The Licenses list is your central dashboard for every license key ever issued by your store. From here you can search and filter keys, view their status, edit individual licenses, manually create keys for special cases, and revoke keys that should no longer work.
Where to find it: Go to License Verification → Licenses in your WordPress admin.
Understanding the License List
The Licenses page shows a table of all license keys. Each row represents one key. You can sort by columns and use the filter bar at the top to narrow down what you see.
| Column | What It Shows |
|---|---|
License Key |
The actual key string. Partially hidden in the list for security – click the key or “Edit” to see it in full. |
Status |
The current state of the key (see status table below). |
Product |
Which WooCommerce product this key belongs to. |
Plan |
Which license plan’s rules apply to this key. |
Customer |
The WordPress user account that owns this key. |
Order |
The WooCommerce order that created this key (click to open the order). |
Expires |
The date and time this key stops working. “Lifetime” if the plan has no expiry. |
Activations |
How many devices are currently using this key (e.g. 1 / 3 means 1 active out of 3 allowed). |
License Status Meanings
| Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
Active |
The key is valid and working. The customer can activate and use it right now. This is the normal state for a newly issued key. |
Expired |
The key’s validity period has ended (the expiry date has passed). The customer can no longer use it – their software will stop accepting it. They need to renew by purchasing again. |
Revoked |
You have manually cancelled this key. It no longer works even if the expiry date has not been reached. Use this for refunded orders, policy violations, or chargebacks. |
Pending |
The key has been created but is waiting for the order to reach a qualifying status before becoming fully active. This happens when you use status-based generation and the order is still “Pending Payment.” |
Editing a License Key
To edit a license, click its key or the “Edit” link in the list. The edit page lets you change:
| Field | Description | When to Change It |
|---|---|---|
Product |
Which WooCommerce product this key is linked to |
Rarely – only if the key was created for the wrong product |
License Plan |
Which plan’s rules apply (duration, max activations) |
When upgrading a customer to a higher-tier plan without charging them again |
Customer |
The user account that owns this key |
When a customer changes their account or you need to transfer a key to a different user |
Status |
Active, Expired, Revoked, or Pending |
To manually revoke a key after a refund, or to reactivate an accidentally expired key |
Expiry Date |
The date and time the key stops working |
To extend a key’s validity as a goodwill gesture, or to correct a wrong date |
Notes |
Internal admin notes – not visible to the customer |
To record why a key was revoked, extended, or manually created |
Changes you make in the edit form take effect immediately. If you revoke a key, the next time the customer’s software tries to verify it, access will be denied straight away.
Manually Creating a License Key
Sometimes you need to issue a key that was not generated by a WooCommerce order – for example, as a gift, for internal testing, or to replace a lost key for a loyal customer. You can create a key manually from the admin.
1. Go to License Verification → Licenses and click "Add New"
The “Add New” button is at the top of the Licenses list page.
2. Select the Product
Choose the WooCommerce product this key should be linked to. The system will automatically suggest the plan assigned to that product.
3. Confirm or change the Plan
The plan determines the duration and max activations for this key. Change it if you want to issue a different tier than the product’s default.
4. Select the Customer
Choose the WordPress user account this key should belong to. The customer will see it in their My Account → Licenses.
5. Click "Create License"
The system generates a unique key instantly. You will be taken to the edit page where you can see the full key and copy it to share with the customer.
Revoking a License To revoke a key, open it for editing and change the Status from “Active” to “Revoked,” then save. The key will immediately stop working – any software using it will get a “license invalid” response on the next verification check.
Common reasons to revoke a key:
- Customer requested a refund and you approved it
- A chargeback dispute was filed on the order
- The customer violated your terms of service
- You issued a duplicate key by mistake
Searching and Filtering Licenses
Above the license list there are filter tools to help you find specific keys quickly:
| Filter | How It Helps |
|---|---|
Search box |
Type part of a license key, customer name, or email to find matching records instantly |
Status filter |
Show only Active, Expired, Revoked, or Pending keys |
Plan filter |
Show only keys from a specific plan |
Product filter |
Show only keys linked to a specific product |
Tips
- Always add a Note when you manually change a license status. Write why you revoked it or why you extended it. This creates a clear record so you remember what happened if the customer contacts you months later.
- When processing a refund in WooCommerce, go to License Verification → Licenses and also revoke the corresponding key. WooCommerce refunds do not automatically revoke keys – you must do it manually.
- Be careful when editing the Expiry Date. Setting it to a date in the past will immediately expire the key, even if the customer still has active time left on their license.
- Use the plan filter to check how many active keys a specific plan has issued – useful for business reporting.