How to Find the Serial Number of My NI Software

NI software licenses are identified by a serial number. Serial numbers can be registered to a user's NI online account to enable software downloads, product activations, and other licensing features. Each serial number consists of an alphanumeric code containing eight or more characters. 

Serial numbers are initially sent to the purchaser via email. These messages are delivered from the following address:  activate@ni.com. This article explains how to locate and identify a software serial number.

Note: If you are a Student or are using a Community or Lite version of the software, please follow the appropriate instructions below: 

• Community Edition: Activate NI Community Edition Software
• Student Edition: Activating NI Software as a Student Through an Academic License

Single-Seat License

If you have previously registered your serial number to your NI user account, you can view it the My Products section.

Using NI License Manager 4.0 and Later:

1. Open NI License Manager. 
2. Navigate to the Local Licenses tab. 
3. Expand the software package you are interested in. 
4. If the software is activated, the indicator next to it will appear green, and serial number will be displayed in the Serial Number field. 

NOTE: Serial numbers are displayed in NI License Manager only if the software was previously activated using a serial number. Serial numbers will not appear if the software was activated using a different activation method.

Using NI License Manager 3.1 and earlier:

1. Open NI License Manager. 
2. Under Local Licenses, navigate to the NI Software of interest. For example, Local Licenses » LabVIEW 2016 » Development System » Professional Development System. 
   • If the software is activated, the indicator next to it will appear green and the serial number will be displayed in the Serial Number field.

Volume License Agreement

If you are part of a Volume License Program, please note that this is a different licensing model, and license distribution typically does not involve the explicit use of serial numbers.

Volume License Programs are generally managed by a software administrator within your organization. You may need to contact your administrator to obtain the appropriate license permissions in order to activate your software.

The administrator's contact information can often be found using NI License Manager as outlined below:

Using NI License Manager 4.0 and Later:

• Navigate to the Network Licenses tab. The administrator's contact information is displayed on the left side of the screen.

Using NI License Manager 3.1 and Previous:

• Click on the Server Name, and the administrator contact information will be listed on the right side of the screen. 

Legacy: NI Software Delivered via Physical Media

In 2017, NI moved to digital delivery method for software installation media and away from physical media.  

If you’re using software that was previously delivered via physical media (like DVDs or USBs), you can use the Certificate of Ownership to find your serial number. 

The serial number is located on the Certificate of Ownership included in the software kit. If the software kit does not include a Certificate of Ownership, it is possible to find the serial number on the product packing slip or on the shipping label as shown below. 

Note: If you are still unable to locate your serial number, we recommend gathering all the available purchasing information and contacting NI Technical Support for further assistance.