AutoDesk 2021 License Key Invalid

[MCUSD25]

Edit: Got it, support reached out and gave us new license keys!

Hey all, we have 2021 AutoDesk products installed on our machines at our schools. We were using the individual license key model to license these installs, which we receive for free as part of being an educational institution. Recently we received an automated email that we may need to re-enter the license key on the installed software. Roughly one month after that email, that was the case.

I went to the machines to try the license key for AutoCAD 2021 that was included in that email. It was the same license key that was already entered. No dice, the key was invalid. I tried the Revit key for Revit 2021. No dice, the key was invalid. This was persistent across multiple machines. I then went to the website and logged in. In one of the views, it gave the same key we already had alongside the download. In another view (viewing all license keys for a given product), it said 2020 and 2021 did not have license keys, and that we needed to contact support to receive a new one.

We have contacted support twice, one time we were "going to hear from [the AutoDesk] education department" with no follow up, and the other time was the same (with follow up to see if this was still an issue, which it was, and was then never resolved). It has been at least a month since the initial contact with support, but we are still having this issue. Just this morning we received an email with the same license key we already had entered, which provided the same result (on a different machine than the first ones we had been testing on).

Any ideas? It is not feasible for us to update to 2022 or 2023 in the near term, as that would take much longer than we have the capacity for currently, and would require the shop teachers to purchase new teaching materials for the updated software. Currently this software is completely unusable due to the licensing, with no option for a trial period (I believe that is how the teacher was getting by before ever contacting us about the license being expired/invalid). Thank you!

[MCUSD25]

Hey there, I just tried that and had no luck unfortunately.

[mdavis22569]

See if this helps contact them:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-c...

[MCUSD25]

Hey there, I tried this once and my ticket was promptly closed after a while with no resolution provided unfortunately. When I clicked "No", I get this page:

Here is the original email:

[MCUSD25]

I should also add, I tried contacting general support after this, which passed that ticket to the education department. That ticket was closed shortly after for being a duplicate ticket  (which is understandable).

[mdavis22569]

Let's see if we can get @LeoWarren-EDU @natasha.l can help with this ... 

[MCUSD25]

Thank you!

[LeoWarren-EDU]

Hi @MCUSD25,

I've found your case, and I'll be bringing it to the team's attention, you should receive an update soon,

On a side note; provided your account has educational access (annually renewed), you should be able to renew the serial number in-product:
https://www.autodesk.com/support/account/education/admin/renew-access 

Key Steps:

• Multi-seat standalone licenses: Reactivate by entering the existing serial number in the product you want to renew:
  1. Click the Sign in the dropdown menu and select Manage License.
  2. Within the License Manager, expand license details and select Update.
  3. Re-enter the serial number and click Activate.
  4. On the Welcome screen, click Activate.
  5. Click Finish.
  6. Your new expiration date will appear in the License Manager.

Hope this helps 🙂

[mdavis22569]

Thanks Leo 

[MCUSD25]

Hey there, I have attempted this already but I do not see a license key for AutoCAD 2021 in that list. Using the old AutoCAD 2021 license key (which is the same key I receive via email when I download the 2021 installer), the AutoCAD application/license manager tells me this key is invalid. Thanks!

[mdavis22569]

and you guys aren't sign in now either .... ? 

[MCUSD25]

Hey there, yes we are signed in to the AutoDesk website. We also try licensing with AutoCAD 2021 by signing in there, but it just gives the same error about not having a license. Can somebody from support generate a new AutoCAD 2021 license key for us?

[mdavis22569]

This will be the licensing group .. Leo etc.. 

No one this level / on the forums can

M

[MCUSD25]

Gotcha. I mainly took to the forums because I was unable to get in contact with anyone in support, so hopefully they see this and are able to get back with us. Thanks!

[mdavis22569]

@LeoWarren-EDU  is looking into it 

But I'd do the ticket too

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-c...

[MCUSD25]

Unfortunately I've created two tickets in the past, one which is still open. The other got closed for being a duplicate, so I will probably refrain from submitting an additional ticket so as to not flood them. Thanks!

[mdavis22569]

I'd do it again .. do you have another user who can put it in? 

[LeoWarren-EDU]

Hi @MCUSD25,

Just to let you know, I am still chasing your case; I've forwarded the case to our team, so it should be on their radar,

All the best,

[MCUSD25]

Thank you again!

[mdavis22569]

@MCUSD25  @LeoWarren-EDU 

Any update?

[MCUSD25 · Accepted solution]

So sorry - I wound up getting an email a few weeks back that wound up resolving it. Thank you for all the help!