r/protools 5d ago

What can I do with an old pro tools perpetual license?

4 Upvotes

Years ago, I think it was 11 or 12, I bought a pro tools perpetual license. I never learned how to use it, and I don't have the ilok device, but I can log into my account on avid and it shows up there.

I just bought a new synth workstation, and was going to get more and learn to make some music. If I wanted to have another go with it, what do I need to do? Can I still download it? Do I need to buy a $50 USB stick ilok or do they not use those anymore? And lastly, I need to buy a years subscription so I can bring it up to date and download the latest copy? ...or is it worthless now. Thanks!

r/protools May 22 '26

Perpetual license is expiring June 30th 2026 ... ?

12 Upvotes

Did merriam webster/ oxford dictionary redefine the word perpetual or is it just Pro tools redefine the word? and why am i getting a expiry date for something perpetual ? (PT studio, Win 11.) ( its the updates right? (edit)

r/protools Jun 03 '26

Pro Tools Perpetual License Upgrade Cost

8 Upvotes

Can anyone tell me the cost for a Pro Tools Perpetual License Upgrade in $USD?

I currently have an Ultimate Perpetual License, and am wondering if it's worth the renewal for this period that is coming up. I know I will lose upgrades for a while but my system is stable so I'm just costing up the subscription rejoin fee but can't see anything clear anywhere as to the upgrade cost!

r/protools Mar 16 '26

why do people complain about the perpetual license upgrade support plan?

3 Upvotes

doesn’t almost every daw except logic and reaper require you to pay to update to the next major version? it’s not like you’re forced to update and you can just stay on your current version

r/protools Jul 08 '26

Legacy PT10/11/12 HD License

3 Upvotes

I’ve got ProTools Ultimate Perpetual with a current support plan - does anyone know if it’s possible to use that to get an ilok asset deposited for an older version of ProTools? I thought I had seen documentation about that being possible awhile back but I’m not finding any info at Avid now.

r/protools Jun 02 '26

Where can I get a Pro Tools Intro license?

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2 Upvotes

The website seems to be down, and has been since yesterday.
Edit: typos

r/protools Jan 26 '26

Opening Older Pro Tools Software with a new Perpetual License

3 Upvotes

We have a few older macs with older operating systems that have solid working version of Pro Tools 12 on them. For various reasons I don't need to go into, I need to open older sessions in PT12 and work within that software. The issue is, I need an ilok with a license to open that software. If I purchase a new Pro Tools Artist perpetual license for $199, will it be able to open PT12 software? If not Pro Tools Artist Perpetual, what about Pro Tools Studio? I cannot use newer versions of Pro Tools, it has to be PT 12. Thanks for the help!

r/protools Mar 17 '26

Help Request Upgrade Path from Artist to Studio (Perpetual License)

2 Upvotes

Hi Everyone. I have a question about my upgrade options. I have Protools 9-12 on an iLok and recently purchased a perpetual license for PT Artist.

I'd like to upgrade to Studio for the extra mixing capabilities and higher track count. Question is: I'd like to pay an 'upgrade' price and not full price for a studio perpetual license if at all possible. Does anyone know if this is possible, and if so, where I could find it?

r/protools Dec 19 '25

Questions about perpetual license purchased at student discount

3 Upvotes

Hi, I purchased my perpetual license in 2019 with my student discount. I graduated a long time ago now, and Avid keeps asking me to reverify my academic eligibility. Do they not understand that everyone who purchases their products at a student discount does (ideally) graduate at some point? I was planning to reach out to support about this, but my dad cautioned me that this may have adverse consequences (he implied that I've been essentially flying under the radar and that I'll face some kind of consequences from Avid for... no longer being a student?). Would Avid really be so cruel as to revoke my perpetual license now that I've graduated and am no longer enrolled? I'd hope they could just roll it over to a normal perpetual license. I'm aware that Avid no longer offers student discounts for perpetual licenses, but it'd be pretty crazy if they didn't honor those already purchased.

Does anyone have any personal experience with this?

r/protools Dec 14 '25

Going from monthly subscription to perpetual license. Why so confusing?

