Intel® FPGA Licensing Support Center
Information on license types, getting a license file, setting up a license file, and resolving license-related issues.
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Intel® FPGA Software Installation and Licensing
Many Intel® FPGA software tools and intellectual property (IP) cores require a license file to operate. License entitlements will be set up once your order has been processed. The entitlements are then managed in the Intel® FPGA Self Service Licensing Center (SSLC), where you can generate a license.dat file. This file enables you to use the software or IP product licensed, all previous versions, and all versions released within a year of the purchase date.
In your license file, you will see two dates: the maintenance expiration date and the license expiration date. The maintenance expiration date controls the latest version of the product you are entitled to use. The license expiration date controls the length of time a product can be used. The license stops working when it reaches the expiration date. Few Intel® FPGA software and IP products are licensed with a full license expiration date – most are licensed on a perpetual basis with no license expiration.
1. License Key Required?
The following table details the license requirements for various Intel® FPGA software tools and IP cores.
Software / IP |
License Key Required? |
License Fee Required? |
|---|---|---|
Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition |
Yes |
Yes Note: Intel Quartus Prime Pro Edition software seat licenses include licenses for the Intel Quartus Prime Standard Edition software. |
Intel Quartus Prime Standard Edition |
Yes |
Yes |
Intel Quartus Prime Lite Edition |
No |
Beginning with version 8.1, a license file is no longer required for this or future versions of the Intel® Quartus® II Web Edition or Intel Quartus Prime Lite Edition software. There is no charge for this version of the software. |
Questa*-Intel FPGA Edition |
Yes |
|
Questa*-Intel® FPGA Starter Edition |
Yes |
No |
Nios® II Embedded Design Suite |
No |
No, the tool is free but you must have a seat license to the Nios II IP core or a development kit to generate an FPGA programming file and flash programming files. There is no license fee for developing software using only the Nios II Software Build Tools for Eclipse. |
DSP Builder for Intel® FPGAs |
Yes |
Yes |
Intel® FPGA SDK for OpenCL™ |
No |
No |
Intel® SoC FPGA Embedded Development Suite (SoC EDS) |
Yes |
Arm Development Studio Intel SoC FPGA Edition License Yes Free Arm Development Studio License Options (Chapter: Licensing) |
MAX+PLUS® II (Legacy) |
Yes for legacy licensees only |
No longer available for purchase. |
IP |
Varies, contact your local sales or distributor for information |
|
The following table lists the types of licenses available.
Software / IP |
License Type |
|---|---|
Intel Quartus Prime Pro Edition. |
Support for fixed node and floating license. Note: You must choose Fixed or Float when purchasing. |
Intel Quartus Prime Standard Edition. |
Support for fixed node and floating license. Note: You must choose Fixed or Float when purchasing. |
Questa*-Intel FPGA Edition. |
Support for fixed node and floating license. |
DSP Builder for Intel® FPGAs. |
Support for fixed node and floating license. |
Intel SoC FPGA Embedded Development Suite. |
Arm Development Studio Community Edition License: Support for fixed node license. Arm Development Studio Intel SoC FPGA Edition License: Support for fixed node license. 30-day Evaluation of Arm Development Studio Intel SoC FPGA Edition License: Support for fixed node license. |
MAX+PLUS II (Legacy) |
Support for fixed node and floating license. |
IP |
IP supported in the Intel Quartus Prime Pro and Standard Edition software: Support for fixed node and floating license. IP supported in the Intel Quartus Prime Lite Edition software: Support for fixed node license. |
2. License Generation
How to Activate and Generate the License File?
License |
How to Activate and Generate the License File? |
|---|---|
Intel Quartus Prime Pro Edition. |
|
Intel Quartus Prime Standard Edition. |
|
Intel Quartus Prime Lite Edition or Intel Quartus II Web Edition Licensing. |
Get a license for previous versions (prior to version 8.1) of the Intel Quartus II Web Edition software. Beginning with version 8.1, a license file is no longer required for this or future versions of the Intel Quartus II Web Edition or Intel Quartus Prime Lite Edition software. |
Questa*-Intel FPGA Edition. |
|
DSP Builder for Intel® FPGAs. |
Intel® FPGA Self Service Licensing Center. Request a 30-day trial of MATLAB* and Simulink products for use with DSP Builder for Intel® FPGAs. |
Intel SoC FPGA Embedded Development Suite (SoC EDS). |
Getting the Arm Development Studio license. Arm Development Studio Community Edition. Arm Development Studio Intel SoC FPGA Edition 30-Day Evaluation. Arm Development Studio 5 Intel SoC FPGA Edition License: If you have purchased a SoC development kit or a stand-alone license for DS-5 AE, then you have already received an Arm license serial number. Use this serial number to activate your license in the Arm Development Studio. |
MAX+PLUS II (Legacy). |
Intel® FPGA University Program: MAX+PLUS II Licensing for Students and University Program Members. MAX+PLUS II Baseline Development (Limited Support): MAX+PLUS II BASELINE Licensing. MAX+PLUS II: Intel® FPGA Self Service Licensing Center. Note: After evaluating the MAX+PLUS II development software, you may want to purchase a subscription for the software. With the Intel Quartus Prime Pro Edition and Standard Edition software subscription, you will receive all MAX+PLUS II and Quartus Prime software releases and updates for 12 months. |
IP |
|
Intel® FPGA University Program. |
The Intel® FPGA University Program offers licensed and unlicensed FPGA software to participating universities. Free academic licenses for software and IP. |
Legacy License. |
The legacy software and IP license generator will generate only licenses with maintenance expiration prior to January 1, 2009. For software and IP licenses with a maintenance expiration date after January 1, 2009, please log on to the Intel® FPGA Self Service Licensing Center. Legacy License Generator. |
You may find the Intel® FPGA Self Service Licensing Center by clicking on Support > My Intel Support > Intel FPGA Self Service Licensing Center (Demonstration).
3. License Setup
Intel Quartus Prime Standard and Pro Edition
Questa*-Intel FPGA Edition
DSP Builder for Intel® FPGAs
ARM* Development Studio 5* (DS-5*) Intel SoC FPGA Edition
MAX+PLUS II (Legacy)
4. Debugging
Frequently Asked Questions
- Intel Quartus Prime design software licensing.
- MAX+PLUS II software licensing.
- IP base suite.
- DSP builder for Intel® FPGAs installation and licensing.
- Intel® FPGA software installation.
Troubleshooter
- This troubleshooter helps you to solve licensing problems related to the Intel Quartus Prime software.
Knowledge Base Solution
- Why my OpenCL license is not detected in 17.0 when my maintenance date still valid?.
- Why doesn't my Intel Quartus Prime software/OpenCL license work on RedHat 7.x?.
- Why does the Intel Quartus Prime software fail to detect a floating license?.
- How can I stop older versions of the Intel Quartus Prime software or IP from using newer floating network licenses?.
- When is a license checked out by the Intel Quartus Prime software, IP cores, and Questa*-Intel FPGA Edition software?.
- Is there a specific environment variable that I can use for Intel Quartus Prime software licensing, such as. ALTERAD_LICENSE_FILE?.
- Why can't I check out a floating license for Questa*-Intel FPGA Edition version 10.3c?.
- How do I get my license if it does not show in the self-service licensing center because the maintenance expired before January 1, 2009?.
Error Message
- You can search the meaning of the error message issued by the Intel Quartus Prime software.
Additional Resources