Steinberg dropping e-licenser support early 2025

[The Paul meister]

Hi all,

Somewhere in the process of creating a support ticket on Steinberg.net, I noticed a page saying the e-licenser will no longer work in early 2025.

I'm not sure what this means for Cubase and other software. At the moment I'm using my iLok dongle for Pod Farm 2 in Cubase Elements 13 on PC.

Can anyone shed any light on what this means, and what will happen early next year?

Cheers, Paul

[The Paul meister]

Sorry,

I think I've got confused here - the e-licenser and iLok dongles are 2 different things.

I have an old e-licenser which allows Cubase SE 3 to work. I'm using this to transfer files from Cubasis AV to Elements 13. SE 3 is like a bridge between them.

So I'm assuming dropping support for the e-licenser would only affect older products? I don't think all the current versions of Cubase etc need a dongle.

Any opinion on this would still be helpful.

[alexis]

Sorry,

I think I've got confused here - the e-licenser and iLok dongles are 2 different things.

I have an old e-licenser which allows Cubase SE 3 to work. I'm using this to transfer files from Cubasis AV to Elements 13. SE 3 is like a bridge between them.

So I'm assuming dropping support for the e-licenser would only affect older products? I don't think all the current versions of Cubase etc need a dongle.

Any opinion on this would still be helpful.

Hi The Paul meister -

As I understand it:
1) Cubase 12 and 13 (the current version) and subsequent versions do not and will not use the USB e-Licenser, or any e-Licenser. They will be accessed online (via the downloadable Steinberg Download Assistant app, Steinberg Activation Manager app, etc., all found on their support page)
2) Some old Steinberg products other than Cubase have been ported over from the e-Licenser to the online system, and Steinberg has promised some other old products will be ported over by the 2025 date. There are some old products they have not mentioned will or will not be ported over.

Steinberg's official announcement: https://forums.steinberg.net/t/elicense ... 025/909172

If you want to find whether your software of interest has been announced as being on the "will be ported over for use after the 2025 transition" list, as far as I know the best way is to search in the forum for possible.

Hope that helps!

[The Paul meister]

Yes, thanks for your reply

[sonics]

Once Steinberg drops support for the eLicenser, you have to trust it will keep working. If it breaks, you will not be able to relicense the product onto a new key.

I would take the next six months to get all your files updated to Elements 13, and then you'll be safe for the future. Three copies of everything, remember!

[wireman]

This caused me a bit of hassle with an upgrade to the latest Wavelab on a new PC with the older Wavelab on the old PC. I had to have e-Licenser installed (I initially refused the install) in order that the old dongle could be found as a prerequisite to installing the upgrade license in the new licenser.

[OneWorld]

I am dreading this. I have a pot-pouree of Steinberg products, plus Arturia products on me dongle and the whole thing works just fine.

I used to use way back when, Gigasampler and each change I made to the hardware, however insignificant meant re-activating the license, and it didn't always work

Using a licence on a dongle means I can use it on the laptop or desktop, I can change hardware, change operating system, whatever, no problem. From what I read about when the dongle is ditched, means everything has to be done online and the computer with the products installed means there has to be a permanent connection to the internet. I have the WiFi turned off, and the NIC ()for when the WiFi doesn't work) because I read the NIC and or WiFi can affect CPU use when using a DAW quite considerably.

[Zukan]

Upgrading to 13 has been nothing short of 'emotional'. I just installed a bug fix they pushed onto us and it removed a bunch of plugins. One day, I might find out why. Until then it has taken me 2 days to reinstall and license them...again.

[Carrick]

From what I read about when the dongle is ditched, means everything has to be done online and the computer with the products installed means there has to be a permanent connection to the internet.

When using my copy of Wavelab Essentials, under the new licensing setup, it doesn't have to be permanently on-line to work. However, it may do checks every so often, but can't find anything to say so, or how often.

