---
id: settings.services-says-not-activated-background-work-paused
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/settings/services-says-not-activated-background-work-paused
category: "Settings & keep-time"
subcategory: "Services and self-healing"
question: "Why does Services say background work stays paused until I activate?"
alt_questions:
  - "Not activated background work paused"
  - "License on hold storage studio"
  - "Storage Studio not doing anything after trial"
  - "Invalid license services row"
short_answer: "Not activated means there's no active trial or licence on this Mac, so automatic work waits. Activate in Settings → License. Items already moved keep working either way."
tags: ["license", "services", "activation"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/licensing-payments/how-do-i-check-my-licence-status-from-services"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Why does Services say background work stays paused until I activate?

When **Your plan** reads **Not activated**, Storage Studio has no active trial or licence on this Mac, so automatic background work waits until you activate. Open **Settings → License** to start or activate a plan.

**License on hold** is different: things you've already moved keep working and nothing is deleted, but new moves and offloads pause until the hold is lifted. **Invalid license** asks you to re-activate in **Settings → License**. More in [activating your licence](https://storagestudio.us/manual/activate).