How To Migrate Steinberg Licences To The Steinberg Activation Manager

***UPDATE***: Since making this video I discovered that if, after clicking the "Finish Licence Activation" button in the eLCC, (about 4 mins into the video), you do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for at least 10 minutes, the Activation Manager accepts the new licence in one step. You have to wait for the server sync to fully complete. This makes the process a bit easier.
The process of converting from the old dongle-based eLCC (e Licence Control Center) system to the new Steinberg Activation Manager process should be simple and straightforward.
It isn't.
Don't worry, though, I'll show you, step-by-step, how to do it!
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My name is Anthony Chisnall. I'm a musician & songwriter.
My channel is these things:
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[@djice1804]

I just discovered this myself. What a nightmare. Why is Steinberg so slow in technology- I mean Native Instruments does this with such ease. One app, Steinberg has 4 different apps now, Download Assistant, Activation Manager, Library manager, elicenser, USB Licenser - Wow!!! They should be ashamed. Imagine if you have 100 of these sound sets, you’ll have to do each one manually, that’s just insane.

[@maspino]

Thank you SO much for your thorough and comprehensive explanation! I hope I correctly followed all the steps you indicated. It seems to have worked, because I've still not removed the dongle key. In fact, I'd like to reopen old Cubase projects that now seem not to work in the latest version. Btw, I'll be glad to know how to preserve old Cubase prodution projects, so as to renew and update them as best as possible. Thank you one more time, best, Marco Spiccio medical doctor and piano player from Genoa, Italy

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

I've removed the dongle today, having completed the migration, and everything seems to be working perfectly. Just make sure that you don't have any licences on the dongle that you need and which haven't yet been migrated (I believe there are still some products for which there is no migration path but can't say for sure since all mine have migrated properly).

[@maspino]

@@OneManAndHisSongs Thank you for your kind answer. I saw it only today. I'l try to remove the dangle key, I will let you know

[@nuttob]

I did this all a while ago when it was first available and I don't remember it being that complicated. If I remember correctly I redeemed the vouchers and activated in activation manager. I never had to go into the dongle software like you did or go through so many steps.

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

I think it's all to do with server lag. I only discovered right at the end of the migration that if I'd performed the migration for each licence then done NOTHING for at least 10 minutes, Activation Manager would have synced properly, allowing me to activate in one step. I did say in my video that I thought it was a lag issue, I just didn't realise how slow the sync process was.

[@jocelynjosssheehy2970]

I actually really enjoyed this video. Steinberg's system is so laughable. It has now become simpler, but there is still a way to go, such as bringing together in one less gloomy and more attractive software, the Steinberg Activation Manager, the Steinberg Download Assistant, the Steinberg Library Manager and the My Steinberg Account, to finally know, in ONE PLACE, what the hell is going on with my Steinberg's product.

[@SpeccyMan]

The word shitstorm comes to mind. 😉🤣

[@jvaddison]

​@@SpeccyMan yip 😂

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

If just one person is their dev team bought a Native Instruments or Arturia licence, I think they'd see the light.

[@ray.watts.44]

I only discovered my Steinberg migration vouchers when I upgraded from Cubase 12 to 13 and went to redeem the bundled freebie products. Thankfully not too much left on the USB dongle now.

[@MrMikomi]

Same here.

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

Why on earth this isn't done invisibly and seamlessly is beyond me.

[@urbanwikstrom9246]

Hi! Anthony! I upgraded to Cubase 13 Pro last year. At my Cubase all products (13 Pro,Halion7,Groove Agent) seemes to be on the new licence. It`s working without the dongle. What I´m most worried about is if Cubase will become a kind of subscription service. Like,you`ll have to pay 19,99 Euro/month........ Next big agony is that I will have to upgrade to a new computer...... I hope the activation manager will sort this out for me. Oh well,life is a struggle...... Thanks for your tutorials. The one on filters was very interesting and informative. Cheers!