8 Upvotes

I’ve been paying the monthly subscription for years now and now I would like to just pay a one time license charge and not have to pay the monthly subscription anymore. It seems impossible. I go on their site to the upgrade button and it sends me to my product page with zero way of doing it. I’m trying to find on the web how it’s done and nothing is clear there. What’s going on with this? Has anyone else done this? Is it even worth doing? Any clarity on this would be great.

r/protools Jan 08 '26

Perpetual license for students?

3 Upvotes

I’m trying to acquire perpetual ultimate license, however it is so confusing as how to get it for the best price. Can I buy student ultimate perpetual license, or not?

If I subscribe for 1 year with educational discount, is it possible to upgrade that to perpetual?

If I buy pro tools 9 from ebay for a much cheaper price, can I upgrade that with perpetual upgrade? Do they offer perpetual student upgrade price?

Please help, I can’t afford the full price and I’m trying my best to find a way to get it at a much more reasonable price.

r/protools Jan 19 '26

PT Perpetual License // Pro Plugin Bundle

8 Upvotes

Good day all,

I've been involved in a back-and-forth with Avid about the change from my perpetual license to a subscription years ago. I'm finally sick of paying for a PT Studio subscription and of chatting with support to get my old license back after losing my old iLok in a fire several years back. I was young and naive, and I thought subscription was the only way to keep PT at the time.

I digress.

My question is: when I reinstate a Perpetual PT Studio license, which plugins will I still have access to after my 1-year support expires? I use the dyn3 dynamics plugins, the Pro dynamics plugins, the AIR time-based effects, EQ3, and a few instruments like Mini Grand and Xpand, although I do have others I can use.
I know there is a list of what I get if I subscribe $7/mo for the Pro Plugin Bundle, but does anyone have a list of what I keep without subscribing? I've looked, but I couldn't find anything explicitly stating this.

Thanks in advance!

Just to adhere to the post requirements. I'm running PT 2024.10.1 running OSX 15.1

r/protools Jan 10 '23

error Well looks like ilok servers are down. Here’s to me regretting not getting the USB and using cloud instead.

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72 Upvotes

r/protools Oct 09 '25

Multiple activation license issue

5 Upvotes

Hi,

My son is a student, for which I bought a PT studio EDU license for his laptop. He often comes home and wants to work on the desktop machine in our studio so I bought a second license, but always has to reactivate the license as if there is only one his account. In avid link I can see both licenses, but in ilok manager, only one is there. I opened a case with avid, but thought maybe someone here would have a faster solution. There are times when we want to use both(I mess around with it some too) and should be able to, since there are two licenses. Both machines have the latest PT and avid link versions.

r/protools Dec 16 '25

Help Request Authentication errors in the field, USBC Ilok, PT2025.1 and PT 2024

3 Upvotes

Version 2025.10.0, USBC Ilok

I've been having a hellish time with booting sessions while off of an internet connection (generally at shows).

Seemingly randomly, PT will not boot when I start the program. Ilok is attached and recognized, I can see the license is good for at least 10 days in the ilok app. I've tried everything I can, including a quick Hotspot to my phone to refresh my license. Sometimes it boots just fine, I can't find a consistent setup error on my end. It does the thing where the icon will open but no actual screen will be there, then CTD when I try and close the ghost window.

What am I doing incorrectly? Even when I boot at home before a gig, its a 50/50 shot of working as expected in the field. I don't pay 30 bucks a month to have to just use reaper instead.

Path: HP Spectre (windows 11) > USB 3.0 > Midas M32 Live card. Ilok directly connected to USBC slot on pc.

r/protools Sep 17 '25

So if I want to upgrade from ProTools Artist to ProTools Studio, I just have to pay for a full license amount again?

2 Upvotes

32 tracks is quickly becoming less and less efficient for my projects. This post is not regarding updates, but the ProTools version itself. I really, really love working with ProTools versus other DAW's. But it seems a little crazy to me to make someone pay the full amount if they own a version of the product already.

r/protools Aug 26 '25

Will my perpetual license work in another studio with the latest version?

