---
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title: Licensing and activation
collection: tableau
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/tableau/current/en-us/pro/desktop/license_activation.md
canonical_url: https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/license_activation.htm
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content_type: documentation
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description: Understand licensing and activation options for Tableau Desktop and Prep.
---
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# Licensing and activation

You can activate Tableau using any of the following methods. Depending on your configuration, you might see one or more of these activation options. If you are not sure which option to choose, contact your administrator.

## Start a trial (Tableau Prep only)

Use Tableau for 14 days without restrictions. After 14 days, you can get a trial extension product key or a regular product key and use it to activate Tableau. For more information, see [Activating a Free Trial](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=001458158&type=1).

## Use Tableau Desktop for free

You can use Tableau Desktop Free Edition whenever you want. To access full functionality including sharing and publishing, you must activate Tableau Desktop with a product key or by signing in to a server

## Activate with a product key

Enter a product key to activate your Tableau license. For more information, see [Activate and register your product](https://help.tableau.com/current/desktopdeploy/en-us/desktop_deploy_activate_license.htm).

## Activate by signing in to a server

Sign-in to Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud to activate your Tableau license using login-based license management. Login-based license management, helps to manage licensing for users with Creator roles on Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud by eliminating the need for separate Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep Builder product keys.

For more information, see [Login-based License Management](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/license_lblm.htm).