# License Manager

![](https://2148706108-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FI8M5PHYsEEeI7qsOcPAD%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6c80487bb5005b0a0113558e8d7459cbed2a68da%2Flicense-manager.png?alt=media)

The license manager dialog (**Help -> License manager...**) lets you pick a license to use IDA with.

Depending on your licensing plan (e.g., floating), you may have the possibility\
to switch between various licenses located on the same license server (but having\
different sets of add-ons & decompilers, for example)

The active license is represented in **bold** in the list.\
Double-clicking on a line in the list, will make that license active,\
and make it the [preferred license](#preferred-license).

## Preferred license

Doing so will also make it the "preferred" license -- that is, it will\
be remembered for later sessions as being the default license to use.

## Borrowing & returning licenses

When using floating licenses from a server, it is possible to borrow the license for an extended period of time, thereby allowing offline work. Please use the context menu to achieve that.

## License management command line options

IDA recognizes the `-Olicense` command-line switch, with the following format:

1. `-Olicense:keyfile=<path-to-.hexlic-file>[:setpref]`
2. `-Olicense:server[:host=<hostname>][:port=<port>][:lid=<xx-xxxx-xxxx-xx>][:setpref]`

Where the optional bits are:

|           |                                                                              |
| --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `keyfile` | Path to the license file                                                     |
| `host`    | The license server host name                                                 |
| `port`    | The license server port                                                      |
| `lid`     | The license ID to use                                                        |
| `setpref` | Whether the selected license should be remembered as the prefererred license |

The command-line switch `-Olicense` takes precedence over both:

1. the preferred license information possibly stored in the registry, and
2. the [`IDA_LICENSE` environment variable](#license-management-environment-variable)

NOTE: The `-Olicense` switch (or [`IDA_LICENSE`](#license-management-environment-variable))\
will not, by default, overwrite the "preferred" license information in the registry.\
Specify `setpref` to achieve that.

NOTE: On Windows, the `<DriveLetter>:` scheme is recognized.\
Therefore `-Olicense:keyfile=C:/tmp/my.hexlic:setpref` will work as expected.

## License management environment variable

Alternatively, the `IDA_LICENSE` environment variable can be used\
to specify licensing information, and accepts the same format\
as [the `-Olicense` option](#license-management-command-line-options)

E.g., `IDA_LICENSE=server:host=<hostname>:…`