Earlier this year, I migrated to a new PC but left the e-licenser info on the old one for my copy of Wavelab essentials. The drive then became unbootable so I could not release the keys etc. Steinberg support did help out, but it was not an easy transition. However, since then it has been fine, although the PC is usually connected to the internet.

Wi-fi etc, is not so much of an issue now compared to years ago because of the increase in computing power, but still is good practice to not have unused resources enabled on the computer.

[djangodeadman]

I am dreading this. I have a pot-pouree of Steinberg products, plus Arturia products on me dongle and the whole thing works just fine.

I used to use way back when, Gigasampler and each change I made to the hardware, however insignificant meant re-activating the license, and it didn't always work

Using a licence on a dongle means I can use it on the laptop or desktop, I can change hardware, change operating system, whatever, no problem. From what I read about when the dongle is ditched, means everything has to be done online and the computer with the products installed means there has to be a permanent connection to the internet. I have the WiFi turned off, and the NIC ()for when the WiFi doesn't work) because I read the NIC and or WiFi can affect CPU use when using a DAW quite considerably.

You are allowed three activations for each piece of Steinberg software under the new licensing arrangements. You have to be online to activate the software on a device. You are free to move the activations from one device to another, although you must first deactivate one of your devices (assuming that you have already used up your three activations) and that device has to be online for you to deactivate it. However, there is a process for deactivating a device to which you no longer have access.

You do NOT have to be online to use the software and there is no requirement to periodically “check in”. As I recall, Steinberg originally proposed that the software would have to “check in” every 90 days, but there was such opposition to this on the Steinberg forums that the idea was dropped.

It’s actually all fairly straightforward and, in my experience, works well. That’s of no comfort to someone who has experienced issues, as Zukan has, of course.

If you are using older versions of Steinberg software, which don’t use the new licensing system, the your eLicenser should continue to work as it does now. However, once the eLicenser servers are turned off next year, you will not be able to change any activations on your eLicenser and if it becomes damaged or is lost, you will no longer be able to use the software.

Have a look at this link for more details:
https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-u ... -Licensing

[OneWorld]

I am dreading this. I have a pot-pouree of Steinberg products, plus Arturia products on me dongle and the whole thing works just fine.

I used to use way back when, Gigasampler and each change I made to the hardware, however insignificant meant re-activating the license, and it didn't always work

Using a licence on a dongle means I can use it on the laptop or desktop, I can change hardware, change operating system, whatever, no problem. From what I read about when the dongle is ditched, means everything has to be done online and the computer with the products installed means there has to be a permanent connection to the internet. I have the WiFi turned off, and the NIC ()for when the WiFi doesn't work) because I read the NIC and or WiFi can affect CPU use when using a DAW quite considerably.

You are allowed three activations for each piece of Steinberg software under the new licensing arrangements. You have to be online to activate the software on a device. You are free to move the activations from one device to another, although you must first deactivate one of your devices (assuming that you have already used up your three activations) and that device has to be online for you to deactivate it. However, there is a process for deactivating a device to which you no longer have access.

You do NOT have to be online to use the software and there is no requirement to periodically “check in”. As I recall, Steinberg originally proposed that the software would have to “check in” every 90 days, but there was such opposition to this on the Steinberg forums that the idea was dropped.

It’s actually all fairly straightforward and, in my experience, works well. That’s of no comfort to someone who has experienced issues, as Zukan has, of course.

If you are using older versions of Steinberg software, which don’t use the new licensing system, the your eLicenser should continue to work as it does now. However, once the eLicenser servers are turned off next year, you will not be able to change any activations on your eLicenser and if it becomes damaged or is lost, you will no longer be able to use the software.

Have a look at this link for more details:
https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-u ... -Licensing

Thanks a lot for that. That is very helpful. I want to keep the old copies, onthe eLicencer and understand that yes the licensing servers will be turned off, but with the licence safe on the dongle it doesn';t matter.

