Fix Activation Required ‘Error’ in Cakewalk
Cakewalk by BandLab is a powerful and free DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) that is loved by music producers, but every 3-6 months, BandLab requires users to activate their subscription. This is to check how many active users are using Cakewalk and ensure the software remains in good standing. When Bandlab ‘deactivates’ your subscription, you might see a pop up that says ‘Activation Required: Please sign in to your Bandlab account to activate Cakewalk’
Fortunately, activating your Cakewalk subscription is simple, and there are two ways to do it: Online and Offline. While the Offline method might sound like it doesn’t require an internet connection, both methods still require an internet connection, just in different ways. Here’s a guide on how to activate Cakewalk using both methods.
Online Activation
The online activation method is the easiest and quickest way to activate Cakewalk. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open Cakewalk by BandLab (CWB): Launch the Cakewalk application on your computer.
- Go to the Help Menu: In the top menu bar, click on Help.
- Sign In to BandLab: Select the Sign In to BandLab option. This will open your web browser.
- Now, Input Your Credentials: Enter the credentials (email and password) that you used when you downloaded Cakewalk. This is extremely important. If you use different credentials, the (re)activation process is set to fail.
- Return to Cakewalk: Once you’ve signed in, go back to Cakewalk by BandLab, and your subscription should be activated!
Trobleshooting
If you encounter any issues during this process, it could be due to your default browser settings. Here’s how to fix that:
- Open Settings on your computer (Windows).
- Search for Default Apps.
- Under the Browser section, choose the browser where you are signed in to BandLab (or where you want to sign in).
Important Note:
Make sure the credentials you use to sign in are the same ones you used to download Cakewalk to your computer. If you’re using a different BandLab account, the activation process may fail.
Offline Activation
The Offline method might sound like it doesn’t require an internet connection, but it actually does—just not directly on the same PC where Cakewalk is installed. Here’s how to activate Cakewalk offline:
- Open Cakewalk by BandLab: Start Cakewalk on your computer.
- Go to the Help Menu: Just like in the online method, click on Help in the menu bar.
- Select Offline Activation: Choose Offline Activation, then select Export Request.
- Export the .crq File: This will generate a .crq file, which contains your activation request. Now, you need to take this file to a computer with an internet connection. A USB drive is the easiest way to transfer this file to another PC.
Once you have access to a PC with internet, follow these steps:
- Download and Install Cakewalk Product Center: On the PC with an internet connection, download and install the Cakewalk Product Center application. You can find the latest version here.
- Launch Cakewalk Product Center: Open the Cakewalk Product Center and select the .crq file you previously exported.
- Generate the .dat File: The Cakewalk Product Center will process the .crq file and generate a .dat file that you’ll need to bring back to your original PC.
- Return to Your Original PC: Transfer the .dat file to your original PC (you can use a USB drive).
- Import the Activation Response: Open Cakewalk by BandLab again, go to the Help menu, select Offline Activation, and choose Import Activation Response.
- Done! Your subscription is activated!
Final Thoughts
Cakewalk by BandLab is a fantastic DAW, and keeping your subscription activated is an important part of ensuring you continue to have access to all its features and updates. Whether you choose the Online or Offline method, the process is straightforward and will only take a few minutes.
If you have any issues during the process, make sure your internet connection is stable, and double-check that you’re using the correct BandLab credentials for your Cakewalk version.
Happy producing!
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