No option to activate with a product key on Tableau Desktop

Issue

When activating Tableau Desktop, users do not see an option to activate with a product key. Only one option (Activate by signing in to server) is available.

Environment

Tableau Desktop
Windows
Mac

Resolution

Check with your Tableau Server Administrator or company IT team to ensure that LBLM is NOT the desired activation method used in the Tableau environment. The default setting is to display both LBLM and Product Key activation options in Tableau. If only the LBLM activation option is displayed, then Tableau was configured to use LBLM as the only activation method. The steps below will update this setting to include both activation methods (product keys and server sign in):

1. Close all the running Tableau Desktop instances.

2. As an administrator on the computer running Tableau Desktop, edit the registry, and in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Tableau, find the hive named ATR and modify the LBLM value from required to enabled.

3. If using a Mac operating system, edit the plist file as follows: sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.tableau.ATR LBLM "enabled"

Change login-based license management settings on Tableau Desktop by editing the registry

Note: Set to enabled, the licensing screens will present the two options for activation (product key, or credentials).

4. Restart Tableau Desktop and users should see both activation options - Activate with a product key and Activate by signing in to a server

Cause

In the Windows Registry or in a MAC plist file, the LBLM value is set to 'required'. When the licensing screen appears, it will offer only the credentials option for activation. Having LBLM as the only activation method can occur when the installation default options were altered either via the command line or by updating Windows Registry or the Mac plist file.