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NI Software Licenses allow you to activate on multiple computers. This is useful if you need to have NI software on your PC and laptop, or if you need access to NI software within a lab and in the office.
Activation rules for multiple computers vary based on the type of NI Software License Agreement you or your company has. There are two main categories of license agreements: Single-Seat licenses and Volume License Agreements (VLA).
- If you are not sure which type of licensing agreement you have, open NI License Manager and check whether your license shows up under the Local Licenses tab (single seat) or the Network Licenses tab (VLA). Your software administrator can also provide this information.
For single-seat licenses, the number of computers you can activate depends on whether you have User-Based or Computer-based licenses. Contact your software administrator if you are unsure which license type you have. Tracking if a license is currently or has been previously activated is not possible.
For Named User Licenses, also known as “user-based” licenses, the user may install and activate the NI Software on up to three computers following the traditional installation and activation processes.
You can run the application on only one of these computers at a time.
If you need to use an application on a fourth machine, you must first
deactivate the software from one of the three other machines. Once the software is installed on the fourth machine, you can follow the same activation procedure that was used for previous activations.
For Computer-Based Licenses, if multiple users use one license, only one PC can be installed and activated. If you plan to use the NI software on multiple machines, you need to purchase a new license for each computer.
If you are on a Volume License Agreement, you may activate NI Software on multiple computers according to the license option outlined in your unique licensing agreement.
Your software admin can use NI License Manager to see which licenses are currently being used. There is no record of previous activations.
Legacy Software: For LabVIEW 8.0 and LabWindows/CVI 8.0 and previous you can install the software on another machine, but you first must uninstall the software from the old machine. When you install it on the new machine, simply follow the same activation process that you completed the first time you installed it. Remember to follow the software licensing agreement by having only one active copy of your software installed at a time.
Home Usage Exception: If you are a business or other entity using a Named-User licensing option, or if you are the primary user of the machine on which a Computer-Based licensing option is used, you may also install and use the software on one home computer, provided that the use of the software on such a home computer is limited to work performed in the scope of and complies with all terms and conditions of your licensing agreement.
For more general information on licensing, please refer to
Understanding NI Software Policies.