How do I activate MATLAB or other MathWorks products without an internet connection?

How do I activate MATLAB and/or other MathWorks products on a computer that is not connected to the internet?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

To activate MATLAB and/or other MathWorks products on an offline machine, you must:

1. Obtain your Host ID
2. (Individual licenses only) Obtain your computer login name or username
3. Activate the license through the License Center to obtain license file
4. Use the activation client to activate MATLAB or other MathWorks products with the license file

Obtain your Host ID

To obtain your host ID, follow the article below:

What is a Host ID? How do I find my Host ID in order to activate my license?

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/101892-what-is-a-host-id-how-do-i-find-my-host-id-in-order-to-activate-my-license

(Individual Only) Obtain your computer login name or username

To obtain your computer login name or username, follow the instructions in this article:

How do I find my computer username in order to activate my license?

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/96800-how-do-i-find-my-user-name-in-order-to-install-or-activate-my-license

Activate the license through the License Center to obtain license file

1. Go to the License Center: https://www.mathworks.com/licensecenter
2. Under My Software, click the license number you want to activate. If you do not see your license number, in the bottom right hand corner, click View Additional Licenses or Trials. 
3. Click the Install and Activate tab
4. Click Activate to Retrieve License File or Activate a Computer.
5. Enter the following information: the release you are activating, the operating system, the host ID, your user or login name, and the Activation Label.
6. Download the license file 

Use the activation client to activate MATLAB or other MathWorks products with the license file

1. Transfer over the license file.
2. Run the activation client. You can find how to open up the activation client in the article below
   • How to activate MATLAB?
3. https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/99457-how-do-i-activate-matlab-or-other-mathworks-products
4. Select "Activate manually without the internet"
5. Select "Enter the full path to your license file, including the file name:" and browse to the license file.
6. Hit Next, and then activation will be complete. Click Finish.

[Dave Haans]

Following these steps:

*Go to the License Center: https://www.mathworks.com/licensecenter If activating a trial, click on "Licenses" in the orange drop-down menu and select "Trials, Prereleases and Betas" instead Select your license number.

There is no orange drop-down menu. But, I can select the license number.

*Go to the "Activation and Installation" tab.

There is no "Activation and Installation" tab. It is "Install and Activate"

*Click on the "Activate" button.

There is no "Activate" button. There is an "Download Installer" button, but I've already done this.

*In the pop-up window, enter your Host ID, Login Name if applicable, and Activation Label if desired.

There is no way to enter this information.

*Download your license file or email it to yourself.

There is no way to download a license file.

*If you need to install MATLAB in addition to activating it, save your File Installation Key. The File Installation Key is not required to activate an instance of MATLAB that is already installed.

I only have a File Activation Key.

Could you please post instructions that apply to your website and actually work? This is my second day trying to install a paid for and properly licensed software.

Help?

[Josh Miltz]

Exact same problem here.

[Annik]

From my experience, saving the installer files and trying to use the license file never works. Always login to the website and select download and install option to run the installer. You must then use the login with your credentials method to activate and install. This especially true of multi-user licenses.

[Koray Erer]

Hi. After clicking "Activate to Retrieve License File", R2007b is just not there! The earliest is 2008a. What to do now? Thanks in advance.

[Scott]

In R2007b and earlier, there is no activation, and MATLAB is installed using a Personal License Passcode or "PLP." Your license administrator can provide you with a PLP. If you are the administrator of your license and have lost your PLP, please contact MathWorks Support to get a replacement:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

[Naitik Shah]

I do not have a valid host Id as my default network card is burnt and using an external interface to connect to internet. Please let me know how can i skip the host id step

[Walter Roberson]

Naitik Shah, please contact Mathworks for free installation support.

[Robert Simtea]

HI i used MATLAB for school only so i usualy get trials...last time i activated a licence was 3 months ago and today i tried to to activate it again and i couldnt...i log in on mathworks site i go to licence but nowere i have animore the install and activate option. i tried to do it with my account but i get error 1.731. i have matlab 2017a. What should i do?

[Walter Roberson]

The known causes of error 1 are:

error -1: cannot find or read license file https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/101018-why-do-i-receive-license-manager-error-1; or PLP misentered or for wrong version https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/94774-why-do-i-receive-an-error-1-after-entering-my-plp-during-a-windows-installation-of-matlab; or MAC problems https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/100235-why-can-t-i-activate-matlab-or-start-the-network-license-manager-in-a-newer-linux-environment

However perhaps you have error 1731, in which case see https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/140155-why-do-i-receive-error-1731-during-activation#answer_143598

(And your trial has probably expired, as trials are 30 or 60 days. You should be purchasing Student Version or Student Suite.)

[Yuteng Lu]

I come across a new problem.How can I deal with it?

[Colin Fraser]

Hi,

You can refer to the article below.

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/98390-why-do-i-see-the-error-unable-to-locate-required-installation-files-when-running-the-mathworks-ins

If you are still experiencing this issue, please contact MathWorks support:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

-Colin Fraser

[Luis Sanchez]

Once I have downloaded the license file, which is the file installation key inside the file?

