# Licensing & Activation DR Sim Manager requires a license key for full, unlimited use. If you don't have a license key yet, you can try the software with a free trial session. ## Migrating from Microsoft Store DR Sim Manager is transitioning from the Microsoft Store to standalone licensing. If you previously purchased DR Sim Manager through the Microsoft Store, you can get a **free standalone license key** — no repurchase required. When the app detects an active Microsoft Store license, a **migration dialog** appears automatically on launch: 1. You'll see a message explaining the transition and a field to enter your email address. 2. Enter the email you'd like your license key sent to. 3. Click **Send License Key**. 4. Check your inbox — your standalone license key will be emailed to you. 5. The normal Activation Dialog appears next. Enter the license key from your email to activate. See [Activating a License](#activating-a-license) below for details. If you're not ready to migrate right away, you have two options: * **Remind Me Later** — Dismisses the dialog for 7 days. The migration prompt will appear again on your next launch after that period. The app launches fully in the meantime — no trial limits or activation required. * **Skip** — Dismisses the dialog and launches the app fully. Your Microsoft Store purchase is recognized, so there are no trial limits or activation prompts. Whichever option you choose, a brief reminder notification will appear after a few seconds letting you know you can complete the migration at any time from **Right-click → Manage License**. The migration is **completely free** and can be performed once per Windows machine where you have the Microsoft Store app installed. After you activate with your new standalone license key, you won't see the migration dialog again on that computer. {% hint style="warning" %} **The Microsoft Store version is being retired** and will no longer receive updates. After migrating your license, we strongly recommend uninstalling the Store version and downloading the latest standalone installer from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/DepartedReality/dr-sim-manager-releases/releases/latest). The standalone version receives all future updates and improvements. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **Entered the wrong email?** If you haven't activated your license key yet, you can re-open the migration dialog by right-clicking any dock or window title bar and selecting **Manage License…** — then enter a different email address. Your license key will be resent to the new address. Once the license has been activated on a machine, the email can no longer be changed — contact support if you need help. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} Your Microsoft Store purchase is fully recognized — you can use the app without any restrictions while you decide to migrate. Migrating soon ensures you stay on the latest version with all updates and fixes. {% endhint %} {% hint style="success" %} **After migrating**, we recommend uninstalling the Microsoft Store version of DR Sim Manager and switching to the [standalone installer](https://github.com/DepartedReality/dr-sim-manager-releases/releases/latest). The standalone version receives updates faster and doesn't depend on the Microsoft Store infrastructure. Your license key works the same in either version. {% endhint %} ## First Launch When you open DR Sim Manager for the first time (or if no license is currently active), you'll see an **Activation Dialog** with an intro screen presenting three options: * **Continue Trial** — Start a 15-minute trial session with all features available. * **Activate License** — Proceed to the license key entry form. * **Purchase a License** — A link to [departedreality.com](https://departedreality.com/products/dr-sim-manager-license) where you can buy a license key. ## Activating a License 1. From the intro screen, click **Activate License** to open the activation form. 2. Enter your license key in the format: `DRSM-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX`. 3. Enter the email address associated with your purchase in the **Email** field. 4. Re-enter the same email address in the **Confirm Email** field. 5. Click **Activate**. 6. Once activated, DR Sim Manager will run without any session time limits. {% hint style="warning" %} Your email address is **permanently linked** to your license key after activation and cannot be changed. Make sure you enter the correct email before clicking Activate. If you need assistance, contact support at . {% endhint %} From the activation form you can also click **Back** to return to the intro screen, or **Continue Trial** to start a trial session directly. Your license can be used on a limited number of machines. If you reach the machine limit, the activation dialog will offer to **automatically deactivate your oldest machine** so you can activate on your current one. ### Re-activation If your license needs to be re-activated (for example, after a hardware change or on a new machine), the Activation Dialog will appear with your license key and email pre-filled. Simply click **Activate** to complete the process. ## Trial Mode If you choose **Continue Trial**, DR Sim Manager runs a fully-featured 15-minute session. When the session expires, you'll see a "Session Expired" message and the application will close. You can relaunch at any time to start another 15-minute trial session. Trial mode is a great way to test the software with your hardware before purchasing. ## Managing Your License You can view and manage your license at any time: 1. **Right-click** any dock title bar or window title bar to open the context menu. 2. Select **Manage License…** What happens next depends on your current license state: * **Microsoft Store user (not yet migrated)** — The Migration Dialog opens so you can claim your free standalone license key. See [Migrating from Microsoft Store](#migrating-from-microsoft-store) above. * **No active license** — The Activation Dialog opens so you can enter a license key or start a trial. See [Activating a License](#activating-a-license) above. * **Active license key** — The license management window opens (described below). The license management window shows: * **Licensed email** — The email tied to your license. * **Masked license key** — Your key with most characters hidden for security. * **Machines used / max** — How many of your allowed machines are currently activated. * **Active machines list** — Each machine's name, activation date, and last seen date. Your current machine is highlighted. ### Deactivating Machines If you need to free up a machine slot (for example, after upgrading hardware or switching PCs): * Click **Deactivate** next to any individual machine to remove it. * Click **Deactivate All** to remove all machines at once. This requires an additional confirmation step. After deactivating a machine, that slot becomes available for activating on a new machine. {% hint style="warning" %} **24-hour cooldown:** Once a machine is deactivated, it **cannot be reactivated for 24 hours**. Make sure you're ready before confirming — you'll see a reminder in the confirmation dialog. {% endhint %} If you deactivate the machine you're currently using, DR Sim Manager will switch to **trial mode** immediately and a 15-minute session timer will start. You can continue using the app in trial sessions until you reactivate after the 24-hour cooldown period has passed. ## Internet Connection DR Sim Manager periodically verifies your license online. The app works fully offline for up to **30 days** after the last successful verification. If you stay offline longer than that, the app will show a "License expired — connect to the internet to refresh" message and ask you to reconnect. Once you're back online, simply launch DR Sim Manager and your license will refresh automatically — no re-activation required. ## Download DR Sim Manager is available for download from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/DepartedReality/dr-sim-manager-releases/releases/latest). Visit the [all releases](https://github.com/DepartedReality/dr-sim-manager-releases/releases) page to access beta versions and previous releases. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.departedreality.com/dr-sim-manager/general/licensing.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.