Your license is activated on each computer you use as a server in Synergy 1, or as the primary computer in Synergy 3. Most licenses activate online, automatically. Licenses with an offline serial key activate with a short code exchange instead, for computers on offline or air-gapped networks.
Activation limit
Each license has an activation limit: the number of computers it can be activated on. Online activations and offline activations count against the same limit. Client computers in Synergy 1 and secondary computers in Synergy 3 never use an activation.
Need more activations? Contact our support team and we'll raise your limit, at no extra cost: Contact support
Once your limit is raised, click Start in the Synergy 1 window on the server computer. In Synergy 3, click the highlighted play button at the bottom left of the window on the primary computer (if the activation message is still showing, click Continue first). That activates your license; you don't need to enter your serial key again.
Online activation
Enter your serial key in Synergy 1, or in Synergy 3 either enter your serial key or log in to your account. Your license then activates automatically when Synergy 1 starts as a server, or when a Synergy 3 computer becomes primary, using one activation.
Swapping which computer is in control? You don't use an extra activation. When you make a different computer primary in Synergy 3, or switch the old server to client mode in Synergy 1, the old one gives its activation back automatically.
Reached your limit? Free up an activation yourself by deactivating a computer you no longer use, or ask our support team to raise your limit. Either way, click Start in Synergy 1 on the server computer, or the play button in the Synergy 3 window on the primary computer, and it activates without you entering your serial key again.
To deactivate a computer:
- Sign in to your account page.
- Under your license, click Manage activations.
- Find the computer in the list and click Deactivate, then confirm with Deactivate computer.
Offline activation
With an offline serial key, Synergy 1 and Synergy 3 show an activation code (in the form XXXX-XXXX-XXXX) when it needs to be activated. You exchange this for a response code on your account page, from any device with internet access.
Each computer has its own activation code. The code is unique to that computer, so a response code only works on the computer whose activation code you entered. To activate several computers, repeat these steps on each one, using the activation code shown on that computer.
- On the computer you're activating, start Synergy 1 as a server, or make the computer primary in Synergy 3. The activation code appears at that point, not straight after you enter the serial key.
- On any device with internet access, sign in to your account page.
- Under your license, click Activate offline computer.
- Enter the activation code shown in Synergy 1 or Synergy 3 and click Get response code.
- Back in Synergy 1 or Synergy 3, type the response code into the Response code box and click Activate.
To activate more computers, click Activate another computer in the same window and enter the activation code from the next computer. Don't reuse a code from another computer; it won't work.
Need more offline activations?
Contact our support team and we'll raise your activation limit, at no extra cost: Contact support
Raising the limit is how extra offline activations work: an offline activation stays counted once its response code is issued, so it can't be deactivated from the account page the way an online one can.
Reactivating a computer you've already activated (for example after reinstalling Synergy 1 or Synergy 3) shows the same activation code and doesn't use another activation, even if you've reached your limit.
After you get a response code, the account page shows how many offline activations you've used (for example, "Offline activations used: 2 of 3").
Switching to an offline serial key
If you have a personal license, you can switch it to an offline serial key yourself. Your old serial key stops working as soon as you switch, so you'll need to enter the new one on each of your computers.
- On your account page, click Request an offline serial key under your license.
- Confirm by clicking Switch to an offline serial key.
- Enter the new serial key in Synergy 1 or Synergy 3 on each of your computers.
Have a business license? Our support team can switch it to an offline serial key for you: Contact support
Troubleshooting
- "That response code is not valid for this computer." Check you typed the response code exactly, and that it was generated from the activation code shown on this computer.
- "That activation code isn't valid. Check it for typos." on the account page: check the code was copied exactly from Synergy 1 or Synergy 3.
- "This activation code doesn't match any of your offline licenses.": check the activation code was copied exactly from Synergy 1 or Synergy 3, and that you're signed in to the account that owns the license.
- "This license has reached its activation limit.": contact our support team and we'll raise your limit, at no extra cost. Once it's raised, click Start in Synergy 1 on the server computer, or the play button in the Synergy 3 window on the primary computer, and it activates.
- "A unique ID for this computer could not be determined": Synergy 1 or Synergy 3 can't generate an activation code on this computer. Please contact our support team.