---
title: "Activate a license key"
description: "Enter the Personal key from your purchase email and check that processing is available."
updated: "2026-09-22"
canonical: https://docs.recordstead.app/getting-started/activate-license
---

# Activate a license key

Your Personal license key arrives by email after purchase. Enter it in Recordstead
to make paid processing available on this Mac.

1. Open **Settings…** (⌘,) and select **License**.
2. Paste your key into **License key**. You can name this Mac
   before activation.
3. Click **Activate License**. Confirm the pane says **License active**.

**Your result:** paid processing is available on this Mac. Personal covers
version 1.x and its updates on two Macs. Save your key somewhere safe for a
second Mac or a reinstall. There is no public email lookup or self-service key
recovery. If you have lost it, [contact support](https://recordstead.app/support)
from the purchase email address.

If activation fails, read the message in the License pane. For a connection
error, reconnect and click **Activate License** again. **Try Again** refreshes
the access status; it does not resubmit your key. If the key is for another product
version, use the version it covers; a 1.x key does not activate a later major
version. If both Mac slots are occupied, [manage the Macs on your license](https://docs.recordstead.app/getting-started/manage-macs).

If paid access ends, new processing may stop after the next access check. An
existing offline authorization may last until its signed cutoff. Your local
meetings and exports remain on your Mac.