Release option in the Softron License Manager and activate the license again on your system.

If you experience difficulties, please contact our support team and we will be happy to assist.

Prefer not to manage activations?

If you regularly move your license between systems or prefer not to worry about releasing it before making system changes, or if you need to use your software offline for more than 2-3 days, you may consider using a dongle license.

A dongle stores the license directly on the hardware key, which means it does not require activation or release when moving between computers.