When Sketchup doesn't start because of a license issue

Technical Problems Known Issues
1

There is this problem, where you open SketchUp 2019 or 2020, and immediately you see a message about SketchUo cannot launch because of a license error.

Every release of SketchUp we added something to help with that problem. 2020 in particular fixed the issue for about 2/3rd of the cases we knew of.

But, it didn’t fix it for everyone. After quite a lot of testing, we did track down what the issue was:

One of the software libraries we use does a check in with Windows, about machine details. In an update to those libraries they accessed something in particular, and that’s when things broke. Sadly, the new thing that was queried was something we don’t even need.

We are going to adjust SketchUp to cope with the times when Windows fails to respond to the times when that code queries them. If Windows fails, and the third party libraries report something bad to SketchUp, we will ignore it.

That change exists internally already, but I have had some trouble tracking down people to test the workaround.

If you are able to open 2019 or 2020, and see a cannot launch because of a license error, please let me know, I may have a fix for that.

4 Likes
3

I have a subscription for PRO 2020 and despite trying all the support suggestions and relevant Forum suggestions I still get unable to open due to license error. I’m willing to try anything to get it to work. Let me know what I can do.

4

I have sent a message to you.

5

Bonjour, j’ai acheté la version PRO mais quand je vais sur mon compte on m’indique que j’ai le droit uniquement à la version WEB alors que j’ai payé 274 euros.
Pouvez vous me rembourser ou me dire ce que je dois faire ?

6

Sign into:

https://ecom-prd.trimblepaas.com/ecom/portal#/subscription

Choose Members, SketchUp Pro, +Assign, add your name.

7

I am letting you know Colin. I was talking with Jayme in sales, explaining 2020 come up with all kinds of excuses not too launch, although when it first came up and I logged in to Trimble account it said Activated you may start using Sketchup. Now it says I have it on too many computers? I only have two and one was not even on? This is costing valuable time I still have 2017 version on which activates but will not open later files done in 2019. The main screen keeps asking for Classic License?

8

This topic is for a different issue. For your case though, ignore the Classic part of the license screen, you only need to look at the subscription part.

To solve your problem, do this:

  1. When the problem happens and you see a large blue Manage Subscriptions button, click on that. Or manually sign into:

https://ecom-prd.trimblepaas.com/ecom/portal#/subscription

  1. In my Products, choose SketchUp Pro, and click on the View Included Applications link.

  2. In the SketchUp Pro part of that, click on Manage Devices, and deauthorize all devices.

You can now sign in on the machine you want to use, and you won’t see the message.

I will check with Jayme if she knows about these steps.

9

Thanks Colin it worked.

10

I have not been able to open my 2020 pro subscription since I purchased it last month. Any Ideas???

11

What happens when you try to open SketchUp?

12

I have the same issue…SU cannot start due to license error. I have uninstalled and reinstalled. Same thing. Version 2020 Pro. Would love to have your solution

13

I will send you a message.

14

i recently had a major crash of my computer and so had to replace the motherboard and all of my programs. all my other programs started normally when i entered the S/N.

However, when i try to sign in to 2020 Pro, and tried to use my classic license, i was advised that the S?N was incorrect; i know it is correct.

what do i do?

15

There is a different issue that could explain that, assuming you are using SketchUp 2020 and your VA-0031xxxx-ALR serial number.

I will message some steps for you to try.

16

I’ve been informed that my 2017 Mac lisense is still valid but I too have the same issue when attempting to open it.

17

There are different causes for the error message, and one of those is fixed, for now at least, with a restart. The other case only affects 2019 and later, so if your 2017 SketchUp has. problem, a restart may fix things.

18

I am having the exact same problem. I have emailed sketchup and called them and have NO response.

19

You hadn’t mentioned a start up problem in your email to us, just something about your license not being a 1 year one. Can you reply with more details to the email that I sent to you?

20

I am unable to load 2020, license error.