If you are getting an error ("The product key entered is not valid" or "Invalid serial number. Please re-enter serial number") when you enter your product key or serial number, there are a two primary causes.

Cause #1: The wrong key is being used

The most common cause of an invalid product key or serial number error is an entry error or use of the wrong key. Serial number and product key licenses are not interchangeable.  The difference between a serial number and a product key explains the difference between serial numbers and product keys.

If you ever received a custom license from us, this requires a new product key to be generated and the wrong one may be saved in your records.  Sign in to your account to find your latest license information: Where can I find my serial number or product key?

Previous versions of the software displayed both the product key and activation ID in the License Information dialog.  The activation ID was removed from the dialog because it was easy to confuse with a product key.  Sign in to your account to find your latest license information: Where can I find my serial number or product key?

Cause #2: The wrong software version is installed

Serial number licenses are version specific.  This means that a Surfer 12 serial number cannot be used to activate Surfer 11 and vice versa.

Grapher 12, Surfer 13, and Strater 5 each have two versions: a product key version and a serial number version. If you have a product key, you will need to have a product key version of the software installed.  Product key versions include:

• Grapher 12.4.39, 12.4.46, 12.5.77, 12.5.87, 12.6.121, and 12.7.126
• Surfer 13.6.86 and 13.6.92
• Strater 5.5.63 and all newer versions

If you have a serial number, you will need to have a serial number of the software installed.  Serial number versions include:

• Grapher 12.7.855, 12.6.851, 12.5.811, 12.4.753, and all earlier versions
• Surfer 13.6.618 and all earlier versions
• Strater 5.4.948 and all earlier versions

All Strater 4 and earlier, Surfer 12 and earlier, and Grapher 11 and earlier versions were sold as only serial numbers.  In addition, all Voxler, Didger, and MapViewer licenses are serial numbers.

Updated April 2022