The number that matters is 30 days. A first installation of ABB RobotStudio provides the full trial feature set for that period; after the trial expires, only the free online features remain available. A license-key prompt is therefore an entitlement decision, not proof that the installation media or computer has failed.
Installation and Licensing Approaches
Choose the path according to the entitlement attached to the copy. A free installation can proceed without entering a key. A paid copy requires the ABB-issued key that unlocks the licensed features. The trial provides a third operating state: full functionality for 30 days after the first installation, followed by the free online feature set.
| Approach | Key required | Feature result | Deciding condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free installation | No | Free online features | No paid entitlement is available |
| 30-day trial | No key identified for initial trial use | Full trial features for 30 days | First installation and trial period still active |
| Paid installation | Yes | Features covered by the purchased license | A paid copy or entitlement was purchased |
For an engineer who needs only the free functions or wants to evaluate the software, the recommended path is to continue without a key and verify the resulting operating mode. For a purchased copy, stop treating the prompt as an installation problem: recover the entitlement through ABB rather than substituting an unknown key.
License Timing and Feature Boundary
The installer places the RobotStudio software on the computer, while licensing determines which installed capabilities may run. Keeping those functions separate explains why the software can install successfully without a paid key yet later expose fewer features.
The trial boundary is time-based. During the initial 30-day period, RobotStudio operates as a full trial. When that period expires, the installation remains usable for the free online features, but trial-only capabilities stop being available. Reinstalling should not be treated as a reliable method of restarting an expired entitlement because software licensing commonly retains activation state separately from the application files.
| Quantity or state | Limit or meaning | Where to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Trial duration | 30 days | RobotStudio trial or license status shown by the installed software |
| License-key prompt | Requests a paid entitlement when that path is selected | Installer or activation screen |
| Post-trial state | Only online features remain available for free | Available commands and the software's license status |
| Paid entitlement | Valid ABB-issued key required | Purchase records or ABB licensing support |
Preinstallation Entitlement Check
Identify what the CD represents before entering anything into the key field. The label on the media alone may identify the product but may not prove that a paid license was purchased. The deciding record is the commercial entitlement associated with the software.
- Confirm that the media is for ABB RobotStudio.
- Determine whether the copy was supplied as free software, an evaluation copy, or part of a paid purchase.
- For a paid purchase, check the supplied purchase and license records for the ABB-issued key.
- If no paid entitlement exists, select the installer path that continues without a key.
- If payment was made but the key is missing, collect the purchase information and request license recovery from ABB.
This check prevents two common misdiagnoses: interpreting a license prompt as defective media and expecting free use to unlock every installed function. The prompt concerns the right to use a feature set; it does not by itself indicate a damaged CD or failed installation.
RobotStudio Installation Procedure
Use the installation choices that match the entitlement already established. Button names can vary between installer releases, so follow the choice by meaning: continue without a key for free or trial operation, or enter the supplied ABB key for paid operation.
- Start the RobotStudio installer from the CD.
- Read the license-selection screen and identify the path for installation without a key.
- If using the free copy or the initial trial, continue on that path and leave the paid key field unused.
- If installing a purchased copy, enter only the key supplied for that ABB entitlement.
- Complete the installer and start RobotStudio.
- Open the license or activation status presented by the installed software and record whether it reports trial, free, or paid operation.
If the installer offers no apparent way to continue without a key, first confirm that the selected installation option is not specifically the paid activation path. Record the exact screen text before contacting ABB; that wording identifies whether the block occurs during product installation or license activation.
Postinstallation Verification
Verification must test both installation and entitlement. A successful launch proves that the executable installation completed, while the reported license state and accessible functions prove which mode is active.
- Launch RobotStudio and confirm that it opens without returning to the installer.
- Read the displayed license state. A new, unlicensed installation should be evaluated against the 30-day full-trial behavior.
- Open the functions required for the job and confirm that they are available in the current mode.
- Record the trial end date or remaining duration wherever RobotStudio displays that information.
- For a paid installation, close and restart the software, then confirm that the licensed functions remain available.
After 30 days, verify the expected boundary directly: free online features should remain, while features supplied only by the full trial should no longer be available. If a required capability disappears at that point, the remedy is a paid entitlement rather than another installation attempt.
Recurring Licensing Pitfalls
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Installer asks for a key | Paid activation path selected | Return to the license choice and select installation without a key when using free or trial mode |
| Features disappear after initial use | 30-day full trial expired | Use the remaining free online features or obtain a paid ABB license |
| Paid copy has no usable key | Entitlement information is missing | Provide purchase records to ABB and request the correct key |
| Reinstallation does not restore the trial | Trial state persists outside ordinary program files | Check the license status and resolve the entitlement instead of repeating installation |
| Software opens but a required function is unavailable | Current mode does not include that function | Compare the reported mode with the required feature set |
Avoid keys from unrelated copies. License keys identify entitlements, and an unknown key can create activation and ownership problems without changing what was actually purchased. Keep the installation result, license status, and commercial entitlement as three separate diagnostic facts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I install ABB RobotStudio without a key?
You can install a free copy without a key. On a first installation, RobotStudio provides a full trial for 30 days before reverting to the free online features.
What happens if the RobotStudio 30-day trial expires?
The full trial features expire, while the online features remain available for free. Obtain a paid ABB entitlement if the required work depends on functions outside that free set.
What happens if I paid for RobotStudio but lost the key?
Collect the purchase and entitlement records, then request the correct key from ABB. A reinstall does not replace missing proof of a paid license.
What happens if RobotStudio still blocks installation?
Stop after recording the exact prompt, selected license path, and displayed license status; repeated reinstalls will not correct a missing paid entitlement. Escalate to official ABB support when a paid key cannot be recovered or the installer provides no keyless path for free or trial use.