{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "The License pane",
  "slug": "the-license-pane",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-license-pane",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-license-pane.md",
  "category": "Licensing & payments",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/licensing-and-payments/",
  "tags": [
    "licence",
    "settings",
    "billing",
    "trial"
  ],
  "summary": "Settings → License shows your trial or licence status, your plan and billing details, and every way to activate, buy, extend or fix a payment. It also has the Updates and Support cards. A smaller licence card at the bottom of the popover shows the same status at a glance.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:19:42.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T12:54:25.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What it shows, by situation",
      "id": "what-it-shows-by-situation"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "The Status card",
      "id": "the-status-card"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "The Subscription section",
      "id": "the-subscription-section"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Activating, buying and coupons",
      "id": "activating-buying-and-coupons"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Updates and Support",
      "id": "updates-and-support"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "The licence card in the popover",
      "id": "the-licence-card-in-the-popover"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Reminders you may see",
      "id": "reminders-you-may-see"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "billing-and-invoices",
      "label": "Billing & invoices",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/billing-and-invoices"
    },
    {
      "slug": "activating-your-licence",
      "label": "Activating your licence",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/activating-your-licence"
    },
    {
      "slug": "buying-a-licence",
      "label": "Buying a licence",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/buying-a-licence"
    },
    {
      "slug": "fix-payment",
      "label": "When a payment didn't go through",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/fix-payment"
    },
    {
      "slug": "payment-processing",
      "label": "Payment processing",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/payment-processing"
    },
    {
      "slug": "preferences-window",
      "label": "The Preferences window",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/preferences-window"
    },
    {
      "slug": "the-free-trial",
      "label": "The free trial",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-free-trial"
    },
    {
      "slug": "when-your-licence-ends",
      "label": "When a trial or licence ends",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/when-your-licence-ends"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "activating-your-licence",
      "title": "Activating your licence",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/activating-your-licence"
    },
    {
      "slug": "billing-and-invoices",
      "title": "Billing & invoices",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/billing-and-invoices"
    },
    {
      "slug": "buying-a-licence",
      "title": "Buying a licence",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/buying-a-licence"
    },
    {
      "slug": "coupons-and-codes",
      "title": "Coupons and onboarding codes",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/coupons-and-codes"
    },
    {
      "slug": "extending-your-trial",
      "title": "Extending your trial",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/extending-your-trial"
    },
    {
      "slug": "how-recurring-payments-work",
      "title": "How recurring payments work",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-recurring-payments-work"
    },
    {
      "slug": "keeping-storage-studio-up-to-date",
      "title": "Keeping Storage Studio up to date",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/keeping-storage-studio-up-to-date"
    },
    {
      "slug": "payment-needed",
      "title": "Payment needed",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/payment-needed"
    },
    {
      "slug": "my-drive-code-didnt-arrive",
      "title": "The My Drive code didn't arrive or doesn't work",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/my-drive-code-didnt-arrive"
    },
    {
      "slug": "preferences-window",
      "title": "The Preferences window",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/preferences-window"
    },
    {
      "slug": "moving-to-a-new-mac",
      "title": "Using your licence on a new Mac",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/moving-to-a-new-mac"
    },
    {
      "slug": "when-your-licence-ends",
