Eligibility for free update (grace period)
In this article, you will find out whether you are eligible for a free update to the latest version of your Steinberg software.
This may be the case if you redeem a Download Access Code for an older version of the software by entering it in the Steinberg Download Assistant after or shortly before the release of a paid update.
The decisive date for the respective software can be found in the following table. It is usually several weeks before the release of the paid update and marks the beginning of the so-called grace period. In most cases, the information applies to all software editions (Elements, Artist, Pro, etc.).
| Free update to | Entitled licenses | Grace period start |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute 7 | all previous versions | January 22, 2026 |
| Cubase 15 | Cubase SE/SL/SX 1 and later | October 8, 2025 |
| Dorico 6 | all previous versions | March 26, 2025 |
| Groove Agent 6 | Groove Agent 2 - 5 | January 22, 2026 |
| HALion 7 | all previous versions | October 31, 2022 |
| Nuendo 15 | all previous versions | February 25, 2026 |
| SpectraLayers 13 | SpectraLayers 6 and later | June 3, 2026 |
| VST Live Pro 3 | all previous versions | November 12, 2025 |
| WaveLab 13 | WaveLab 6 and later | January 1, 2026 |
The license for the free update is provided differently depending on the software version:
- Licenses for more recent software will be updated automatically. You can check this in the Steinberg Activation Manager and in your MySteinberg account.
- For older software, you will find a Download Access Code for the new license in your MySteinberg account under “Vouchers.” Please note that after redeeming a Download Access Code for an older software version, it may take up to 30 minutes for the new Download Access Code to appear.