Where the key goes
- Open w0a
- Go to Settings in the left menu and find the License section
- Paste the key into the box and press Activate
Your key was emailed to you the moment your payment was confirmed. If it is not in your inbox, check spam first — that is where it is nine times out of ten.
What happens when you press it
w0a asks our licence server whether the key is valid and locks it to this machine. The server's answer is signed, and the public half of that signature is compiled into the application. An answer that does not verify is refused — so a fake server, or something sitting in the middle of the connection, cannot hand out activations.
That is also why activation needs internet access once. After that, day-to-day use does not.
The lock is to the hardware, not to Windows: if you format or reinstall Windows, the key re-activates on the same machine — nothing needs resetting.
Errors and what they mean
| The message | What it means |
|---|---|
| Could not reach the server | No internet, or something between you and us is blocking it. Try again; if you are on a work or school network, that is usually the cause. |
| Server verification failed | The answer did not carry a valid signature. w0a refused it on purpose. Try again on another network before anything else. |
| Your access was revoked or your key expired | The subscription period ended, or the key was cancelled. |
| Already in use on another device | The key is bound to a different machine. On that machine, open Settings → License and press Unbind This Device; then activate here. If the old machine is dead, see I changed my PC. |
Related
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