To Return a Borrowed License Early

How to return a license to the network before it expires.

Your borrowed network license is automatically returned to the network license server on the day that the license expires. You can return a license earlier than the expiry date, but to do this, your computer must be connected to the network license server.

Once a borrowed license is returned, you can borrow a license again as long as your computer is connected to the network license server and a license is available on the server.

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Click Tools menuLicense BorrowingReturn License Early.
    • Click Help menuAboutProduct Information or Product License Information. In the Product License Information dialog box, click Return License, and then click Yes.
    • Click Help menuAbout <product name>. In the About <product name> window, click Product License Information. In the Product License Information window, click Return License, and then click Yes.
    • Enter the command RETURNLICENSE
    • In the status tray, right-click the License Borrowing icon. Click Return License Early.
      Note: If your product supports access to license borrowing commands in the status tray, you can use this method to return a borrowed license early, but the display settings for the status tray must be turned on. To turn on the display settings, right-click an empty area on the status bar. Click Tray Settings.
  2. Your license returns to the network license server.

If you see a License Return Error, indicating that the license cannot be returned, the probable cause is a change to the client or server hardware since the license was borrowed. You may be able to resolve this situation as follows:

  1. Change the system date on the client computer to a date after the expiry date of the borrowed license.
  2. Launch the Autodesk product to verify that is no longer using the borrowed license.
  3. Connect to the network and borrow another license, then return it, using the normal procedure.
  4. Reset the system date on the computer to the actual date.