[Colin Fraser]

The File Installation Key would not be in the license file.

To retrieve a File Installation Key for a license which is already activated:

1. Log into the License Center here: https://www.mathworks.com/licensecenter
2. Click on the desired license
3. Select the "Install and Activate" tab
4. Click the blue arrow under "Get License File"
5. If you do not see the activated machine and blue arrow, press "Update License File" to open the correct menu
6. Select a release
7. Specify that the software is not yet installed
8. The File Installation Key will appear on this screen

[fakhrul fitri]

i didn't see the "get license" file on matlab 2019a. how i can encountered it ?

[Walter Roberson]

It appears that you have found a File Installation Key, but that you have not downloaded the installation files yet, or else you are not running the installer executable that is in the directory that you downloaded the installation files into.

[Klaus Weinzierl]

Step 1: OK

Step 2: Error: Tab "My Software" does not exist. Clicking on license number instead. Error: "View Additional Licenses or Trials" does not exist.

Step 3: Tab "Install and Activate" found -> O.K.

Step 4: Error: Neither "Activate to Retrieve License" nor "Activate a Computer" exist. Clicking on "Activate to Retrieve License file" instead.

Step 5: Host Id found, release found. Error: Do not know where to enter these informations

Step 6: Downloading the license file and activating matlab.

Final remark: Just 2** for this very bad description. This needs to be really improved

[Christian Wagner]

Everyone dealing with the "Unable to locate required installation files", after running the installer on your offline machine ("matlab_<<MatVersion>>_win64.exe, The smaller one you used to download the installation files).. copy everything it unzips into _temp_matlab_<<MatVersion>>_win64 into the big folder you downloaded. copy and replace. Then run the setup.exe inside the downloaded matlab folder.

I bet that is what they mean with saying "your installation files are not in the correct location" or whatever. Instead of making a proper guide you are linking us to the same thread over and over.... Every freeware out there offers better guides... hope you feel bad for your poor instructions!

Answer 2

[Nathan Goedeke]

I solved the issue mentioned in the comments: DO NOT run the Matlab Activation Client

Matlab must have changed the activation client GUI but never bothered to update their FAQ.

After you complete steps 1-8 in the official answer, do the following additional steps:

1. Copy the downloaded liscence file to the following directory (using Windows): C:\Program Files (x86)\MATLAB\{version}\licenses
2. Delete any other liscence file already in that directory

Now you can start Matlab, and this time the activation client will not run. You do not, repeat, DO NOT need to run the activation client.

[Ryan Hultquist]

You sir are a genius

[James Brundage]

This saved me! Worked perfect.

[Anil Kunnappillil Madhusudhanan]

Thank you very much. This worked wonderfully, whereas the instructions from MATLAB did not work. Amazing.

[Nada Ali]

what about mac "IOS"???

[Qian Wang]

Thank you! It solved my problem!

Answer 3

[Amy Meader]

I would seriously like customer service or help center or whomever to try and follow your own directions. I give up.

[cltc helpdesk]

me as well

[Sergey Gavrilets]

Ditto (directions don't work)

[Justin Ghetti]

Hi,

If you are still experiencing this issue, please contact MathWorks support:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

-Justin

[Frederic]

Lol best customer service:

Customer: I would like support from customer service

Staff 2 years later: Are you still experiencing this issue?

Answer 4

[Zhiyuan Liu]

No offence, But I find a lot of pirate version of MATLAB installation guide much more easy to follow.

And they have a much higher successful rate!!

Although I have a license.

[Walter Roberson]

Pirate versions only have to deal with one license type and one installation situation.

Answer 5

[omar ElewA]

in the second step where is "my software" or where is "View additional Licenses or Trials" ?? you are telling things that are not exist I'm spending one hour for installing this program and no progress

[Kyle Perry]

Hello,

You should see the license right on that page that is linked on step one. If you have several licenses and do not see it, then there will be a "View additional licenses or trials" button. If you need assistance please contact MathWorks Support.

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

[Laura Southard]

One hour??? I'm on day 3.

Answer 6

[Thomas Vincent]

Note that the host ID for matlab 2008b (and most surely up to matlab 2013), is resolved from the MAC of eth0 (and no other) on linux.

Recent linux have different interface name instead of eth0.

To rename the interface, follow this: https://www.itzgeek.com/how-tos/mini-howtos/change-default-network-name-ens33-to-old-eth0-on-ubuntu-16-04.html

It is not indicated, but you should reboot after reconfiguring grub at the end of the instructions.

[jane steve]

this helped me!!

Answer 7

[yingrong luo]

For student in china，maybe you can try using VPN

Answer 8

[ANA H]

Hi,

I can't install MATLAB following these ofline instructions.

I've got a license.lic. Where I have to put license.lic file? in _temp_matlab_R2019a_win64 folder?

