# 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.

## 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.

> **caution**
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 info@departedreality.com.

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:

- **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.

> **caution**
**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.

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.