Note: Part numbers change with TIA Portal versions. Always verify with your local Siemens distributor or the Siemens Industry Mall.
If you have both a trial license and a full license installed, the trial may be taking precedence.
Open ALM, select the license, and drag it onto the USB drive.
Follow these chronological steps to diagnose and resolve the missing license error. 1. Verify Installed Licenses via ALM Note: Part numbers change with TIA Portal versions
To proceed with fixing your runtime application, please let me know:
A basic WinCC Runtime Advanced license only covers core SCADA operations and Powertags. If the project contains a or an Alarm Log , Siemens requires a dedicated add-on license called WinCC Logging for Runtime Advanced . Physical hardware like Comfort Panels or Mobile Panels archive data for free, but PC-based runtime stations must have this license transferred. 2. Simulation Environment Alerts
Select your local drive (usually C: ) or the connected license USB drive from the left-hand navigation tree. Open ALM, select the license, and drag it onto the USB drive
Sometimes, the error appears even when you are . A common example is the SmartServer service. In earlier versions of WinCC, installing WinCC RT Advanced would automatically start the CoRTSmartServer service. The system would then check for a SmartServer license, and if none was found, it would erroneously report a license key not available error, often confusing it with the Logging requirement.
The "License key not available! WinCC Logging for Runtime Advanced" error is a common but solvable licensing issue that stems from a misunderstanding of Siemens' licensing model or technical problems with the license itself. By following the structured approach outlined in this guide—systematically checking your licenses with ALM, disabling unused features, or installing the required license—you can resolve this error quickly. Remember that a proactive approach to managing licenses and system shutdowns is the best way to ensure your WinCC Runtime Advanced system operates reliably without interruptions.
: Check if you own the WinCC Logging for Runtime Advanced license (e.g., Article No: 6AV2107-0GA00-0BB0 ). A standard "WinCC Runtime Advanced PowerTags" license only covers basic HMI operation, not archiving. Verify Installed Licenses via ALM To proceed with
This error is distinct from a missing "Runtime Advanced" base license. The system may have a license to run the visualization screens, but it lacks the specific add-on authorization to log the data.
It looks like you're encountering a license key issue with in Siemens WinCC (likely TIA Portal). The message "License key not available" typically means the required license is either missing, not activated, or not recognized by the system.
Use this checklist to quickly and methodically resolve the error:
If you are trying to configure "Tag Logging" or "Alarm Logging" to a file, and you only have the standard Runtime license installed, the system will throw the "License Key Not Available" error the moment the archive service tries to initialize.
: The Automation License Manager Service might be frozen. Open the Windows Services manager ( services.msc ), find the Automation License Manager Service , right-click it, and select Restart .