And, it's not as if I'll realistically be swapping set ups all the while and now WIndows has become more stable I find I don't need to re-install the vanilla setup (Windows pruned back, Cubase, Halion, Groove Agent etc installed) as much as I used to

[Kayvon]

What do people think about buying a final USB dongle for longevity's sake? If it ain't broke don't fix it? My one has been going since 2008, not continuously been left on but some good stretches here and there. I've got the old, larger one. Sustained a little crack in the plastic a few years back but nothing major.

Can we even do dongle transfers if we've moved our Cubase licenses over to the Steinberg Licensing system?

I guess it's a bit speculative whether or not I'll at some point want to do something for retro's sake like have an XP system with SX3 on it.

[sonics]

What do people think about buying a final USB dongle for longevity's sake?

Can we even do dongle transfers if we've moved our Cubase licenses over to the Steinberg Licensing system?

That is an interesting point. If your dongle is really 17 years old, I would certainly consider buying a new one if the license is important to you. Even if you have a legacy license on one, I'd have thought that it can be moved to another dongle, if only whilst Steinberg's server are active. Please let us know if you try it. I might even consider doing it myself.

[Kayvon]

What do people think about buying a final USB dongle for longevity's sake?

Can we even do dongle transfers if we've moved our Cubase licenses over to the Steinberg Licensing system?

That is an interesting point. If your dongle is really 17 years old, I would certainly consider buying a new one if the license is important to you. Even if you have a legacy license on one, I'd have thought that it can be moved to another dongle, if only whilst Steinberg's server are active. Please let us know if you try it. I might even consider doing it myself.

Much as I'd like to believe 2008 wasn't 16 years ago basic maths tells me my dongle is indeed at least 16 years and 2 months old (going by the receipt in my emails).

I guess it's one of those with a bath tub failure distribution curve so if I was a statistician with access to data I could take an informed gamble but lets say it is 17 years old then maybe it would be prudent to get another one. I'll do some Googling about whether it's possible to move legacy licences over to a new dongle. Perhaps sooner rather than later would be better because once those servers are down then they're down. You'd hope Steinberg would honour a new dongle in the window before the servers go down on the basis of electronic equipment by consumer law requiring at least a year's warranty. But that's all pretty sketchy especially if you have to wait for Steinberg to get back to you before 2025 lol

[Kayvon]

I just thought of something, if they're shutting down the e-licenser service then I suppose the dongle is useless as far as installing Cubase etc on computers in the future. If it doesn't already exist on a system then I guess we won't be able to install it. I wonder how it'll work on old systems anyway seeing as that software needs to go online ¿

I might just leave it in the past. Must get around to moving over to the Steinberg Licensing system on my previous Intel Mac Mini.

[sonics]

I just thought of something, if they're shutting down the e-licenser service then I suppose the dongle is useless as far as installing Cubase etc on computers in the future. If it doesn't already exist on a system then I guess we won't be able to install it. I wonder how it'll work on old systems anyway seeing as that software needs to go online ¿

I don't think that's right. If you have the licensing software installed, and the physical key, you can install the software on another computer, surely?
If you have all the installers and content downloaded (as I have) then online access should not be required.

[djangodeadman]

I just thought of something, if they're shutting down the e-licenser service then I suppose the dongle is useless as far as installing Cubase etc on computers in the future. If it doesn't already exist on a system then I guess we won't be able to install it. I wonder how it'll work on old systems anyway seeing as that software needs to go online ¿

I don't think that's right. If you have the licensing software installed, and the physical key, you can install the software on another computer, surely?
If you have all the installers and content downloaded (as I have) then online access should not be required.

That would be my understanding also.

[SafeandSound Mastering]

I will also have to have a think about this now. My very ancient music making machine still goes strong and does what is asked of it.

It runs 9.0.2 on a dongle at the moment. Should this machine break down then I could continue with 9.0.2 ona new machine and dongle assuming all installers are present including elicensor. Caveats being, do I want to run C9 on Win 11 awaiting any possible incompatibilities with a literal tonne of 3rd party VST/VSTi.