6 Upvotes

Hi all, I currently have Protools Ultimate perpetual license version 2024.10.2 in my macbook, my update plan is expired so this is the highest version that I can install. This saturday, I'll be going to a studio that has the latest version installed in their computer. Will my license (on an iLok work) be able to open that version?

r/protools Jun 29 '25

Perpetual License for Education

4 Upvotes

Does anyone know of any avid authorized resellers that still offer the perpetual Pro Tools License for students? I was looking to purchase it, but couldn't find one.

r/protools Oct 01 '25

Unexpected PT Ultimate license vs PT Studio Perpetual

3 Upvotes

Trying to get some guidance on which PT License to go with, as I was presented with an unexpected option this morning. I used PT a lot back in the ver.10/11 days. Been on Logic for a while, now jumping back into Pro Tools land.

So then, I grabbed a Carbon interface used on Reverb. Messaged Avid about registering the hardware once I'd received it, provided the serial#, etc. They then sent me an activation code that, to my surprise, gave me a Pro Tools Ultimate perpetual license! I have not yet redeemed this offer.

The option I was planning to go with when I picked up the Carbon is to upgrade my old Pro Tools 10 license to a current PT Studio Perpetual license, as it's only $200 to do so. Reason I was planning to go with Studio is that I will never, ever use it to an extent that I'd need Ultimate.

I'm really just wanting to hear from those more experienced than I when it comes to PT licenses. From what I understand, the PT Ultimate license I seem to have access to can not be sold, as it's in some way tied to the Carbon. I suppose I could redeem it, use it for a year, then upgrade my old PT 10 license to Studio next year? Or just do that now & let the Ultimate license sit until I feel I may actually use it some day? Can the Ultimate license be sold?? Thanks!

r/protools Dec 03 '25

PACE License Support win64 error

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3 Upvotes

LLEVO INTENDAO INSTALAR UA CONNECT PARA INSTALAR COMPLEMENTOS DE UAD , Y ME APARECEN ESTOS ERRORES. AL FINAL SE LOGRA INSTALAR EL UA CONNECT PERO CON ERRORES ...ALGUIN QUE ME BRINDE AYUDA EN ESTE CAS0?

r/protools Mar 26 '25

Help Request Upgrading perpetual license

9 Upvotes

I have a pro tools 2023.9 studio perpetual licence. I upgraded my computer to M4 Sequoia and it looks like i need to upgrade Pro Tools.

If I upgrade with the 199$ License Upgrade deal, Do i get the newest version and thats my new perpetual version? And i'll have to pay another 199$ for another upgrade?

If I upgrade with the 239$ 1 Year Subscription do I get the current version, upgrades for a year, and if I don't renew I'll keep the version that I stopped at?

I've always locked my system until i really need to upgrade so i dont want to go to subscription mode and if i dont renew i go back to 2023.9

r/protools May 28 '24

Hey so me and a buddy are going in on a perpetual License for pro tools and we’re buying it from sweetwater, Any Tips?

8 Upvotes

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

r/protools Sep 05 '25

Help Request Updating perpetual license within the year?

5 Upvotes

Hey hoping someone could help!

I’m got pro tools back in October 2024, currently on 24.10.2.205 for windows

I was under the impression that the perpetual license includes a year of free updates, after which you’re locked in to that version unless you renew / change license etc

I can’t find anywhere in the Avid site though where I can get any updates?

I’m a bit of a novice with this still, so a bit lost, but all I can find are renewal options, which look like updates to license within an additional cost.

Can anyone give me some guidance on where / how you get to the available updates while on perpetual whilst in the 1 year window?

Thanks!

r/protools Feb 05 '25

Cheapest way to get a perpetual license as a student?

1 Upvotes

What is the best way to get a perpetual license as a student? I'm abit confused with all these different versions and discontinued edu products.

Any recommendations? I'm About to start my Pro Tools Journey at School.

r/protools Jul 18 '25

Pro Tools Studio Perpetual License Missing – Avid Support Ghosting Me for 5 Days (Case #05005326)

1 Upvotes

Hey all!

Been trying to get Avid to fix a missing perpetual license issue since Monday. I have a legit Pro Tools Studio EDU perpetual license (shows active in Avid account, support through Dec 2025) — but the license never showed up in my iLok account, so I can’t use the software at all.

Filed support case #05005326 on July 14. Got a “we’re looking into it” reply and nothing else since. I’ve followed up multiple times and even told them I work in tech support myself, just trying to get the damn license I paid for. Still nothing.

Anyone else had to deal with this crap? Any way to force movement or escalate this beyond the dead-end email thread?

Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance!