@@ -5,31 +5,33 @@ info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated w
type:howto
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# Activate GitLab EE with a license **(PREMIUM SELF)**
# Activating GitLab EE
To activate all GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) functionality, you need to upload
a license. It's only possible to activate GitLab Enterprise Edition, so first verify which edition
you are running. To verify, sign in to GitLab and browse to `/help`. The GitLab edition and version
are listed at the top of the **Help** page.
To enable features of GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE), you need to activate your instance. Ensure you are running an enterprise edition. To verify, sign in to GitLab and browse to `/help`. The GitLab edition and version are listed at the top of the **Help** page.
If you are running GitLab Community Edition (CE), upgrade your installation to
GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE). For more details, see [Upgrading between editions](../../update/index.md#upgrading-between-editions).
If you have questions or need assistance upgrading from GitLab CE to EE please [contact GitLab Support](https://about.gitlab.com/support/#contact-support).
The license is a base64-encoded ASCII text file with a `.gitlab-license`
extension. You can obtain the file by [purchasing a license](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/)
or by signing up for a [free trial](https://about.gitlab.com/free-trial/).
After you've received your license from GitLab Inc., you can upload it
by **signing into your GitLab instance as an admin** or adding it at
installation time.
If you are running GitLab Community Edition (CE), upgrade your installation to GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE). For more details, see [Upgrading between editions](../../update/index.md#upgrading-between-editions). If you have questions or need assistance upgrading from GitLab CE to EE please [contact GitLab Support](https://about.gitlab.com/support/#contact-support).
As of GitLab Enterprise Edition 9.4.0, a newly-installed instance without an
uploaded license only has the Free features active. A trial license
activates all Ultimate features, but after
[the trial expires](#what-happens-when-your-license-expires), some functionality
uploaded license only has the Free features active. A trial license activates all Ultimate features, but after [the trial expires](#what-happens-when-your-license-expires), some functionality
is locked.
## Activate GitLab EE with an Activation Code **(PREMIUM SELF)**
As of GitLab Enterprise Edition 14.0, you need an activation code to activate your instance. You can obtain an activation code by [purchasing a license](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/) or by signing up for a [free trial](https://about.gitlab.com/free-trial/). This activation code is a 24-character alphanumeric string you receive in a confirmation email. You can also sign in to the [Customers Portal](https://customers.gitlab.com/customers/sign_in) to copy the activation code to your clipboard.
To begin the activation process with your activation code:
1. Sign in to your GitLab self-managed instance.
1. From the top menu, select the Admin Area **{admin}**.
1. From the left sidebar, select **Subscriptions**.
1. Paste the activation code onto the input field.
1. Read and accept the terms of service.
1. Select **Activate**.
## Activate GitLab EE with a License File **(PREMIUM SELF)**
If you receive a license file from GitLab (for example a new trial), you can upload it by signing into your GitLab instance as an admin or adding it during installation. The license is a base64-encoded ASCII text file with a `.gitlab-license` extension.
## Uploading your license
The first time you visit your GitLab EE installation signed in as an administrator,
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@@ -148,3 +150,7 @@ without enough users is uploaded, GitLab displays a message prompting you to pur
additional users. More information on how to determine the required number of users
and how to add additional seats can be found in the
In GitLab 14.0 and later, to activate your subscription, your GitLab instance must be connected to the internet. If you have questions or need assistance activating your instance please [contact GitLab Support](https://about.gitlab.com/support/#contact-support).