Would that still have to synchronize online at some point ? And how to shift that licence to dongleless if Elicensor is not longer supported etc.

Whilst running this for a much longer time would be great I start to think a new music making machine and a licence upgrade is on the cards at some point.

Never had an elicensor dongle malfunction so far luckily.

My PCI RME 9632 will be defunct on that new machine so the cost goes up and up.. New Cubase, new audio interface, new PC, find out what needs updates etc.

It seems like a really messy time with Cubase the last few years and that look set to continue whilst dongle use is deprecated.

The antithesis of free creative feeling I would say.

A mine field of mess is closer to the mark. I do love Cubase but no one needs this hassle.

[djangodeadman]

I will also have to have a think about this now. My very ancient music making machine still goes strong and does what is asked of it.

It runs 9.0.2 on a dongle at the moment. Should this machine break down then I could continue with 9.0.2 ona new machine and dongle assuming all installers are present including elicensor. Caveats being, do I want to run C9 on Win 11 awaiting any possible incompatibilities with a literal tonne of 3rd party VST/VSTi.

Would that still have to synchronize online at some point ? And how to shift that licence to dongleless if Elicensor is not longer supported etc.

Whilst running this for a much longer time would be great I start to think a new music making machine and a licence upgrade is on the cards at some point.

Never had an elicensor dongle malfunction so far luckily.

My PCI RME 9632 will be defunct on that new machine so the cost goes up and up.. New Cubase, new audio interface, new PC, find out what needs updates etc.

It seems like a really messy time with Cubase the last few years and that look set to continue whilst dongle use is deprecated.

The antithesis of free creative feeling I would say.

A mine field of mess is closer to the mark. I do love Cubase but no one needs this hassle.

It’s really not terribly complicated.

Versions of Cubase from 12 onwards do not use the eLicenser, but a system called Steinberg Licensing. Your version 9 will continue to run on your dongle, so long as the dongle continues to work, even once Steinberg turn off the eLicenser server. There is no way, as far as I know, to convert your license for Cubase 9 to a dongle-less license.

If you should choose to upgrade from Cubase 9 to 13 (currently available at a 50% discount), version 13 will use the Steinberg Licensing system. This allows for installation on up to three different machines and for movement of licenses from one machine to another. You will be able to continue to use version 9, provided you have the dongle attached. However, once the eLicenser server is turned off, early in 2025, you will not be able to upgrade to version 13 from any version earlier than version 12. This is because the upgrade process from earlier versions requires access to the server.

It’s all explained here:
https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-u ... -Licensing

[SafeandSound Mastering]

Thanks for the clarification it is highly appreciated.

At the minute I have zero plan or enthusiasm to use Cubase 13 over 9 on this dated W10 music making machine.

At the moment I have a licence for Cubase 12 running on my mastering DAW.

I am imagining this 12 licence could also be installed on my music making machine (as you are suggesting for V13) ? If so, very cool, problem solved without spending a penny.

I own 2 seperate licences for 9.0.2 at the moment on 2 sep dongles. One having been upgraded to 12 using the new system.

If what you are saying is correct then I can just dump the dongle on the music machine entirely and run an install 2/3 of the V12 licence using the new licencing I own, once I have bought a new PC in X number of years.

Seems that is possible, problem solved.

https://forums.steinberg.net/t/using-cu ... ter/830661

Djangodeadman if there was a like button I would have clicked it. I am so deeply focussed on mastering on my old trusted and reliable PC's (new one to go in service shortly) that all the updates these days seem like a bigger chor than they are. I am so over it all and bored senseless. I can produce a track with 160 tracks on an old 4 core machines using 100's of VST and - effects and still have ASIO left.(using 1 x 17inch TFT and a mouse and just a MIDI keyboard, no controllers.)

You can do pretty much anything even on an old machine so the constant update-o-rama is lost on me I want reliability, efficiency and stability over features and a bit more CPU power every update. It's frankly exhausitng and a load of work I do not need or enjoy or barely even benefit from. Never been or needed to be on the B-leading edge.

