Activation And License Troubleshooting
Resolve license activation, locked status, device binding, and offline validation issues.
Use this page when a license key does not activate, a Pro feature is locked, or a previously working license stops authorizing MachinesFluent.
What The License Unlocks
MachinesFluent can run without a license for free features. A valid license unlocks Pro-gated features such as AI workflows and Pro speech engines.
| Status you may see | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Authorized | The app has a valid license state and Pro features should be available. |
| Needs license | No valid license key is stored, so Pro features are locked. |
| Locked | A license exists or was attempted, but validation or a temporary storage/service problem did not allow access. |
The exact wording may vary by app version, but the practical split is the same: authorized, needs a license, or locked by a validation issue.
Activation Checklist
If activation fails:
- Copy the license key again from the original purchase or account email.
- Remove leading or trailing spaces before submitting.
- Confirm the computer is online.
- Restart MachinesFluent and try activation again.
- If the key was already used on another computer, deactivate it there first or use the customer portal if available.
Do not share your license key in public screenshots, posts, or bug reports.
If Pro Features Stay Locked
Try a conservative path:
- Open the license area in settings and check the current status.
- Restart MachinesFluent to run the normal startup validation path.
- Confirm the computer has internet access.
- Try a free local speech engine to confirm the app itself is otherwise working.
If only Pro engines or AI features are blocked, the issue is probably license validation rather than microphone or speech recognition.
Device Binding
Dodo counts activation instances against the license's device allowance. MachinesFluent does not use a hardware fingerprint for that binding. A normal restart, Windows update, VPN change, or network-adapter change should not make a license saved by the fixed release unreadable.
Moving to another PC, reinstalling Windows, restoring a VM without the current Windows credential, or changing Windows user accounts can remove the locally stored activation binding. Activating again may then use another Dodo device slot.
If you still have the old computer:
- Deactivate the license on the old computer.
- Activate the license on the new computer.
If you do not have access to the old computer, use the customer portal or contact support.
The first update from the retired machine-encrypted credential format may ask for the key once. One successful activation replaces that old value; later launches and Windows restarts should keep reading the new Windows-protected credential.
Offline Grace Period
MachinesFluent can continue authorizing from a previously validated license for a limited offline period. If the computer stays offline too long, Pro features may lock until online validation succeeds again.
If you see an offline or grace-period issue:
- reconnect to the internet
- restart MachinesFluent
- confirm the subscription itself has not expired
Common Failure Reasons
| Reason | What to do |
|---|---|
| Invalid key | Re-copy the key from the official source and try again. |
| Activation limit | Deactivate another device or use the customer portal. |
| Wrong device | Move the license properly or contact support. |
| Expired or revoked | Check the subscription or account portal. |
| Offline | Reconnect and validate again. |
| Backend unavailable | Restart MachinesFluent and try again after the app is fully loaded. |
| Secure storage unavailable | Restart MachinesFluent. If the storage error remains, contact support instead of repeatedly entering the key. |
When To Contact Support
Include:
- MachinesFluent version
- license status and reason shown in the app
- whether this is a new activation or a previously working license
- whether you recently changed computer, reinstalled Windows, restored a VM, or changed Windows user accounts
- whether the computer can reach the internet
- relevant log files from
%APPDATA%\MachinesFluent\logs\
Do not include the full license key unless support explicitly asks for a secure channel.