[@jvaddison]

"Like,you`ll have to pay 19,99 Euro/month........" This is the world we live in now, unfortunately!

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

I don't know of a service that is ONLY subscription (although Roland Cloud comes pretty close - you get lifetime licences AFTER you buy your yearly subscription). When vendors cross that line I'll be sad.

[@JamesBannon-fz6qo]

Reminds me of days supporting Autodesk products on Windows. 😀

[@NAZARGUITAR]

I'm sorry. I didn't understand anything. I have Cubase Pro 11 from 2021 and haven't updated anything. In my My Steinberg Account, there is no 'Vouchers' tab. How can I transfer all my licenses from eLicenser to the Steinberg Activation Manager? Will I be unable to do this at all starting in 2025?

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

If you don't see any vouchers in your account, I can only suggest you contact Steinberg support to find out why. There should be one for every licence you own. (If Cubase Pro is the only Steinberg product you've bought then obviously there'll only be one: I had stuff from Absolute and Groove Agent expansions etc too.) Sorry I can't help further.

[@chrisbassartist4344]

So when I goto mysteinberg there’s no voucher option just products please help me ugh I just found out about this nightmare as a customer we Shouldn’t have to go through all of this we paid money for the product all these updates should be automatic

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

Sorry, but I don't know since my vouchers were there waiting for me. If you don't see any in your account, I can only suggest you raise a support ticket with Steinberg. They'll be able to sort you out.

[@Fezzler61]

So after this process, I will no longer need to use the USB dongle? Can I have Cubase licensed to two computers? Groove Agent 5?

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

Well I can certainly answer "yes" to the first question, since I removed my dongle a few days after making this video and Cubase (including GA5) has been perfectly happy. I only use one PC though, so can't answer the middle question

[@R1PPA-C]

I had issues a few weeks back with all of this, e-licenser decided it was going to fail so couldn't get into Cubase. E-licenser wasn't needed but it was still blocking Cubase from loading until I removed it a third time Cubase finally loaded in. All I can say is thank god it's gone. The amount of plugins I've lost due to these 3rd party license apps that lock in a workstation to a licence is ridiculous. When plugins stop being supported by the vendor you can't get the license removed from the old workstation or O.S

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

I agree the whole situation is ridiculous. I have similar issues with iLok, which occasionally decides I'm not me (which I'm fairly certain I am)

[@R1PPA-C]

@@OneManAndHisSongs bingo..ilok also!!

[@TwstedTV]

WHY would Steinberg have their customers go through this nonsense, when they can do it on the backend automatically? What scares me and SHOULD scare everyone else is, is that Steinberg says that if people don't get this right, and they don't complete all this nonsense by the deadline, their customers will LOSE all their purchases, and their customers will have to re-purchase the products brand new. 😡😡😡 This is infuriating that Steinberg makes this so complicated for their customers, then Steinberg threatens their customers that they will be forced to re-purchase the products, if it's not done correctly and on time. It's very infuriating. This is NOT how to treat customers that spend their hard-earned money on their products.

[@ochre6887]

so can i remove Elcc after this is done?

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

I haven't (yet) so can't give you any guarantees, but that's certainly the idea.

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

I've just this morning removed the dongle, and everything seems to be working well, so that's good news!

[@martinverrill7477]

Thanks for explaining this ludicrous procedure so lucidly. OK, so I 'logged in' to Steinberg just now, but my password (used for years) was not recognised. I tried different variations of this password, but still no go. I have made 2 requests for a new password link and been promised twice that a new one was coming; but after 30 minutes NOTHING! (not in spam, either) so, now what? Come on, Steinberg; get your heads in gear.

[@jvaddison]

Get in touch with steiny support.

[@martinverrill7477]

@@jvaddison Thanks. They;ll be hearing from me forthwith

[@OneManAndHisSongs]

Fortunately I've never had password issues with Steinberg. Sorry to hear about your woes.