Licensing software is an important part of protecting your intellectual property. For instance, when you try to buy Microsoft Office 2021, you are required to enter a license key before you can use the full potential of the product.
License key is a unique code that enables the user to access and use your software. By using license keys, you can ensure that only authorized users can access and use your software, and that there are no unauthorized copies. License keys also allow you to track usage and generate additional revenue through license renewals.
What are License Keys?
A license key is a unique code that enables the user to access and use your software. Once the license key has been entered into your software, the user will be able to access the software without needing to enter the key again.
License keys are usually communicated to users via email after purchase or download. They can also be printed on a label that is affixed to a product or its packaging. License keys can be single use or multi-use and can be either online or offline.
Single use license keys are used for a specific period of time, such as a one-time payment or a term license. Once the license key has been entered, it cannot be used again. This ensures that the software is used by only the licensed user. Multi-use license keys are used for a recurring payment or a subscription license. After each use, the license key is reset to “inactive” and must be re-entered by the user before it can be used again.
Benefits of Using License Keys
There are good reasons for why many businesses are practicing the use of license keys and some of them include:
- Protecting Your Intellectual Property – Using license keys to secure your software ensures that only authorized users can access and use your software. This also helps to prevent unauthorized copies, so that you can generate additional revenue through license renewals.
- Managing User Access and Software Usage – Since license keys are tracked and recorded, you have a complete view of user access and software usage. This can be helpful for monitoring if someone is exceeding their user rights or if your software is being used in a way that it wasn’t intended to be used.