> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/reference/license-activation-flow.md). # Activation flow reference This article documents the activation behavior around Captivate — what puts it into an unactivated state, what the dialogs and banner mean, and how the license state changes when you activate, deactivate, or move a seat. For step-by-step activation walkthroughs, see [Activate Captivate](/get-started/chapter-index/activate-the-product.md). This page is reference material. Support staff, IT administrators, integrators, and experienced users will find it useful when they need to understand why Captivate is in a particular license state. * [What puts Captivate into an unactivated state](#what-puts-captivate-into-an-unactivated-state) * [How Captivate picks up license changes](#how-captivate-picks-up-license-changes) * [Online activation](#online-activation) * [Offline activation](#offline-activation) * [Deactivation](#deactivation) * [Moving a seat to a new computer](#moving-a-seat-to-a-new-computer) ## What puts Captivate into an unactivated state Captivate checks its license at launch and rechecks periodically while running. When the check fails, you’ll see: * The **Activation Is Required** dialog at launch, when a license file is present on disk but the seat is not activated. The dialog includes a **Launch Application Manager** button. * The unlicensed banner in the top bar — see [Top-bar status indicators](/get-started/chapter-index-2/top-bar-status-meaning.md). Until activation succeeds, every output is watermarked. ## How Captivate picks up license changes Captivate rechecks license state periodically while running, so license changes usually appear within a few seconds. You don’t need to restart Captivate after the Application Manager activates or deactivates a seat. ## Online activation Online activation happens through the NewBlue Application Manager. After sign-in or license entry succeeds, the Application Manager writes the activation state and Captivate picks it up on its next license check. For the full walkthrough, see [Activate Captivate](/get-started/chapter-index/activate-the-product.md). ## Offline activation Offline activation transfers an activation blob between an air-gapped machine and one with internet access. The Application Manager generates a URL, an online machine returns an activation text string, and Captivate picks up the activation after the string is pasted back. For the full walkthrough, see [Activate Captivate](/get-started/chapter-index/activate-the-product.md). ## Deactivation Deactivation releases your seat so you can activate on a different computer. In the Application Manager, click **Settings** and choose **Deactivate**. **❗ IMPORTANT**\ Deactivation removes the seat for **every** NewBlue product on the current computer, not just Captivate. The products still launch, but their outputs are watermarked until you reactivate. ## Moving a seat to a new computer A seat move is the deactivate-then-activate sequence. On the old computer, deactivate the seat in the Application Manager. On the new computer, install Captivate, open the Application Manager (installed with Captivate), sign in with the same NewBlue account, and activate. If you don’t deactivate the old computer first, activation on the new computer may require an extra rebind step in the Application Manager. ## Related * [Activate Captivate](/get-started/chapter-index/activate-the-product.md) — step-by-step walkthroughs for online, offline, and license-move scenarios. * [About the NewBlue Application Manager](/get-started/chapter-index/application-manager.md) — what the Application Manager is and how to open it. * [Top-bar status indicators](/get-started/chapter-index-2/top-bar-status-meaning.md) — the unlicensed banner and the rest of the operator surface. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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