[[TOC]]
Q: What is the Passware Software Maintenance and Support and renewal policy?
By default, Passware Kit comes as annual termed licenses. Free updates are available within the license validity period. Upon license expiration, a new license is required to continue using the software and receiving
updates.
Passware Kit Business and Forensic are also available as perpetual licenses.
A Perpetual license comes with a Software Maintenance and Support (SMS) subscription; once SMS expires, software updates and bug fixes are no longer available, but the software itself remains fully functional. SMS Subscription can be renewed for one or more years.
New features are being added to Passware Kit on a regular basis with four major releases and multiple minor updates per year. This release cycle has been strictly followed for over 20 years.
You will receive a Passware account login along with the software download link and a product key.
Your SMS subscription or active annual license gives you access to new versions of the software when released and allows you to receive technical support.
You can check the expiration date in the Passware account:
If a renewal of an SMS subscription is purchased after its expiration date, the subscription is renewed for one or three years starting from the expiration date, not from the purchase date.
Q: My Passware Kit SMS or license has expired. What are my renewal options?
You can renew your existing subscription for Passware Kit or request a renewal quote directly from the Passware account. For most products there are two renewal options: one year and three years.
Multi-year terms for Annual licenses are also available upon request.
For Perpetual licenses, when an expired SMS Subscription is renewed, the new expiry date is calculated from the previous SMS expiration date.
For any subscription or license renewal questions, please contact Sales.
Q: How do I download the latest version of Passware Kit?
If your SMS or license is still active, you can log in to the Passware account and download the latest versions of Passware Kit and Passware Kit Agent.
If you do not know the email address used at the time of purchase, please contact Support with your current Product Key and order information.
Q: I have updated Passware Kit Business/Forensic/Ultimate, but the Product Key is incorrect. I have an active subscription/license. What is wrong?
At the end of each year, Passware releases a major update to Passware Kit (version 2024.x -> 2025.x -> 2026.x), which requires a new Product Key.
NotePassware Kit Agent licenses do not require a new Product Key for the annual major release.
If you have an active SMS or license and receive the “Invalid Product Key” error, please log in to your Passware account and select Downloads & Product Keys, where you can claim a new Key.
Enter this Product Key into the Tools | License Manager in Passware Kit.
Q: How do I update the Passware Kit Agent?
Passware Kit Agent is available as a free download (for Windows and Linux). You can download and install as many Agents as needed, but Passware Kit has a limitation on the number of Agents that can be connected depending on the Passware Kit edition. For example, Passware Kit Forensic allows for up to 5 Agents to be connected to the Server.
You can increase the number of Passware Kit Agents supported by Passware Kit Business, Forensic, Ultimate, and Mobile at any time by purchasing a license for additional Passware Kit Agents.
Passware Kit Agents are available as Annual licenses in packs of 10, 20, and 100. The same Agents can be used with both Passware Kit Mobile and Passware Kit Business/Forensic/Ultimate. To renew your Passware Kit Agent license, log in to your Passware Account or contact Sales.
Q: I purchased the software, but have not received the email with a download link or Product Key. What should I do?
The email with the download links and Product Key is delivered by our e-commerce partner cleverbridge.
After purchase, the email can take several minutes to arrive. If you have not received the email, please first check the Spam/Junk folder. Otherwise, contact cleverbridge directly at cs@cleverbridge.com with the order information.
Passware Kit Ultimate and Mobile orders require manual review. Additional time and information may be required to process the order.
Q: My Subscription has been suspended. How can I access my account?
Please contact our Support with the license information.
Q: How can I change the email address/password for my Passware account?
To change your password, please log in to your Passware Account, click on the cogwheel icon in the top right corner, and select Change password.
If you cannot remember your password, reset it on the login page.
Enter your email address and click Reset my password. You should receive an email at the email address registered with the subscription. If you do not receive an email, please check your Spam/Junk folder.
If you still haven't received an email, please contact Support with your license details.
Please note that you can change the email registered with your subscription by clicking on the cogwheel icon in the top right corner and selecting Change email.
For security reasons, you will be prompted to enter your password.
Q: What is the difference between Passware Kit Forensic and Passware Kit Forensic - Lab Edition?
A single Passware Kit Forensic License either comes as an Annual license or includes a one-year SMS subscription for a Perpetual license. It supports five Passware Kit Agents.
Passware Kit Forensic – Lab Edition is a decryption package for a forensic lab, which comes only as an Annual license. It includes:
- Passware Kit Forensic - 1-Year License
- 100 Passware Kit Agents - 1-Year License
- One year of updates for Passware Kit Forensic and Agents.
Q: I already own a Passware Kit Business license. How do I upgrade to Passware Kit Forensic or Ultimate edition?
Please contact Sales.
Q: What is the difference between Annual and Perpetual licenses?
Review the following table that summarizes the differences.
| Annual license | Perpetual license | |
| License type | A one-year termed license (multi-year terms available on request). | A license that never expires. |
| Updates and support | Free updates are available while the license is active. | Free updates are available while the SMS subscription is active. |
| Upon expiration | Passware Kit switches to Demo mode and all Add-on(s) (if added) are disabled until a new license is purchased. | The software remains fully functional; you stop receiving updates, bug fixes, and support until the SMS Subscription is renewed. |
| How to renew | Purchase a new license. | Renew the SMS Subscription. A new Subscription period starts from the SMS expiration date, not the purchase date. |
| Products | Passware Kit Ultimate,Passware Kit Forensic,Passware Kit Business, Passware Kit Mobile, Device Decryption Add-on, Passware Kit Agent. | Passware Kit Forensic,Passware Kit Business,Passware Kit Standard Plus,Passware Kit Standard,Passware Kit Basic,Passware Rainbow Tables for Office, |
| Passware Rainbow Tables for Windows,home products (PDF Key, Windows Key, etc.) |
* Home and Small Office editions (Basic, Standard, and Standard Plus) are perpetual, but include no updates.
They can be updated at a 50% discount - see "Licensing and Passware Account Questions (other products)."
Q: What happens when my license or subscription expires?
An Annual license switches to Demo mode when it expires and remains in Demo mode until a new license is purchased. Perpetual license keeps running normally after its SMS subscription expires. However, you will no longer receive software updates, bug fixes, and Customer Support until the SMS is renewed.
Add-ons and Agents behave independently of the main license: for example, if the Device Decryption Add-on expires while your main license is still active, only the Device Decryption section becomes disabled and other features of Passware Kit continue to work. If a Passware Kit Agent package license expires, the number of available Agents resets to the default. If the main license expires, Passware Kit switches to Demo mode even when an add-on is still active.
Q: How do I check my license type and expiration date?
Use the Tools | License Manager of Passware Kit to check the license type and the number of activated devices. In addition, your Passware Account displays the subscription and license expiration dates, Product Keys, download links, and renewal options.
Q: I have a Passware Kit Forensic Perpetual license with an expired SMS Subscription. Can I still use the Annual license of the Device Decryption Add-on and Passware Kit Agents with it?
Yes, Passware Kit Forensic will continue to run and work with the annual add-ons even with an expired SMS. If your Passware Kit Forensic is older than 2026.3, the Annual Add-ons will not work until you update Passware Kit Forensic to 2026.3 or newer.
Q: How do I verify my Passware download?
Due to company security policies, the downloaded files might require additional verification. Passware Account portal (available for PKU, PKF, PKB, and PKM customers) now displays SHA-512 hashes for all installation files as well as dictionaries, ensuring the integrity of the downloads.
Click the Show SHA-512 fingerprint icon next to the download button to verify the file checksum.
More Licensing / Passware Account questions:
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.