---
id: licensing-payments.this-code-is-already-activated-on-a-different-mac
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/licensing-payments/this-code-is-already-activated-on-a-different-mac
category: "Licensing & payments"
subcategory: "Your licence and your Macs"
question: "What does \"This code is already activated on a different Mac\" mean?"
alt_questions:
  - "license code already in use"
  - "code already activated another Mac"
  - "can't activate on new MacBook"
  - "activation refused different Mac"
short_answer: "Your code is locked to the Mac where it was first activated. Reply to your activation email or contact support to release the lock, then activate on the new Mac."
tags: ["license code", "new mac", "messages"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/licensing-payments/can-i-move-my-licence-to-a-new-mac", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/licensing-payments/how-many-macs-can-i-use-my-licence-on"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What does "This code is already activated on a different Mac" mean?

Your License Code is locked to the Mac where it was first activated, and this is a different Mac. That protects your licence from being used by someone else.

To move it, reply to your activation email or contact support@storagestudio.us. We release the lock, and the next activation — from your new Mac — ties the code to that machine.