Why do I receive a message that MATLAB will expire in XX days?

When I start MATLAB, I receive the following warning message:

ERROR: Your license will expire in xx days.
Please contact your system administrator or
MathWorks to renew this license.

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

If you are using a Campus-Wide License, follow the instructions in the URL below:

How can I update or reactivate my Campus-Wide License?

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/142392

You might receive this warning when the MATLAB license file on your computer has an expiration date set by your Administrator and needs to be updated. If you are the End User of the license, please try the suggestions below to update your license file.

 

1. Check license expiration date

Check the expiration date of the license you are using on MathWorks.com. You may need to renew your license or your trial license is expiring soon. You can check in the License Center from the link below.

License Center

https://www.mathworks.com/licensecenter

 

2. Update license files with the function in MATLAB

You will need administrative privileges on the computer to complete this process.

1. Open MATLAB.
2. Select the drop-down menu under the "Help" button on the toolbar.
3. Select "Licensing".
4. Select "Update Current Licenses".
5. Follow the prompts in the activation client that will now launch.
6. Restart MATLAB 

 

3. Update license files with the Activation Software

You will need administrative privileges on the computer to complete this process.

1. Open MATLAB
2. Select the drop-down menu under the "Help" button on the toolbar.
3. Select "Licensing".
4. Select "Activate Software".
5. Follow the prompts as given.

 

4. Update license files from License Center

• You will need administrative privileges on the computer to complete this process.
• Follow the instructions from the link below to manually update your license file from the License Center.

How do I activate MATLAB or other MathWorks products without an internet connection?

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/259627

 

5. Deactivate old license files

• Proceed with caution. Deactivating the incorrect license or not having activation privileges may leave you with no license file and no way to get it back. Please backup your license files before attempting deactivation. If you are unsure where license files may be, you can find their locations from this link here.
• You will need administrative privileges on the computer to complete this process.

1. Open MATLAB
2. Select the drop-down menu under the "Help" button on the toolbar.
3. Select "Licensing".
4. Select "Deactivate Software..."
5. Proceed with the prompts given. If you are unable to deactivate the license file, you will need to manually delete it.
6. Once deactivation is complete, you will need to re-activate MATLAB. Follow the instructions from this link here to re-activate MATLAB. If one method of activation does not create a new license file, try another method.

 

6. Delete/move old license files

• Proceed with caution. Any and all files you delete or move should be backed up in a safe and reliable place prior to deletion. Deleting or moving files may cause them to be permanently destroyed without any way of getting them back.
• You will need administrative privileges on the computer to complete this process.

1. Backup any and all license files in a reliable and safe location. If you do not know where license files are saved, click on this link here.
2. Delete or move the old license file to a non-licensing folder.
3. You will now need to re-activate MATLAB. Follow the instructions from this link here to re-activate MATLAB. If one method of activation does not create a new license file, try another method.

 

7. Contact License Administrator

If none of the steps from above have worked, then please contact your License Administrator as they might need to update the expiration date.

 

For License Administrators:

A video detailing how to update an expiration date on a license can be found below:

https://www.mathworks.com/videos/update-your-campus-wide-license-1600159973683.html

You can check the Service End date in the License Center. Please refer the below instructions for the same:

1. Log into your MathWorks Account: http://www.mathworks.com/account
2. Select the License.
3. Click on the Manage Products tab.
4. Check the Service End Date.
5. If your Service End date indicates that your license is not about to expire, then please follow the instructions below. However, if the Service End date indicates that your License is expiring then please get in touch with your License Administrators to check for renewal of the license

If you are the Administrator of the license and you need further written to change the expiration date of the license, then please follow the instructions in the URL below:

 

How can I set an expiration date for my license file?

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/103168

[Walter Roberson]

The procedure is the same on Mac OS.

[Walter Roberson]

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/93260-why-do-i-receive-license-manager-error-10

[Walter Roberson]

There are a few different kinds of licenses that can expire:

• Trial licenses are typically 30 days -- but trial licenses are never "purchased"
• MOOC licenses -- these are arranged by the university or professor, and can be set for arbitrary expiration dates. The end user (student) does not "purchase" these licenses.
• A kind of student license that I have not seen evidence of for at least 5 years, not sure if it still exists. Those licenses had to be purchased on-campus and were valid for 4 months, or 8 months, or 1 year.
• Academic licenses, by arrangement with Mathworks. These are valid for however long was paid for, typically one year, or however long is required to synchronize up with the institution fiscal year.
• Standard (commercial) licenses, by arrangement with Mathworks. These are valid for however long was paid for, typically one year, or however long is required to synchronize up with the institution fiscal year

Answer 2

[Riccardo Scorretti]

Just a comment. On Linux systems, I followed the procedure described at the point 3 -- that is:

1. Open MATLAB
2. Select the drop-down menu under the "Help" button on the toolbar.
3. Select "Licensing".
4. Select "Activate Software".
5. Follow the prompts as given.

but, after restarting Matlab I observe that in fact the license has not been upgraded, conversely to the message prompted by Matlab at the end of the procedure. It would be nice that in such cases matlab prompt a warning message indicating that the license could not be upgraded.

A simple work-around is to execute Matlab as super-user (= sudo matlab) so as to grant it the permission to overwrite the old license file. At least, this solved the problem for me.