---
title: "Licensing Koios"
description: "Activate and manage your Koios license"
source_url: https://ai-ops.com/docs/installation/licensing
---

# Licensing Koios

Koios requires a valid license to operate. On first login, the application redirects you to a license activation wizard.

## Activation Steps

### Step 1: Enter Your License Key

Paste the license key provided by your Ai-OPs representative and click **Download Activation File**. This downloads a `.req` file containing your hardware fingerprint.

### Step 2: Submit to the License Portal

Upload the `.req` file at the Ai-OPs license portal:

```text
https://ai-op.com/license/
```

The portal will return a `koios.lic` license file. Download it to your computer.

### Step 3: Upload the License File

Back in the Koios activation wizard, drag and drop (or browse to select) the `koios.lic` file. Koios validates the license and, on success, displays a confirmation screen.

You now have full access to the application.

> [!NOTE] Need a License Key?
> Contact your Ai-OPs representative to obtain a license key for your deployment.

## Viewing License Details

After activation, license information is available at **System > License**. This page shows:

- Product name
- License ID
- Hardware ID
- Expiry date

## Re-Activation

If you need to re-activate your license (for example, after moving Koios to a different machine), you can start the activation process again from the **System > License** page.

> [!WARNING] Hardware-Tied License
> The Koios license is tied to the hardware it was activated on. If you move Koios to a different server or VM, you will need to re-activate using a new activation file.

## What's Next

- [Environment Variables](https://ai-ops.com/docs/installation/environment-variables.md) — customize ports, TLS, performance, and logging
- [Updating Koios](https://ai-ops.com/docs/updates/general.md) — upgrade to a new version safely
- [Backup & Restore](https://ai-ops.com/docs/system/backup.md) — set up scheduled backups