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Activating the BarTender Suite

Samantha Petro

BarTender Content Team

  • Updated
If you're getting an error during activation, please see our Activation Troubleshooting Guide

Activating BarTender 2019 and later

What you'll need:

A BarTender Product Key Code

If you have an existing BarTender license that has an active Maintenance and Support agreement, you can use your existing product key code to activate BarTender 2019 and later.

If you don't have a Product Key Code that's eligible, you can get the BarTender 30 day trial.

BarTender Installation

If you don't have BarTender installed yet, you can download the software from our downloads page and then follow the installation guide to install BarTender.

If you updating from a previous version of BarTender, you can find a comprehensive update guide here:

Click on the text that best describes your scenario

I'm activating BarTender for the first time

The most straightforward method for activating your software is to activate during the installation process as the activation wizard will immediately open after the installation is complete.

If you've already installed BarTender, but didn't activate, you can open any BarTender companion application to start the activation process.

I already have a BarTender installation activated on my network and am activating a second installation

Like with previous versions, a product key code can only be activated once as the license host with as many clients as you require on your network. During the activation process, instead of entering the product key code, follow the steps in the Wizard section below that detail how to activate using an existing license server.

I'm activating an additional product key code

Activation and license management can be found in the Administration Console application. Here you can add an additional license to your network or activate a new license (for first-time activation or changing your product key code).

To activate a new license, please do the following:

  1. Open Administration Console
  2. Select Licensing from the left-hand menu
  3. Click on "Activate a new License"
  4. Continue with Entering a new product key code

I'm activating a second license server provisionally

While you can only have one active License Server per product key code at a time, you have the option to provisionally license a second License Server for a limited time. This is useful for test or QA environments where you don't want an environment to contact your main License Server.

Note: You can only activate a provisional license a limited number of times before you run out of provisional activations. For more information, please see Provisional Activations

To activate provisionally, please follow this guide:

Using the Activation Wizard

This video will walk you through activating BarTender using the Activation Wizard

 
  1. Once you open the wizard or it automatically starts after installation, choose to activate your software and click next

If you are adding a new product key code (or activating provisionally):

  1. If the wizard populates with a list of License Server, choose to enter a new product key code.
  2. Enter your product key code into the boxes and click Next.
  3. On the next screen, specify where you'd like to host your license.
    1. If you would like to host your license on the current computer, simply choose your computer from the list
    2. If you'd like to host it in another install, you can choose the name from the list (if it's broadcasting) or type in the host's name.

If you are connecting to an existing License Server:

Note, you should verify your existing BarTender license is refreshed with the activation server and supports the version of BarTender you are activating. To refresh your license, open BarTender Administration Console on a system with an existing BarTender 2019 or later installation and permissions to manage the license. Click on "Licensing" in the left menu, select your current license, and click "Refresh License". The “Latest Supported Version” column for your license should now display the latest version of BarTender that your license supports and can use.
  1. Instead of entering a new product key code, you have two options on how to search for an existing license server on your network.
    1. By default, the activation wizard will pull up a list of Licenses it found on your network during first activation. If you do not see your license server listed, click refresh or choose to Search.
    2. Click on "Search for Existing License" to manually type in the server / host name or IP and the port number. By default, all licenses broadcast on port 5160.
  2. In either method, the Wizard will show you a list of licenses being broadcast on your network. Select the license matching the hostname of the license server and the support number from the list and click next.

For all installations:

  1. The wizard will inform you that you'll need a stable internet connection for this process. If you do not have one, please see Offline Activation for BarTender.
  2. Once activation is complete, you'll receive a confirmation.
  3. Next you can choose if you'd like the license to be available for other computers on your network. Once you're done selecting your option, click Next.
  4. Register your software then click Finish to close the wizard.

Back to top

Activating version 2016 and earlier

What you'll need:

A BarTender Product Key Code

This is a 16-digit alphanumeric code separated by dashes used to activate your software. The support number looks similar but is used by support when you contact us. You cannot activate your software with the support number.

If you have purchased upgrades in the past, you will need the most recently purchased key for activation. You will also need a previous key to confirm the upgrade.

BarTender Installation

If you don't have BarTender installed yet, you can download the software from our downloads page. For previous versions, please do the following to download the correct software version:

  1. Click on "Other versions and options"
  2. Select your version from the dropdown list
  3. Click the green Download button

If you updating from a previous version of BarTender, please see our update guide for assistance: Updating version to BarTender 2016

 

Click on the text that best describes your scenario

I'm activating during installation

How to activate during installation

Toward the end of the installation process you will be prompted to activate the software.

  1. Click Activate Now  button to open the Enter Product Key Code window.
  2. Enter the Product Key Code provided in the software package or confirmation email you received.
  3. Click Next to open the Activation Policy window.
  4. Select (check) I Agree to accept the Activation Policy.
  5. Click Next to open the Select Country window.
  6. From the dropdown list, select the desired country and click Next.
  7. You will see a notice about an active Internet connection. Click Next. The Activation Wizard Completed window opens.
Note: If you do not have a working Internet connection, but you do have another PC available with an active Internet connection, please see Offline Activation for BarTender
  1. Click Finish.

You have successfully activated the BarTender Suite.

I'm activating BarTender after installing it

How to activate post installation

You can also activate the BarTender Suite after your installation has completed, or if you have previously installed a BarTender Trial edition.

  1. From the BarTender Help menu, select Activate This Software.
  2. Leave Activate BarTender Suite selected and click Next to open the Enter Product Key Code window.
  3. Enter the Product Key Code provided in the software packaging or confirmation email you received.
  4. Click Next to open the Activation Policy window.
  5. Select (check) I Agree to accept the Activation Policy.
  6. Click Next to open the Select Country window.
  7. From the dropdown list, select the country that you're activating in and click Next.
  8. You will see a notice about an active Internet connection. Click Next. The Activation Wizard Completed window opens.
Note: If you do not have a working Internet connection, but you do have another PC available with an active Internet connection, please see Offline Activation for BarTender.
  1. Click Finish.

You have successfully activated the BarTender Suite.

I'm activating the Seagull License Server

Please see this article for a comprehensive guide: Installing and activating Seagull License Server in BarTender 2016

I'm activating but I don't have an internet connection

If you are activating your suite and don't have an internet connection, please see our guide on how to do an Offline Activation.

I'm getting an error while activating

If you are having trouble with activating or receiving an error, please see our Activation Troubleshooter or contact support for assistance.

 

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