14 · Activate and manage your license
If activation doesn't complete
| Status or message | What you can do |
|---|---|
| License Unverified / “Invalid license key.” | Copy and paste the entire key again; check that no part is missing. |
| “Couldn’t activate the license; couldn’t reach the internet.” | Check your connection and try again. Your license hasn’t changed. |
| “The license task couldn’t be completed. Your license hasn’t changed…” | Try again in a little while. If it continues, write to support. |
| “The license can’t be read while your Mac is locked. It will fix itself when you unlock it.” | Unlock your Mac; the status will fix itself. |
| “Your Mac’s clock seems behind.” / “Your Mac’s clock seems wrong.” | Set the time automatically in System Settings → General → Date & Time, then try again. |
| License on Another Mac / “This license is linked to another Mac.” | Activate again on this Mac with your key; if needed, deactivate the license on your old Mac. The trial button won’t appear in this situation. |
| “Your license is already active on 2 Macs.” | Deactivate the license on a Mac you can access. If you can’t access one, contact support. |
| “Your license is no longer active on this Mac.” | Activate it again from the license window. |
| “This license has been released four times in the last year.” | Contact support to move to another Mac. |
| “Too many attempts.” | Wait a while and try again. |
| License Revoked / Revoked | Your license is no longer valid. Write to support. |
| License Expired / “Your license has expired.” | Write to support to renew it. |
| Beyond Update Coverage | This version was released after your license’s update period. You can use an earlier version covered by your license. |
| Alpha access ended | If your period was extended, press Update license; otherwise activate a license. |
| Trial expired | Activate a license key. |
| “A secure key couldn’t be created on this Mac.” | Restart your Mac and try again; if it continues, contact support. |
| “Couldn’t read the license status. Try again.” | Close and reopen the window, then try again. |
| “No license server is configured in this build.” | Activation isn’t available in this copy. Write to support. |
If the problem continues, you can reach support at the address in the license screen: [email protected]. Include the error message shown and the version of Merceq you’re using to help clarify the issue.
For preview, connection, search, and transfer issues, see 15. Troubleshooting.