      "title": "When a trial or licence ends",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/when-your-licence-ends"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "How the License pane decides what to show first",
      "outline": "- Open Settings, License\n  - leads to Licence ended over a payment?\n- Licence ended over a payment?\n  - Yes: leads to Payment needed panel\n  - No: leads to Licensed?\n- Licensed?\n  - Yes: leads to Status, Subscription, Delta Trust plan\n  - No: leads to Trial ended?\n- Trial ended?\n  - Yes: leads to Extend trial, then activate or buy\n  - No: leads to Status, then activate or buy\n",
      "source": "%% caption: How the License pane decides what to show first\nflowchart TD\n  A[Open Settings, License] --> B{Licence ended over a payment?}\n  B -->|Yes| C[Payment needed panel]\n  B -->|No| D{Licensed?}\n  D -->|Yes| E[Status, Subscription, Delta Trust plan]\n  D -->|No| F{Trial ended?}\n  F -->|Yes| G[Extend trial, then activate or buy]\n  F -->|No| H[Status, then activate or buy]"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "Settings → License for an active licence, showing the Status card with a green seal and \"Licensed — Annual\", the Subscription section, the Updates card and the Support card",
      "caption": "The License pane with an active licence"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "Settings → License is where everything about your trial or licence lives: its status, your plan, how to activate or buy, and what to do if a payment needs attention. It changes with your situation, so it always leads with the thing you most likely need to do next. What it shows, by situation Your situation What the pane leads with Trial running Status (\"Trial active\", days left and end date), then the activation and buy options Trial ended Not ready to buy? Extend your trial (when offered), then Have a licence key or onboarding code? , then Status Licensed Status , Subscription , and a Delta Trust section for that plan Payment problem that ended the licence Payment needed (or Your subscription has ended ), with the key form folded away under Have a different licence key? The pane checks with our servers every time you open it, so it is always current. The Status card The heading tells you where you stand — for example Licensed — Monthly , Licensed (working offline) , Trial active , Trial ended , Payment needed , Subscription ended or Licence inactive — with a line underneath that explains it. \"Working offline\" means we haven't reached our servers for a while; your subscription is still valid, and the message clears once you're back online. The Subscription section When you're licensed you see Plan , Started , Last paid (or Valid for a lifetime licence) and Email , and these buttons: Billing & invoices , which opens your own secure billing page in one click — invoices, your card and cancelling, with no website login. See Billing & invoices ; Refresh status , which checks with our servers now; Remove from this Mac , which unlinks this Mac from your licence without cancelling anything. Activating, buying and coupons Have a licence key or onboarding code? takes your email and your 25-character key, with an Activate button and Can't find your licence key? Email it to me underneath. Below that, Don't have a code? Buy a plan has a coupon box and a Buy a plan button. See Activating your licence and Buying a licence . How the License pane decides what to show first Flowchart outline: How the License pane decides what to show first Open Settings, License leads to Licence ended over a payment? Licence ended over a payment? Yes: leads to Payment needed panel No: leads to Licensed? Licensed? Yes: leads to Status, Subscription, Delta Trust plan No: leads to Trial ended? Trial ended? Yes: leads to Extend trial, then activate or buy No: leads to Status, then activate or buy Updates and Support At the bottom, Updates shows the latest and installed versions with Check Now , and Support shows the addresses to write to. The licence card in the popover The bottom of the menu-bar popover has a smaller licence card. During a trial it shows the days left, when the trial started and ends, and buttons that open checkout for each plan. With a licence it shows your plan, a Billing & invoices button and, if a payment didn't go through, a Fix Payment button above it — see When a payment didn't go through . While a payment is still clearing, the card shows the Payment processing note and a Check again button instead — see Payment processing . Reminders you may see \"Only N days left in your free trial\" in the notifications bell near the end of a trial. \"Your plan renews on\" a date, shortly before a renewal. Payment didn't go through , a red item that can't be dismissed and keeps the menu-bar badge showing until the payment is sorted. It clears itself once the payment lands. Payment processing , an informational item while a payment is clearing. There's nothing to do. See also: Billing & invoices , The Preferences window , The free trial , When a trial or licence ends .",
