--- title: "License and updates" date: 2026-09-06 author: "nK" --- # License and updates **Visual Portfolio → Settings → Updates.** One field, **License Key**, and one button. StateWhat the page shows**No key**“To unlock updates, please enter your license key. If you don’t have a license key, please see details & pricing.” and **Activate License****Key stored**The key, masked, “Your license is active. If you can’t get updates, please see troubleshooting page.” and **Deactivate License**## What the license does - Enables plugin updates through the normal WordPress update flow (Dashboard → Updates, or the Plugins screen). The plugin checks for a new version at most once a day. - Enables premium support. Without an active key the plugin works normally, but the Plugins screen shows “To enable updates, please enter your license key on the Updates page.” next to Visual Portfolio Pro, and an update attempt fails with the same message. ## Activate Paste the key and click **Activate License**. The site’s address is registered against your license. Errors appear under the field. MessageMeaningError: License key was not specified.The field was emptyError: An error occurred, please try again.The site could not reach `api.visualportfolio.com` (firewall, blocked outgoing connections, timeout). Ask your host to allow connections to that hostError: any other textThe answer of the license server, verbatim: expired key, activation limit reached, unknown key. Check the key on your order pageThe result of a failed check is cached for 10 minutes, so a retry after fixing the cause may show the old message until then. ## Deactivate and move to another site Click **Deactivate License** on the old site, then activate the key on the new one. If the old site is gone, remove its URL from the license on your Lemon Squeezy order page (Licenses section, click the key, manage instances). A staging copy of a site counts as a separate site. ## Renew Licenses renew automatically each year. If the renewal fails or was cancelled, the reminder email links to the Lemon Squeezy checkout; you can also renew from . After renewal, updates resume without re-entering the key. ## Expired license The plugin keeps working with all its features. Updates stop, the Plugins screen shows an update as available but downloading it fails with “Download Failed: Unauthorized” (see [Troubleshooting](https://www.visualportfolio.com/docs/troubleshooting/download-failed-unauthorized/)). Renew, then run the update again. ## Multisite The license key is stored per site. Enter it on the site whose admin you update from: on a network-activated Pro, that is the main site (Network Admin → Updates reads it). If subsites update the plugin themselves, activate the key on each of them. Each activation counts as one site of your plan. ## Refund First purchases can be refunded within 14 days; upgrades and renewals cannot. See the FAQ [How can I get a refund?](https://www.visualportfolio.com/docs/faq/how-can-i-get-a-refund/) ## Legacy licenses Licenses bought before May 2025 were issued by Paddle through nkdev.info. They still work. Renewal, downloads and site management for them are on [Legacy licenses (before May 2025)](https://www.visualportfolio.com/docs/getting-started/legacy-licenses/).