How to transfer iLok licenses to a new computer.
Moving iLok-protected plugins is usually straightforward when the old computer still works. The important part is separating the plugin installation from the license activation, then returning any computer-bound activations before retiring the old machine.
Move the whole setup—not just the plugin file.
A dependable migration accounts for software, formats, versions, licenses, presets, supporting files, sample content, and the sessions that depend on them.
Installers and licenses are separate
Installing a plugin does not automatically move its iLok authorization. Reinstall the vendor’s software on the new computer, then activate the associated license with iLok License Manager.
Not every license supports every location
A publisher may allow activation to an iLok USB, the computer itself, iLok Cloud, or only a subset of those options. Check the license details before planning your move.
Deactivate before wiping
When a license is activated directly to the old computer, deactivate it back to your iLok account before erasing, selling, or replacing that computer.
The standard way to move iLok licenses
The safest migration method is to return computer-based licenses to your iLok account while the old computer is still operational. After that, you can activate those licenses to an allowed location on the new system.
Inventory your iLok-protected plugins
Open the sessions and templates you care about, identify the publishers that use iLok, and create a plugin inventory before changing machines. FX Recall can scan the old computer so you are not rebuilding the list from memory.
Open iLok License Manager on the old computer
Sign in with the iLok account that owns the licenses. Select the old computer in the Locations list and review the activations stored on it.
Deactivate computer-bound licenses
Deactivate the licenses from the old computer back to your iLok account. In iLok License Manager, this can be done by using the Deactivate command or dragging an activation back to the account view.
Install the publishers’ plugins on the new computer
Download current installers from each publisher. Use the same plugin formats and, when old sessions depend on them, the same major plugin versions whenever possible.
Activate licenses to the new location
Install iLok License Manager, sign in, and activate each available license to the new computer, an eligible iLok USB, or another location allowed by the publisher.
Open your DAW and verify important sessions
Rescan plugins if needed, open representative projects, and confirm that the expected plugin versions load with their presets and settings intact.
Should you use an iLok USB, computer activation, or iLok Cloud?
Computer activation
Computer activation is convenient because no physical key is required. Its main migration risk is that the license remains associated with a computer you can no longer access. Deactivate those licenses before wiping or selling the machine.
iLok USB
An iLok USB can make switching computers easier because the eligible license remains on the physical key. Install the plugin software and iLok License Manager on the new computer, connect the iLok, and the activation moves with the key. Keep in mind that the publisher decides whether a license may be activated to an iLok USB.
iLok Cloud
iLok Cloud can authorize supported licenses through a cloud session. It requires an internet connection and publisher support. A license with only one permitted activation may need to be deactivated from another location before it can be used in an iLok Cloud session.
What if the old computer is broken or unavailable?
If a computer-bound activation is trapped on a machine you cannot access, iLok provides a host computer activation reset process. In iLok License Manager, request a reset for the inaccessible computer. The affected software publishers decide whether to approve their licenses. Approved activations return to your account and can then be activated elsewhere.
If the old system still boots, deactivating the licenses yourself is generally faster and cleaner than requesting a reset.
Remember to reinstall the plugin software
iLok handles authorization for supported products, but it does not install the actual effects, instruments, sample libraries, or presets. Download installers from the plugin publisher and install the formats your DAW needs.
- Use the publisher’s current installer or product manager.
- Keep older major versions when old projects reference those versions directly.
- Install AAX for Pro Tools, Audio Units for Logic Pro, and VST3 where supported by your other DAWs.
- Reconnect large sample libraries and custom preset folders separately.
For the broader process, use the complete audio plugin migration guide and the audio plugin folder reference.
Common iLok migration problems
The new computer does not appear as an activation location
Install and open the current iLok License Manager on the new computer, sign in, and allow required PACE background services. A computer with no active licenses may not appear in every location list until it is available to License Manager.
A license cannot be activated to the computer
Open the license details and verify its allowed activation locations. Some publishers require an iLok USB or support iLok Cloud but not direct computer activation.
The plugin is installed but still asks for activation
Confirm that the correct license is activated, the plugin version is covered by that license, and the plugin is signed into the same publisher or iLok account used on the old machine.
The old computer appears twice
Duplicate or unavailable host locations can require a host computer reset. Avoid guessing which activation is safe to remove when important licenses are involved.
Official resources
Frequently asked questions
Can I activate the same iLok license on two computers?
Only when the publisher provides enough activations and permits the selected activation types. The number of allowed activations varies by product.
Do I need the old computer to move an iLok license?
Not always, but it is much easier when you can deactivate the license yourself. If the old host is inaccessible, request a host computer activation reset and wait for the applicable publishers to approve it.
Does an iLok USB automatically install my plugins?
No. It carries eligible license activations, not the plugin installers, sample libraries, presets, or DAW settings.
Can FX Recall transfer iLok licenses for me?
No. FX Recall inventories plugins and supports the rebuild workflow, but license activation remains controlled by iLok and each software publisher.
Do not rebuild your plugin library from memory.
Scan your old computer with FX Recall, save a cloud-synced inventory, and track what still needs to be installed on the new machine.