I did a write up on this tune I made, 160 tracks mostly VSTi and effects running live on a PC with a 2011 Intel CPU

https://www.masteringmastering.co.uk/in ... racks.html

We have so much now but the update/upgrade game is a real drag.

[djangodeadman]

Thanks for the clarification it is highly appreciated.

At the moment I have a licence for Cubase 12 running on my mastering DAW.

I am imagining this 12 licence could also be installed on my music making machine (as you are suggesting for V13) ? If so, very cool, problem solved without spending a penny.

I own 2 seperate licences for 9.0.2 at the moment on 2 sep dongles. One having been upgraded to 12 using the new system.

If what you are saying is correct then I can just dump the dongle on the music machine entirely and run an install 2/3 of the V12 licence using the new licencing I own, once I have bought a new PC in X number of years.

Seems that is possible, problem solved.

I think so, yes.

[sonics]

I am imagining this 12 licence could also be installed on my music making machine (as you are suggesting for V13) ? If so, very cool, problem solved without spending a penny.

I've laid this out to other users in other threads, too. It's a bit of a mess, but you need to decide what you're going to do before time runs out.

You could sell the second copy and let someone else upgrade it before the end of the year, or do it yourself and sell either the v12 or v13 you'll then own. If you leave it at v9 it will lose its upgrade value.

... so the constant update-o-rama is lost on me I want reliability, efficiency and stability over features and a bit more CPU power every update. It's frankly exhausitng and a load of work I do not need or enjoy or barely even benefit from.

We have so much now but the update/upgrade game is a real drag.

I'm with you on that. I remember hating the push to upgrade from Windows 7 to 10 many years ago, but after all the work it was well worth it. I've most definitely benefitted from being able to install upgrades for bug fixes and useful new features in the software I use. Try and enjoy the positives.

[SafeandSound Mastering]

In this case Steinberg new licencsing allows me to activate 12 on this PC so that is a great thing.

I suppose after 20 years + professional use you get tired of it all.

Especially when CPU updates rarely give the performance once expects.

One of the best possible updates is plug ins that very often optimize and reduce CPU usgae after 4-5 years and allow you to claw back a very significant amount of CPu cycles for free. In my experience this is very positive.

You can do so much on something so very old.

[Kayvon]

I just thought of something, if they're shutting down the e-licenser service then I suppose the dongle is useless as far as installing Cubase etc on computers in the future. If it doesn't already exist on a system then I guess we won't be able to install it. I wonder how it'll work on old systems anyway seeing as that software needs to go online ¿

I don't think that's right. If you have the licensing software installed, and the physical key, you can install the software on another computer, surely?
If you have all the installers and content downloaded (as I have) then online access should not be required.

Ah right. Cheers for that. I thought going online was part of the eLicenser software's setup process, my mistake. I best download the installers then.

Regarding buying a new USB dongle for reliability into the future I'm currently thinking not to bother, if it's lasted 16 years then lets assume it was well made with good componentry and will continue to last as long as any decent electronic device will. I'll not venture that I'll be as lucky with a newer, smaller one.

It's funny, not mentioning the taboo of cracked software when talking about defunct, unsupported software. I'm doing something similar as I try and hang on to my legit copies of FXpansion's Geist which apparently is owned by Roli but languishes as abandonware.

I look forward to using Cubase SX3 and Geist on a Windows XP system in 2050, legitimately

[sonics]

Regarding buying a new USB dongle for reliability into the future I'm currently thinking not to bother, if it's lasted 16 years then lets assume it was well made with good componentry and will continue to last as long as any decent electronic device will. I'll not venture that I'll be as lucky with a newer, smaller one.

I'd be tempted to go for a new dongle, run that constantly until the end of the year and if it's okay, stick with that. Your original may be good now, but it is still very old.

I look forward to using Cubase SX3 and Geist on a Windows XP system in 2050, legitimately

If it makes good music, why not?!