Activation & Licensing

How to activate, deactivate, and manage your PDF Mail Engine license.

This guide explains how to activate your license for PDF Mail Engine, manage your devices, and understand your licensing rights (Hybrid Perpetual License).

Overview

The Activation section in the System view allows you to manage your software license. From here, you can activate the software, check your maintenance expiry date, or deactivate the license to move it to another computer.

Unlicensed Mode Restrictions

Before activation, PDF Mail Engine runs in Unlicensed Mode (Trial Mode). While you can access all features to test the software, the following operational limits apply:

  • PDF Generation: Limited to 1 file per execution.
  • Email Sending: Limited to 1 email per execution.

How to Activate

  1. Open PDF Mail Engine and navigate to the System page.
  2. Locate the License Information section.
  3. Click the Activate License button.
  4. Enter the License Key you received via email (e.g., XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX).
  5. Click Activate.

Once successful, the status will change to Active, and the limitations will be removed instantly.

Managing Your License

Deactivating Your License

You can deactivate a license to free up a slot for another machine. This can be done in two ways:

Option A: In-App Deactivation (Recommended)

  1. Go to the System page on the device you want to deactivate.
  2. Click the Deactivate License button.
  3. Confirm the deactivation.

Option B: Remote Deactivation (Lemon Squeezy) If you no longer have access to the device (e.g., lost, broken, or reformatted) or prefer to manage it online, you can deactivate it via the Customer Portal.

  1. Log in to the Lemon Squeezy "My Orders" Portal.
  2. Locate your PDF Mail Engine order.
  3. Click on Licenses (or "Manage License").
  4. Find the specific device in the list and click Deactivate.

Understanding Your License (Hybrid Perpetual)

PDF Mail Engine uses a Hybrid Perpetual License model.

  • Perpetual Ownership: You own the license forever.
  • 1-Year Update Support: Your purchase includes 1 year of free updates.
    • You can indefinitely use any version released before your Maintenance Expiry date (typically 1 year from purchase).
    • Example: If you purchase on Jan 1, 2026, you can use any version released up to Jan 1, 2027, forever.

Determining Eligible Versions

The System page displays your Maintenance Expiry date.

  • Active: You are eligible to update to the latest version.
  • Expired (Red Text): Your update period has ended.
    • Allowed: You can continue using your current installed version (or any older eligible version) indefinitely.
    • Restricted: Versions released after your expiry date will typically revert to Unlicensed Mode.

Extending Your License

If you purchase a license renewal/extension:

  • Your Maintenance Expiry date is extended.
  • The "Perpetual Fallback" version is updated to the new expiry date.
  • You gain access to all versions released during the extended period forever.

Using Older Versions (Downgrade)

If you accidentally update to a version you are not eligible for (and revert to Unlicensed Mode):

  1. Check your license expiry date in the System page.
  2. Visit the official website download page.
  3. Download and install the last version released before your expiry date.
  4. Your license will activate and work unrestrictedly on that version.