Authorizing Ableton products

Before working with Ableton products, you will need to authorize them for use with your computer.

For your convenience, there are two ways to authorize. You can either authorize a computer directly with the Ableton server (if the computer is connected to the internet), or get an authorization file to take to another computer (if that computer is not connected to the internet.)

If you do not yet have a serial number, you can still use Live (with or without its add-on instruments) but you will not be able to save or export your work. If you want to try out Live with saving and exporting enabled, you can request a free 30-day license within Live. Please note that this license can only be authorized online, and Live will need to connect to the Ableton server each time you run it before you can save or export.

Authorizing online

Authorizing online is the easiest way to authorize, as Live connects directly to the Ableton server and authorizes automatically. To authorize online, you will need internet access for the computer on which you have installed Live. You will be guided through the authorization process by Live.

1. To authorize online, first install Live. Get the most up-to-date installer for your version at www.ableton.com/account/downloads
2. When starting Live, you will see an authorization dialog:

3. Click "Authorize with ableton.com"
4. Your web browser will open and take you to ableton.com, where you will be prompted to log in to your Ableton user account (or create a user account if you don't have one yet)
5. Once you're logged in, your Ableton license(s) are displayed in a list. (If you don't see your license, click on "Add a new product" and enter your serial number)
6. Click the "Authorize" button next to your license
7. The ableton.com server will send authorization information to your computer and launch Live if it is not already open. Live will then automatically authorize

Note: In some cases, Live may not authorize automatically. If this happens, try accessing the authorization page with another web browser. Some free ones for both Mac and PC include Firefox, Chrome and Opera. If you're still unable to authorize online, follow the instructions below to download an authorization file to your computer, which you can then use to authorize Live.

Authorize offline

If the computer on which you've installed Live is not connected to the internet, follow these instructions to authorize:

1. First, install Live on the computer that you wish to use it on
2. When starting Live, you will see an authorization dialog:

3. Click "No Internet on this computer"
4. Live will show another dialog:

5. Write down the hardware code shown in this dialog, as well as your serial number if you have one. You can also save this information as a text file to make it easier to refer to in the following steps
6. Take your hardware code (and serial number if you have one) as well as a portable storage device such as a USB key to a computer with an internet connection
7. On the internet-connected computer, go to www.ableton.com/account/licenses/offline_authorization
8. You will be prompted to log in to your Ableton user account (or create a user account if you don't have one yet)
9. Once you're logged in, select your Ableton license from the list. If you don't see your product, you can register your serial number at www.ableton.com/account/licenses under "Add a new product" and then click "Authorize Live on a different computer."
10. After selecting the license to authorize, enter your hardware code from Live and click "Download File."
11. The Ableton server will generate an authorization (.auz) file for you to download.
12. Click "Download File." The Ableton server will generate an authorization (.auz) file for you.
13. Save the authorization file to your portable storage device
14. Go back to the computer on which you've installed Live
15. Double-click the .auz file. Live 8 should open and authorize automatically. (If this does not work, open Live 8 and drag the .auz file onto the authorization dialog)

Authorizing add-on products purchased later

If you purchase additional Ableton products (such as Operator or Max for Live) after you have already authorized Live, you will need to authorize the new products as well. To do this:

1. Start Live
2. Open Live's Preferences and go to the User Account/Licenses tab:

You will see options to initiate online or offline authorization. Choose one of these options and then follow the same steps listed above.