Understanding Locked License Keys and Trial License Restrictions in Automation License Manager

A padlock ('lock') icon displayed next to a license key in Siemens Automation License Manager (ALM) indicates that the license is 'Non-Transferable' (Ortsgebunden) and locked to the local computer hardware, which is standard behavior for Trial Licenses. The lock symbol does not mean the license is expired, invalid, or corrupted; rather, it denotes that the license key cannot be transferred across the network, moved to a USB drive, or duplicated across virtual machines. Trial licenses remain fully functional for their intended evaluation duration (typically 14 or 21 days from initial activation), after which ALM changes the license status to 'Expired' and prompts the user to install a permanent commercial license.

Automation License Manager (ALM) Architecture and License Typology

Siemens Automation License Manager (ALM, e.g. V5.3, V6.0, 6ES7658-0AA00-0YA0) is the central licensing utility governing all SIMATIC software components, including STEP 7, WinCC, CFC, SFC, S7 F-Systems, and SIMATIC PCS 7. ALM manages cryptographic license keys stored in hidden, protected volume folders (C:\AX NF ZZ\).

Engineers installing temporary evaluation software often become alarmed when viewing installed keys in ALM and observing a prominent padlock icon displayed in the status column next to the license name. Understanding Siemens license classification and copy protection mechanisms prevents misdiagnosing normal trial behavior as a licensing fault.

Why the Padlock Icon Appears on Trial License Keys

The padlock icon in Automation License Manager serves a specific technical function:

Non-Transferable Attribute: Unlike commercial 'Floating' licenses (which display an open key icon and can be freely moved between local drives, USB memory sticks, or across the network to central license servers), Trial Licenses are strictly hardware-locked to the specific machine or Virtual Machine (VM) where they were generated.
Anti-Duplication Protection: If Trial licenses could be transferred to a USB stick, users could clone them or reset the 14-day evaluation clock indefinitely. The lock indicates that the license is pinned to local storage.
Operational Validity: As long as the 'License Type' column indicates Trial and the 'Validity' column displays remaining days (or 'Valid'), the engineering software (e.g. PCS 7 V9.0 Engineering Suite 6ES7658-1AF58-0YA5) operates with 100% full functional capabilities without restriction.

Comparison of Siemens License Key Types and ALM Status Indicators

The following table compares the licensing types, icons, and transferability rules within Automation License Manager:

License Type in ALMVisual IconTransferable?Validity PeriodTypical Use CaseFloating LicenseOpen KeyYes (Network / USB / Drive)Unlimited (Perpetual)Standard commercial engineering and runtime packagesSingle LicenseOpen Key with '1'Yes (can be moved between PCs)Unlimited (Perpetual)Node-locked software (e.g. single runtime stations)Trial LicensePadlock (Locked Key)No (Locked to local computer)Fixed days (typically 14 or 21 days)Temporary software evaluation and testingRental LicenseClock with KeyYes (hours decrement during use)Fixed operating hours (e.g. 50 hours)Temporary commissioning or short-term contractorsUpgrade LicenseKey with ArrowYes (until combined)UnlimitedUpgrades older version (e.g. V8.2 to V9.0)Demo LicenseKey with 'D'NoFixed evaluation limitsFeature-restricted evaluation

Step-by-Step Procedure to Inspect and Verify License Status in ALM

Follow this procedure to verify whether a locked license is valid and healthy:

Launch Automation License Manager:
- Open the Windows Start Menu, navigate to Siemens Automation -> Automation License Manager.
- Right-click and select Run as administrator.
Inspect Drive C: License Keys:
- In the left navigation pane, select drive C: (or the drive where PCS 7 is installed).
- Locate the row corresponding to your software (e.g. SIMATIC PCS 7 Engineering V9.0).
Check Status and Validity Columns:
- In the tabular view, inspect the following columns:
- License Type: Must display Trial.
- Status: Must display OK or In Use.
- Validity: Displays the remaining evaluation period (e.g. 14 Days).
- If the padlock icon is visible but Status is OK, the license is working correctly.
Execute License Validation Check:
- Highlight the license key, select menu command License Key -> Check.
- ALM will perform an internal cryptographic hash check. If the check completes with 'Check completed: The license key is valid', the key is intact.

Handling License Expiration and Commercial License Transition

When a Trial license reaches the end of its 14- or 21-day evaluation period:

ALM updates the license status to Expired.
When PCS 7 applications (SIMATIC Manager, CFC, WinCC) are opened, a popup dialog will appear every 10 minutes warning: No valid license found. Please install a valid license key.
To restore permanent operation, purchase the official commercial Floating License package (e.g. 6ES7658-1AF58-0YA5).
Transfer the purchased Floating License key from the Siemens USB License Stick or download it via Online Software Delivery (OSD) directly into ALM. The commercial floating license overrides the expired trial key automatically without requiring software reinstallation.

Verification

Verify trial license functionality in the PCS 7 Engineering System:
1. Launch SIMATIC Manager. Confirm that the application opens cleanly without throwing an immediate 'License Missing' blocking error.
2. In SIMATIC Manager, open a CFC chart, insert technological blocks, and trigger a test compilation.
3. Open Automation License Manager, select menu View -> Log, and verify that licensing events show clean Grant operations for the trial key.
4. Confirm that the padlock icon remains visible but does not prevent normal engineering operations.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Do Not Attempt to Move Locked Trial Licenses: Attempting to drag-and-drop or cut a locked trial license from drive C: to a USB stick or network share will fail with an error: License key cannot be transferred. Repeated force-transfer attempts can corrupt the ALM database registry.
Never Touch the AX NF ZZ Directory: Never attempt to delete, rename, or copy files within the hidden C:\AX NF ZZ folder using Windows Explorer. Doing so destroys the license cryptographic certificates permanently.
Commercial Accuracy Notice: Trial licenses are not permitted for production facilities. Purchasing commercial licenses requires validating required Process Object (PO) counts, engineering seat requirements, and hardware expandability with authorized Siemens distributors.

Engineer FAQ

What does the lock icon mean on a license in ALM?

The lock icon indicates that the license key is non-transferable (locked to the local machine). It is the standard symbol for Trial Licenses to prevent moving or cloning temporary evaluation keys across multiple computers.

Can a locked Trial license be transferred to another computer?

No. Trial licenses are intentionally non-transferable. If you need to evaluate software on a second computer, you must install the trial setup package on that specific machine to generate a local trial license.

Will my PCS 7 project stop working when the trial license expires?

When the trial license expires, PCS 7 software will continue running but will display frequent, persistent license warning popups every few minutes and may restrict certain compilation or download functions. Production systems must never rely on trial licenses.