  "markdown": "**Settings → License** is where everything about your trial or licence lives: its status, your plan, how to activate or buy, and what to do if a payment needs attention. It changes with your situation, so it always leads with the thing you most likely need to do next.\n\n## What it shows, by situation\n\n| Your situation | What the pane leads with |\n|---|---|\n| Trial running | **Status** (\"Trial active\", days left and end date), then the activation and buy options |\n| Trial ended | **Not ready to buy? Extend your trial** (when offered), then **Have a licence key or onboarding code?**, then **Status** |\n| Licensed | **Status**, **Subscription**, and a **Delta Trust** section for that plan |\n| Payment problem that ended the licence | **Payment needed** (or **Your subscription has ended**), with the key form folded away under **Have a different licence key?** |\n\nThe pane checks with our servers every time you open it, so it is always current.\n\n## The Status card\n\nThe heading tells you where you stand — for example **Licensed — Monthly**, **Licensed (working offline)**, **Trial active**, **Trial ended**, **Payment needed**, **Subscription ended** or **Licence inactive** — with a line underneath that explains it. \"Working offline\" means we haven't reached our servers for a while; your subscription is still valid, and the message clears once you're back online.\n\n## The Subscription section\n\nWhen you're licensed you see **Plan**, **Started**, **Last paid** (or **Valid** for a lifetime licence) and **Email**, and these buttons:\n\n- **Billing & invoices**, which opens your own secure billing page in one click — invoices, your card and cancelling, with no website login. See [Billing & invoices](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/billing-and-invoices);\n- **Refresh status**, which checks with our servers now;\n- **Remove from this Mac**, which unlinks this Mac from your licence without cancelling anything.\n\n## Activating, buying and coupons\n\n**Have a licence key or onboarding code?** takes your email and your 25-character key, with an **Activate** button and **Can't find your licence key? Email it to me** underneath. Below that, **Don't have a code? Buy a plan** has a coupon box and a **Buy a plan** button. See [Activating your licence](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/activating-your-licence) and [Buying a licence](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/buying-a-licence).\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: How the License pane decides what to show first\nflowchart TD\n  A[Open Settings, License] --> B{Licence ended over a payment?}\n  B -->|Yes| C[Payment needed panel]\n  B -->|No| D{Licensed?}\n  D -->|Yes| E[Status, Subscription, Delta Trust plan]\n  D -->|No| F{Trial ended?}\n  F -->|Yes| G[Extend trial, then activate or buy]\n  F -->|No| H[Status, then activate or buy]\n```\n\n*Flowchart — How the License pane decides what to show first. Outline:*\n\n- Open Settings, License\n  - leads to Licence ended over a payment?\n- Licence ended over a payment?\n  - Yes: leads to Payment needed panel\n  - No: leads to Licensed?\n- Licensed?\n  - Yes: leads to Status, Subscription, Delta Trust plan\n  - No: leads to Trial ended?\n- Trial ended?\n  - Yes: leads to Extend trial, then activate or buy\n  - No: leads to Status, then activate or buy\n\n## Updates and Support\n\nAt the bottom, **Updates** shows the latest and installed versions with **Check Now**, and **Support** shows the addresses to write to.\n\n## The licence card in the popover\n\nThe bottom of the menu-bar popover has a smaller licence card. During a trial it shows the days left, when the trial started and ends, and buttons that open checkout for each plan. With a licence it shows your plan, a **Billing & invoices** button and, if a payment didn't go through, a **Fix Payment** button above it — see [When a payment didn't go through](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/fix-payment). While a payment is still clearing, the card shows the **Payment processing** note and a **Check again** button instead — see [Payment processing](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/payment-processing).\n\n## Reminders you may see\n\n- \"Only N days left in your free trial\" in the notifications bell near the end of a trial.\n- \"Your plan renews on\" a date, shortly before a renewal.\n- **Payment didn't go through**, a red item that can't be dismissed and keeps the menu-bar badge showing until the payment is sorted. It clears itself once the payment lands.\n- **Payment processing**, an informational item while a payment is clearing. There's nothing to do.\n\nSee also: [Billing & invoices](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/billing-and-invoices), [The Preferences window](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/preferences-window), [The free trial](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-free-trial), [When a trial or licence ends](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/when-your-licence-ends).\n"
}