You will need a license key to activate any version of Capture One. Refer to this guide if you need help in finding your key:

How do I find my Capture One license key?

Depending on the software version you have, here are the activation scenarios to follow:

• Activate Capture One (16.5.2 onwards)
• Activate Capture One (16.3 until 16.5.2)
• Activate Capture One Trial
• Activate older Capture One version (15.0.1 and earlier)
• Offline activation

Activate Capture One (16.5.2 onwards)

With the release of Capture One 16.5.2 and in future versions, you will have the opportunity to activate your product without requiring a license key.

Note: An internet connection is necessary to complete the activation.
Note: If you have previously used Capture One in trial, deactivate it first from inside the software (Capture One -> License/ Help -> License (macOS/Windows)) or on the website.

Launch Capture One

Sign-in either via your local Capture One account or using one of the Social ID options available.


You will then be redirected to a window showing all your available plans. Choose the one you wish to activate and click on Continue.

NOTE: In case you don't see your product in this list, you can always choose to manually insert your license key.

You have successfully activated Capture One.

During your first use of Capture One, you will be presented with an Onboarding window as well as a quick guide.

Click "Next" to have a quick tour of the main new features

Activate Capture One (16.3 until 16.5.2)

Note: An internet connection is necessary to complete the activation.
Note: If you have previously used Capture One in trial, deactivate it first from inside the software (Capture One -> License/ Help -> License (macOS/Windows)) or on the website.

First-time users will see a dialog to help them get on board with Capture One. Click “Let's get started” and continue.

You will be asked to log in to your account at captureone.com to authenticate. If you don't already have an account, click Sign Up, enter the email address you want to use for your Capture One account, and click Create Account.

Once you are logged in correctly, your authentication is complete.

Select Use License key.

Enter the license code: How do I find my Capture One license key?

Click Activate.

Capture One launches afterward in a matter of a second

As the first time experience with 23, you will be welcomed by the onboarding

Click "Next" to have a quick tour of the main new features

At last, you can choose our Resource hub to show up at start-up or not by toggling off in the bottom left of the window:

In case you face issues when activating Capture One, check out the troubleshooting steps here.

Activate Capture One Trial

NOTE: There is no need to cancel your free trial – it will get cancelled automatically once your 30 days are over. You will not be charged after that unless you proactively go to the website and purchase the software.

1. Download fully-featured 30-days Capture One trial

2. If you already have an account with Capture One, you will be requested to log in. If you are a new user, you will need to Sign up and create an account.

3. After downloading and installing Capture One, you will have to launch it.

Click Let's get started. 

4. You will be transferred to Log in to id.captureone.com

Once you are logged in, your authentication is complete.

NOTE: When the notification appears, click open Capture One 23 or select the checkbox to always allow the id.captureone.com to open the app.

5. Select Start trial. 

6. Click Launch Capture One.

Capture One trial will be active within 30 days from the moment the software was first activated on any of your workstations. After that period, Capture One trial will be deactivated on all your workstations.

IMPORTANT: The 30-days trial period cannot be extended.

7. You will be able to use Capture One Pro trial on 3 machines. Check the number of available activations in your account on captureone.com or from inside the application Capture One -> License / Help -> License (macOS/Windows).

IMPORTANT: If you decide to test another product variant after the 30-days trial period expires, you will get the following message in your account.

Activate older Capture One version (15.0.1 and earlier)

Note: An internet connection is necessary to complete the activation.
Note: If you have previously used Capture One in trial, deactivate it first from inside the software (Capture One -> License/ Help -> License (macOS/Windows)) or on the website.

How to switch from a free trial to Capture One Pro

1. Launch Capture One after having it downloaded and installed.

2. The License Activation window will automatically appear once you launch the software. The run mode of the software will be determined by the license key you have.

3. Type in the license key in the License Code field.

4. Type in the email address that you use to log into your profile at captureone.com. If you do not have an account on the Capture One website yet, enter an email address you would like to use to set up your Capture One account. Click on Get Profile.

5. If you registered previously, you will be asked for your account password (the same you use to log into your profile at captureone.com). After verification, the rest of the form will be filled in for you. If you are a new customer, please fill in all the required fields manually.

6. Complete this process by selecting Activate.

7. Your software is now ready for use in the mode corresponding to the license key you entered.

In case you face issues when activating Capture One, try an alternative network connection and ensure that you are not using a VPN, as this can cause communication errors with our activation server.

For more information on activation errors, see Activation Errors.

Offline activation

Note: You can only activate offline with version 15.0 or earlier. If you are using a newer version, then it will not be possible to activate Capture One in an offline environment.

Note: Only perpetual Capture One Pro licenses can be activated offline. If you have a subscription or a trial license – then you cannot activate your license offline.

Jump to:

• Offline activation of Capture One 21 (14.0) - Capture One 22 (15.0)
• Offline activation of Capture One 20 and older

Offline activation of Capture One 21 (14.0) - Capture One 22 (15.0)

1. Launch Capture One. In the Activation dialog box, select Manual Activation. Type in your 16-character activation key in the License Code field.

2. The Activation window will show the registration key and also the QR code.

3. Use another device that is connected to the internet.

a. Mobile/Tablet

Scan the QR code in the Activation window by opening the camera application on your tablet or mobile phone. Just navigate to the QR code without making any photos and let the camera focus on it for several seconds. Then a banner with Open "captureone.com" in [Browser] will appear in the upper part of your screen. Click on this banner. It will take you to the login page at captureone.com

Enter your e-mail and password. Then proceed to Step 8 on this page.

b. Computer

Copy the registration key from the Registration Key field. Then go to www.captureone.com and click on the Account icon.

4. Go to the Offline Activation website page and log-in if prompted

5. Paste the 24-character code into the Registration Key field.

NOTE: In case you used a mobile/tablet device during Step 3, this field will be filled in automatically.

6. Enter the computer name in the Device name field.

NOTE: If you are trying to activate Capture One offline on the computer where it was already activated online/offline some time ago, please use its exact name (specified in the License Activation history).

7. Click the Get Key button. A new 24-character key will be generated and visible in your browser. 

8. Enter the license key (generated during Step 9) in the Activation Key field. Click Activate.

Offline activation of Capture One 20 and older

1. Launch Capture One. In the Activation dialog box, select Manual Activation. Type in your 16-character activation key in the License Code field. 

2. Go to the offline activation page

3. Copy the 24-character registration key generated during Step 1.

4. Paste the 24-character code into the Registration Key field. Enter the device name in the Device Name field.

Click the Get Key button.

5. A new 24-character key will be generated and visible in your browser.

Copy and insert it in the Activation Key field of the Capture One activation dialog box. Click Activate.

8. Your software is now ready for use.