Activate your license
Enter your license key, activate a machine, and confirm everything is working.
For: everyone after the trial ends.
After you buy QueryDeck, you receive a license key by email. This page walks through entering it and verifying activation.
Where to enter the key
QueryDeck → Settings (or Cmd+,) → License tab.
The tab has two fields:
- License key — paste the key from your purchase email.
- Email — the email you used to buy QueryDeck.
Click Activate. The button shows a spinner for 2–5 seconds while QueryDeck talks to the license server.
What activation does
QueryDeck sends three pieces of information to the license server:
- Your license key
- Your email
- A machine fingerprint (a hash derived from your Mac's hardware identifier)
The server checks the key is valid and either:
- Activates this machine — the fingerprint is recorded. Your license is bound to this Mac.
- Returns "machine limit reached" — your plan supports a certain number of activated machines and you've used them all. See Manage machines to free a slot.
On success, the License tab shows:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Plan | Standard or Lifetime |
| you@example.com | |
| Machine | This Mac (M3, macOS 15.2) |
| Updates until | 2027-05-28 (Standard only) |
After activation
- The trial badge disappears from the toolbar.
- All gated features unlock: AI, Drift Fix, Saved Queries, History, Snippets, CLI, MCP Server, Notebooks, Export.
- Your saved data (history, snippets, queries, connections) was never deleted. It's all still there.
If you'd been using QueryDeck during a paused trial, simply continue. There's no migration.
Activation needs internet
The first activation requires the license server to be reachable. After activation, QueryDeck caches your license locally and validates it offline. You can use QueryDeck on a plane for as long as you like — the license check happens on launch, but it succeeds from the local cache.
The cache is rechecked against the server about once a week when you're online. If the server says the license has been deactivated remotely (see Manage machines), QueryDeck reverts to read-only mode on the next launch.
"Invalid license key"
The key in the email doesn't match what the server expects. Two common causes:
- Typo when copying — the key has dashes. Re-paste from the email rather than typing.
- Wrong product — the key is for a different product. If you bought from Setapp or another marketplace, follow their activation flow instead.
If neither applies, write to us via the in-app feedback button with your order ID.
"Machine limit reached"
You've activated the maximum number of Macs your plan allows. Two ways to proceed:
- Deactivate an old machine you no longer use. See Manage machines.
- Buy an additional seat (rare, ask via feedback).
"Network error during activation"
The license server isn't reachable from your Mac. Causes:
- You're offline. Connect to the internet and try again.
- A corporate proxy or firewall is blocking the license server. Whitelist the domain (visible in the error message), or temporarily disconnect from the corporate network for activation.
- The license server is down (rare). Try again in a few minutes.
Cancellation
If you bought QueryDeck and changed your mind within 14 days, write to us for a refund. Your license key is then deactivated on the server, and QueryDeck reverts to read-only on the next launch.
After 14 days, refunds are case-by-case. We'd rather hear what went wrong and try to fix it — open the in-app feedback button and tell us.
What's next
- Manage activated machines — deactivate, transfer, add a new Mac
- What the trial includes for the feature matrix