Migrate offline licences to Cloud Licensing

This article explains how to move from borrowed Chaos licences for offline use to Cloud Licensing.

Migration overview

Cloud Licensing lets you access your licences by signing in with your Chaos Account in the product. You can access them from any location without being on the same local network or connecting to a License Server through a VPN.

Starting in 2026, new versions of Chaos products have Cloud Licensing built into the product. These versions can access licences without a License Server.

Cloud Licensing is optional. You can keep using your licences offline with your existing License Server and switch back at any time. New product versions configured for Cloud Licensing cannot use licences borrowed from your existing License Server.

License Server UHD

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Preparation

Complete these steps before installing products in Cloud Licensing mode.

Release any borrowed licences

1. Check that you have an internet connection. You need an active connection to release borrowed licences and to sign in with your Chaos Account in a product using Cloud Licensing.
2. Open the local License Server's interface in a browser. By default, it is available on your computer at port 30304.
3. To release borrowed licences, open the Online Licensing menu. Click RELEASE, then confirm your choice.

The Chaos License Server interface

Migration

Complete these steps after Preparation.

1. Install or update to a Chaos product version with Cloud Licensing built in.
2. During installation, the installer suggests switching to Cloud Licensing. You can keep using the Local License Server if needed.
3. Click Install to switch to Cloud Licensing, then finish the installation.

The newly installed product now uses Cloud Licensing directly. The local License Server stays installed on your device, and older product versions can continue using it.

After migration

Follow these steps for any product version that uses Cloud Licensing.

1. Open the product.
2. When prompted, sign in with your Chaos Account and start using the product.

Important information for render nodes and offline environments

Cloud Licensing has these requirements:

• The computer must have internet access.
• The user must be able to sign in interactively.

These requirements limit where you can use Cloud Licensing:

• Cloud Licensing does not support fully offline environments. To use your licences offline, install the product with the License Server configuration and borrow your licences through the License Server interface.
• Cloud Licensing is not a good fit for lab computers, render nodes or other unattended systems that cannot sign in with a user account.

Keep these computers on your existing License Server deployment. It can run alongside Cloud Licensing for other users and computers.