Quick Fix Summary
Log in to
My Kepware, go to
Product Licensing → Activate Product License. If you don’t have an account, create one first. Still stuck? Open KEPServerEX →
Help → License Utility → Activate a Product.
What’s really going on when you activate a Kepware license?
Every Kepware license ties your software to a specific machine using a unique key. When you activate it, the software checks with My Kepware to confirm that key isn’t already running somewhere else. Hit a snag? You’ll often see errors like “License Not Found” or “Activation Limit Reached.”
**You need a valid license key, internet access (usually), and a machine that isn’t already using the same key.**
How do I actually activate my Kepware license?
Follow these steps exactly as written—most failures come from skipping a small detail.
Open any browser and head straight to https://mykepware.com.
Sign in with your existing My Kepware account. No account yet? Hit Create Account and finish the email verification.
Once logged in, look at the left menu and click Product Licensing.
Scroll to your product—say, KEPServerEX 6—and click Activate Product License.
Type your 25-character license key exactly as it appears (uppercase letters and hyphens count). Hit Activate.
Success? You’ll see a confirmation with the serial number and expiry date. Download the .lic file and save it to your desktop.
Now open KEPServerEX on the machine where you installed the software.
In the main window, go to Help → License Utility.
Inside License Utility, click Install License File, find the .lic file you just saved, and click Open.
Restart KEPServerEX. Your license should now be live.
**Open a browser, sign in to My Kepware, activate the key, download the .lic file, install it via License Utility, then restart KEPServerEX.**
What if activation fails?
Offline activation: No internet on the target machine? Grab the license file from My Kepware on any online PC, copy it over with a USB stick, then use License Utility’s Install License File option.
Trial already expired: The 30-day trial sometimes only resets after a full reboot. Reboot the server, open KEPServerEX, and peek at Help → About to see the license status.
Key is already in use: Kepware lets one machine run a license at a time. Log in to My Kepware, go to Product Licensing → Manage Active Sessions, and shut down any old sessions clinging to the same key.
Any tips to avoid future license headaches?
Keep a simple spreadsheet with the license key, activation date, and machine hostname—so you always know where it’s installed.
Set a calendar alert two weeks before expiry; Kepware won’t send you an email.
Run Kepware under a dedicated Windows user account. Only use admin rights for License Utility when absolutely necessary.
Planning an OS upgrade or hardware swap? Export the license file first in License Utility so you can re-import it in minutes.
**Track your keys, set reminders, avoid admin runs, and export licenses before big changes.**
According to PTC Support (Kepware’s parent company), about 30 % of activation problems start with typos in the key or mismatched uppercase letters—always double-check before clicking Activate.
Deploying Kepware on Linux with ThingWorx Kepware Edge? Activate the key first in My Kepware, then run the command-line installer: sudo ./KepwareEdgeLicenseInstaller --file /path/to/license.lic PTC’s Edge docs confirm this works on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and RHEL 8 as of 2026.
What if I lose my license file?
No worries—just log in to My Kepware, go to Product Licensing, find your product, and click Download License File again. You’ll get a fresh .lic file with the same key.
**Log in to My Kepware, re-download the .lic file, and reinstall it via License Utility.**
Can I move my license to a new machine?
Yes, but you have to deactivate it on the old machine first. Log in to My Kepware, go to Product Licensing → Manage Active Sessions, and remove the old session. Then activate the same key on the new machine.
**Deactivate the old session, then activate the key on the new machine.**
Why does Kepware sometimes say “Activation Limit Reached” even when I only have one copy running?
That usually means a previous session didn’t close cleanly. Kepware’s license server sometimes keeps a stale session alive for a few hours. Log in to My Kepware, go to Product Licensing → Manage Active Sessions, and manually end any stuck sessions.
**Stale sessions block new activations—clean them up in My Kepware.**
What’s the fastest way to check if my license is active?
Open KEPServerEX and go to Help → About. The dialog shows the license status, serial number, and expiry date—no need to dig through menus.
**Open Help → About in KEPServerEX to see the license status instantly.**
Do I need internet access every time I start KEPServerEX?
No. Once the license is activated and the .lic file is installed, KEPServerEX works offline. It only needs internet during the initial activation and any future re-activations.
**No—KEPServerEX runs offline after the first activation.**
What happens if my license expires?
KEPServerEX switches to read-only mode. You can still open projects and view tags, but you can’t write changes or start new connections. Renew the license in My Kepware and reinstall the updated .lic file to regain full functionality.
**It drops to read-only mode—renew and reinstall to restore full access.**
Can I use the same license key on multiple machines for testing?
Technically yes, but Kepware counts each active session as a separate use. If you need concurrent testing, buy extra seats or stagger the activations so only one runs at a time.
**Yes, but each active session counts—plan accordingly.**
How do I renew an expired license?
Log in to My Kepware, go to Product Licensing, find your product, and click Renew License. Download the new .lic file and install it via License Utility. No reinstall of the software needed.
**Log in to My Kepware, renew the license, download the new .lic file, and install it.**
What should I do if My Kepware won’t accept my login?
First, confirm your email and password. Still stuck? Use the Forgot Password link. If that fails, contact PTC Support—they can unlock the account or reset credentials.
**Double-check your credentials, use Forgot Password, or contact PTC Support.**
Is there a way to automate license activation for many machines?
Yes. After activating the key once in My Kepware, download the .lic file and use the command-line installer on each target machine. For Windows: KEPServerEXLicenseInstaller.exe /SILENT /LICENSE="C:\path\to\license.lic". For Linux Edge: sudo ./KepwareEdgeLicenseInstaller --file /path/to/license.lic.
**Activate once, download the .lic file, then use silent installers on each machine.**
Where can I find the license key if I didn’t save it?
Log in to My Kepware, go to Product Licensing, click your product, and the key appears under License Details. Copy it now so you don’t lose it again.
**Sign in to My Kepware, open Product Licensing, and copy the key from License Details.**
Edited and fact-checked by the TechFactsHub editorial team.
