# Licence keys > Open a product's Licence keys section and choose where keys come from (a list you paste in, keys Shoprocket generates, or your own key server). Each unit sold gets one key, sent to the buyer when the order is paid. Help Centre / Products - Updated 29 October 2026 Licence keys let you sell software, plugins or anything else that needs a key to unlock. Every unit sold gets its own key, and the buyer receives it when the order is paid. Buying three copies means three keys. ## Before you begin - Licence keys are on the Business plan and above. On a lower plan the **Licence keys** section shows which plan includes it. - They work on physical and digital products. A bundle has none of its own: a bundle hands out the keys of the products inside it. - Create the product first. Until it is saved, the section only says to save first. ## Step 1: Choose where keys come from 1. Go to **Products** and open the product. 2. Open the **Licence keys** section. 3. Under **Where keys come from**, pick one: - **A list of keys I paste in**: you already have keys, and each sale hands out the next unused one. - **Shoprocket generates them**: a fresh key is made for every unit sold, so you never run out. - **My own key server**: Shoprocket asks your server for a key each time an order is paid. 4. Click **Save**. ![The Licence keys section of a product, with A list of keys I paste in chosen under Where keys come from and three keys pasted in with the Add 3 keys button](https://v3.shoprocket.io/img/help/licence-keys/licence-keys-section.webp) ## Step 2: Add your keys **If you paste in a list:** 1. Paste your keys into **Paste keys (one per line, or comma-separated)**. 2. Click the button below it, which counts them, for example **Add 50 keys**. Keys are added straight away, not on **Save**. Shoprocket tells you how many were added, how many were skipped because they were already in the list, and how many are now available. If the product has variants, **Applies to** lets you set keys aside for one variant or leave them as **Any variant (shared pool)**. On a product without variants you can switch on **Let the key pool set the stock level**. The stock then follows the number of unsold keys, so the product stops selling when you run out. Click **Save** after switching it on. **If Shoprocket generates them:** set the **Prefix** (for example `BREW-`), the number of **Groups** and the **Characters per group**. The section shows what a key will look like. Leave **Each key works for (days)** empty for keys that never expire. **If you use your own server:** type the **Key server URL** and click **Save**. A **Signing secret** is created for your server to check requests with, and **Send test request** checks that your server answers with a key. You can also paste **Fallback keys**, which are used only when your server fails, so a buyer still gets a key straight away. ## Step 3: Let your software check keys (optional) Switch on **Let my software check keys with Shoprocket** so your app can activate and check keys against Shoprocket. Keys that are revoked, refunded or lapsed then stop working. It is always on for keys Shoprocket generates. With it on, set **Devices per key** to limit how many devices one key can be activated on, and copy the **Product secret** into your software. The section shows the addresses your software calls. ## What the buyer gets When the order is paid, each unit gets a key: - Keys from a pasted list or generated by Shoprocket are in the order confirmation email. - Keys from your own server arrive in a separate email. The confirmation tells the buyer it is on its way. The order's page in your dashboard has a **Licence keys** card listing the keys it was given. ## Managing keys The product's **Licence keys** section lists every key with its status: **Available**, **Sold**, **Suspended**, **Expired** or **Revoked**. Use **Search keys** and the **Status** filter to find one, and **View order** to open the order that bought it. - **Revoke key** is on unsold keys only. Click it, then click again to confirm, and that key is never sold. - A key from an order that is refunded in full is revoked automatically. - A key sold on a subscription is suspended while a payment is overdue and comes back when it is paid. - With key checking on, a sold key shows its **Devices**, and **Deactivate** frees one up. ## If keys run out A pasted list can run out. The order still goes through, because the customer has already paid, and the order's **Licence keys** card shows how many keys it is short. Add more keys so future orders are covered, and send this customer their key yourself. Switching on **Let the key pool set the stock level** stops this happening. If your own key server keeps failing, the order's card says the key was not delivered. Click **Retry now**, or type a key in **Or type a key** and click **Use this key**. ## Related - [Sell digital products](https://v3.shoprocket.io/help/sell-digital-products.md) - [Track stock and inventory](https://v3.shoprocket.io/help/track-stock-and-inventory.md) - [Sell a product on subscription](https://v3.shoprocket.io/help/sell-subscriptions.md) - [Sell product bundles](https://v3.shoprocket.io/help/product-bundles.md) [Open Products in your dashboard](https://app-v3.shoprocket.io/go/products) --- - HTML version: https://v3.shoprocket.io/help/licence-keys - Language: English (en) - Also in: [العربية](https://v3.shoprocket.io/ar/help/licence-keys.md), [Deutsch](https://v3.shoprocket.io/de/hilfe/lizenzschluessel.md), [Ελληνικά](https://v3.shoprocket.io/el/help/licence-keys.md), [Español](https://v3.shoprocket.io/es/ayuda/claves-de-licencia.md), [Français](https://v3.shoprocket.io/fr/aide/cles-de-licence.md), [עברית](https://v3.shoprocket.io/he/help/licence-keys.md), [हिन्दी](https://v3.shoprocket.io/hi/help/licence-keys.md), [Bahasa Indonesia](https://v3.shoprocket.io/id/bantuan/kunci-lisensi.md), [Italiano](https://v3.shoprocket.io/it/aiuto/chiavi-di-licenza.md), [日本語](https://v3.shoprocket.io/ja/help/licence-keys.md), [Lietuvių](https://v3.shoprocket.io/lt/pagalba/licencijos-raktai.md), [Norsk](https://v3.shoprocket.io/nb/hjelp/lisensnokler.md), [Nederlands](https://v3.shoprocket.io/nl/hulp/licentiesleutels.md), [Polski](https://v3.shoprocket.io/pl/pomoc/klucze-licencyjne.md), [Português](https://v3.shoprocket.io/pt/ajuda/chaves-de-licenca.md), [Română](https://v3.shoprocket.io/ro/ajutor/chei-de-licenta.md), [Русский](https://v3.shoprocket.io/ru/help/licence-keys.md), [ไทย](https://v3.shoprocket.io/th/help/licence-keys.md), [Türkçe](https://v3.shoprocket.io/tr/yardim/lisans-anahtarlari.md), [中文](https://v3.shoprocket.io/zh/help/licence-keys.md)