Licensing System

VBA Padlock provides a modern, robust Licensing System that transforms your Excel workbooks or Access databases into commercial software. From simple product keys to complex hardware-locked subscriptions, you have total control over how users access your specialized logic.

Different business models require different types of protection. Choose the one that fits your distribution strategy:

VBA Padlock supports two distinct key architectures. We recommend Long Keys for maximum cryptographic security.

Setting up licensing is a two-step process in VBA Padlock Studio.

1. Enable Activation: In Activation Settings, check the “Activation Key is required” option.
2. Generate Master Key: Go to Advanced Activation Settings to generate your unique encryption keys. These ensure that only you can generate valid keys for your project.

Verify the license status directly within your code to protect specific macros or features.

' Check if the application is fully licensed
If VBAPL_IsLicenseValid() Then
    ' Run proprietary logic
ElseIf VBAPL_IsTrialMode() Then
    MsgBox "Trial: " & VBAPL_GetTrialLimitLeft() & " days left."
Else
    MsgBox "Please activate your license."
End If

Where should the license be stored once the user activates it?

• Registry (Default): Best for standard Windows installations. Keys are stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
• Portable (.LIC file): Use this for USB-based applications or environments where users don’t have registry write permissions. Enable this via Portable Mode.