Unable to open WS_FTP, it says my license is not activated.

This error indicates that the WS_FTP Professional license is not currently activated or is no longer valid.

This commonly occurs when:

• The license file (license.txt) was deleted or modified
• The system underwent hardware or identity changes, such as:
• IP address changed (non‑static IP)
• MAC address changed
• Machine / Node name changed
• The application is not launched with administrative privileges

1. Verify License Status Before Activation

Before proceeding with product activation, please verify whether the license is already activated.

If the license is already active, proceed with deactivation. To do this, log in to your Community account and check for the Deactivate button by selecting product under My Company’s Tab.

• If the Deactivate button is available, please deactivate the license first and then proceed with activation using the steps below.
• If you do not see the Deactivate button, please contact the Customer Service Team for assistance.

2. Activate the License

Once completed, proceed with activating the license using the steps below.

WS_FTP Professional (v12.7 and below):

Go to Start > All Programs > Ipswitch WS_FTP 12, right-click Manage WS_FTP 12 License > More > Run As Admin.

WS_FTP Professional (v12.8 and above):

Click Start > All Programs > Progress WS_FTP Professional, right-click Manage WS_FTP Professional license > Select More > Select Run as Admin.

• Enter activation key (Note: Please enter activation key instead of serial number)
• Look below the text box where you entered the activation key and un-check the box 'Use active internet connection'
• Click 'Activate' then click 'Generate File' and save the license.ofa file somewhere easily accessible

From a computer with internet, upload the OFA file to the offline activation site (Select 'Upload OFA file' from the drop-down list):
https://community.progress.com/s/offline-activation

• Save the license file and then import it into the activation utility to complete activation

3. Post-Activation Validation & Additional Configuration

Next, if the error persists, confirm the license.txt has been updated and is found in:
C:\ProgramData\Ipswitch\WS_FTP

• If license has been updated, open the WS_FTP Professional by right-clicking and Run as administrator

To configure the WS_FTP Professional to launch in elevated privileges by default:

• Right click on the shortcut and go to Properties
• Click on Advanced and check the 'Run as Administrator' option
• Click OK

4. Additional Note

If this is caused by hardware changes, configure the IP and MAC addresses as static.

If reactivation is not immediately possible:

• Launch the application using Run as Administrator
• Contact Progress Customer Service to reset the license binding

License activation is tightly bound to machine identity

Any IP, MAC, or hostname changes will invalidate the license

Offline activation is recommended for secure or restricted environments