Managing License Keys

A license key determines the commercial edition that you can access, the number of days that remain on the license, and the number of users that are allowed to use Metasploit at a given time.

Metasploit is licensed as a subscription, which allows you to use the application so long as the subscription is active. After the subscription expires, you will no longer be able to run Metasploit. If your subscription license expires, your accumulated (and generated) Metasploit project data will remain preserved in the locally-installed database.

Some older Metasploit licenses are perpetual licenses, which enable you to use the application indefinitely. However, the perpetual license expires every year. When the perpetual license expires, you must renew the license if you want to continue to receive updates for Metasploit. If you don't renew, you can still run Metasploit, but you can only run the last version that was released before your perpetual license key expired.

Metasploit is available as a trial for 14 days. After the trial is over, you will have the option to purchase a license. The license is sent to the email provided during registration.

To get a product key:

1. Go to https://localhost:3790/setup/activation.
2. Navigate to Administration > Software License.
3. Under “Request New License”, click Get Product Key.

Follow the steps to pay and receive your product key by email. Rapid7 will send the product key to the email that was used during registration. After you receive your product key, you can then activate Metasploit Pro.

After you install Metasploit Pro, you must input your product key to activate the product. You can activate Metasploit Pro in either online or offline states.

Online Activation

Online activation is available for Windows and Linux.

1. Go to Administration > Software License.
2. Enter the product key you received by email. If you still need a product key follow the steps in Getting a Product Key.
3. Enter your product key.

Offline Activation

Offline activation is available for Windows and Linux.

Metasploit requires an Internet connection for the first activation of the product. Once you have activated Metasploit, you can use it offline. If online is not possible at all, reach out to the Support team.

1. You should have received a zip file similar to user_license.zip. This is your activation file.

2. Navigate to Go to Administration > Software License.
3. Click on Offline Activation.

4. On the next screen, click** Choose File** and navigate to where the license is saved.

5. Click Activate Product.

To access the license key area, select Administration > Software License from the Global Menu. The License Details section shows you the information for the key currently in use.

If the license key expires or if you need to enter a product key for a different Metasploit product, you can change the license key that the system currently uses.

1. Choose Administration > Software License from the main menu.

2. Enter the license key in the product key field located under the Change License section.

3. Activate the license.