After write my File Installation Key it shows next message:

'Using a File Installation Key requires you run the installer from a MATLAB DVD or from a directory which contains files previously downloaded via the installer.

To obtain the missing files, click Back on the previous screen and select Log in with a MathWorks Account or contact your MATLAB license administrator. '

What can I do?

Thanks,

Ana

[Nathan Goedeke]

Hey Ana,

Scroll up to see my comment on this post, I believe that should be the solution to your issue. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll copy it here.

Nathan

[ANA H]

Hi Nathan,

Thanks so much for your fast answer.

I've just try to put my license.lic file in C:\Program Files (x86)\MATLAB\{version}\licenses and restart installation process. But after introducing the File Installation Key and press Next button an error dialog shows again:

'Using a File Installation Key requires you run the installer from a MATLAB DVD or from a directory which contains files previously downloaded via the installer.

To obtain the missing files, click Back on the previous screen and select Log in with a MathWorks Account or contact your MATLAB license administrator. '

Regards,

Ana

[Walter Roberson]

MATLAB has two installers. The first one is responsible for downloading files, but in itself is not able to install. One of the files downloaded by the first installer is the second installer, which is able to install.

You are trying to do the installation by running the first installer. You have to look inside the files that were downloaded and run the installer that is there.

[ANA H]

Hi,

I've downloaded matlab_R2019a_win64.exe. Inside there are 2 setup.exe files (\ & \bin\), both of them do the same actions.

I can't find the second installer that you said.

[Walter Roberson]

matlab_R2019a_win64.exe is the first installer. It needs to be run to download the files. One of the files it downloads into the directory with all of the .zip files will be setup.exe, and that can execute with no internet connection.

[ANA H]

That I've said in may last comment, i've tried with both setup.exe aflter run matlab_R2019a_win64.exe and the result is the same. I

[Walter Roberson]

Contact Mathworks for free installation support.

[ANA H]

Thanks a lot to all people. You're great :)

My original problem was that https://es.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/92634-why-do-i-get-a-connection-error-when-installing-or-activating-matlab-or-other-mathworks-products?s_tid=ab_new_mlc_ans_email_view#answer_401371

I thouth tha i can install it in an other way (using a license file), but I was wrong, because I didn't have all the necessary files.

I've solved my original problem using that: https://es.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/446396-cannot-install-matlab-on-my-windows-10-laptop?s_tid=answers_rc1-2_p2_BOTH

Regards

Answer 9

[Eliza Roxana OPRESCU]

Why am I have to activate every time when I try to launch MATLAB and it never starts?

When i try to acces Matlab, it asked me to activate every time..after the activate module is complete the program never starts...

[Nathan Goedeke]

Hey Eliza,

I had the same issue you did earlier, and my solution is one I posted earlier on this thread:

1. Copy the downloaded liscence file to the installation folder, i.e. C:\Program Files (x86)\MATLAB\{version}\licenses
2. Delete any existing liscence files already in that folder

This will prevent the activation client from popping up again.

Nathan

Answer 10

[NAT RANGSITSAWAT]

thank you

Answer 11

[Ulziiburen Sergelen]

license checkout failed

[Cody Lamke]

Hello,

If you are still experiencing this issue, please contact MathWorks support:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

-Cody Lamke

Answer 12

[Angela Pico]

porque no puedo abrir el programa de Matlab por el error -9

Que hago para solucionar

[Walter Roberson]

If none of the answers above work for you, then you need to contact Mathworks for free installation assistance.

Answer 13

[Kimberly Andersen]

Got it to work finally!! I'm trying to download 2009 Student (yes in 2020 lol) and these directions worked through downloading a license file (step 6). I wasn't given an option to activate my license without internet in the activation window so I wasn't able to do steps 7-10. I moved the downloaded license file from my download folder to C:\Program Files (x86)\MATLAB\R2009a Student\licenses and once I put it in the license folder I was able to start Matlab without going through the activation window, it just opened up! woohoo! Thanks!!

[Walter Roberson]

The activation procedure was a bit different before R2011b.

Answer 14

[Medam Pavankumar]

definitely connect to the internet connection

[bonde assefa]

matlab is not installing on pc effectively. what is the proplem please?

[Klaus Meder]

i had no license key an d forgot my passwort for the mathworks account( onlinecomes answer, passwort or e-mail is invalid the it of my university can not help me( now i have create a new account with my private e-mail, there now no problems but the licensekey do not workswhat can i do? reset my passwort for university-account is failed e-mail for create a new password comes not to my mail by university-account

Answer 15

[Heba Fathi]

Activation

[Walter Roberson]

What happened when you went through the steps described in https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/259627-how-do-i-activate-matlab-or-other-mathworks-products-without-an-internet-connection#answer_202773 ?

Answer 16

[Ravi]

Enter full path to your license file

Answer 17

[Ruediger Bauernschmitt]

I have done that several times now and I'm still confused everytime I have to do it again. Why is matlab support not able to write an easy to follow procedure for this activity which does not consist of many different links and redirections to other pages. It's a shame!