LIC File

What are LIC files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a LIC file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your LIC files.

What is a LIC file?

LIC files have multiple uses, and Software License is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Software License File

Files that use the .lic file extension are license files that are used for a variety of different software applications. These files contain the registration information that enables all paid features in the associated software application. A LIC file is created when a user registers the application with the software company they downloaded the software from.

LIC files are often encrypted or encoded not to jeopardize the license rights of the associated software programs, although they are sometimes saved in a simple text-based format.

Try one of the suggested file openers that can view files in both readable text- and binary formats.

How to open LIC files

We have identified two LIC openers that are compatible with this specific type of LIC file.

Programs that open Software License files

Last updated: August 7, 2026

All known file formats using extension .LIC

While Software License File is a popular type of LIC-file, we know of 6 different uses of the .LIC file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

AKVIS License

We know that one LIC format is AKVIS License. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different LIC openers which you will find listed below.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus License File

The ESET NOD32 Antivirus License File with extension .LIC is a digital license key file used by ESET to control activation and usage of its antivirus and endpoint products. It is issued by ESET when a user purchases a license, and it enables the software (or its management console) to verify the validity period and permitted number of computers or users. The license file is applied by the user or system administrator to activate ESET NOD32 Antivirus or to register ESET Remote Administrator (in business settings).

This .LIC file is produced by ESET and provided to the licensee after purchase. You receive it either as an individual file named nod32.lic (or bundled in a zip archive) accompanied by credentials like username/password or activation key. The user imports or copies this .LIC file into the ESET product - either the standalone antivirus program or the Remote Administrator/management server - to enable update downloads, virus definitions, and full protection according to the license's constraints.

Internally this license file stores structured data fields identifying the license attributes such as product name, customer name, license type, number of allowed users or devices, expiration date, product and distribution identifiers. It includes xml versioning tags and various markers like PRODUCTID, EXPIRE, USERS, among others. It has a binary header beginning with a specific signature: bytes 0x900D03000211C8FCA002067B03C901AD at the file start.

LIC opener for Windows

We have identified one LIC opener that is compatible with this specific type of LIC file.

MATLAB License File

The MATLAB License File is a plain ASCII text file used by MathWorks to store encrypted product passcodes for MATLAB and related toolboxes under network, group, or individual licensing. It is created for use during installation or activation to define what products you're licensed to run and under what conditions.

When you receive license credentials (often via email or through the License Center), you get a license passcode file. You copy everything from the BEGIN line through the END line into a text file, including comment lines. That file is saved with the extension .lic (or named license.lic) and later used to install or activate MATLAB. In network setups, the file may later be processed into license.dat (on the server) or network.lic (on client machines) by inserting SERVER, DAEMON, or USE_SERVER lines.

The file includes comment lines starting with #, followed by lines prefixed INCREMENT, each giving the product name, vendor code, expiry date or duration, number of license keys, and encrypted passcode. INCREMENT lines may be broken across several lines using a backslash (\). The comment lines may include license number, host ID, release year, and hostnames. Only certain keywords and formatting are valid, and case, spacing, and line breaks in INCREMENT fields must be preserved exactly (spaces only, no tabs).

Technically, the file can be recognized by its header signature: the first bytes (starting at offset zero) read "#MATLABlicensepasscodefile" in ASCII.

Programs that open these LIC files

We have identified one LIC opener that is compatible with this specific type of LIC file.

Menavrus License

We know that one LIC format is Menavrus License. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Veeam Backup And Replication License File

Veeam Backup And Replication License File (extension .LIC) is a file used by the program Veeam Backup & Replication to store a software license. It authorizes and configures the use of Veeam's backup, replication, and recovery features. Without this file installed on the backup server, Veeam runs in its Community (free) Edition, which provides limited functionality. The license file defines what edition of Veeam you can use (for example Standard, Enterprise, or Enterprise Plus), how many instances, how many CPU sockets, what package, whose name or company the license is issued to, and until when the license and its support are valid.

The file is generated by Veeam's licensing system (usually delivered via the My Account portal or Veeam's Service Provider Console) and must be imported into Veeam Backup & Replication using the Install feature. After installation, Veeam reads the data in the .LIC file to determine whether the license is valid, whether it supports certain features, whether support or updates are still available, and how many workloads it can protect. Perpetual licenses without active support still run the product - but stop updates - while subscription and evaluation licenses disable protection functions when they expire.

The file is an XML document encoded in UTF-8. It starts with the standard XML declaration and contains a root element named Licenses containing one or more License entries. Key fields include the licensed edition, license type, expiration and support expiration dates, counts of CPU sockets (for virtual host licensing) or instances, identifiers such as License ID and Support ID, company and contact information, and a digital signature to verify file integrity.

Programs that open these LIC files

We have identified one LIC opener that is compatible with this specific type of LIC file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of LIC files. Remember, different programs may use LIC files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

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