FAQ: Trials

To get a trial license, go to the website of the product you're interested in. You can find an overview of all products on the overview of all products - just click "Details" or the product image to open its page. If a trial is available, you'll see a "Try for free" button next to the "Buy" option.

Requesting the trial requires a MySteinberg account - if you don't have one yet, you'll be prompted to create one first. Once you've signed in (or created your account), the license is added to your MySteinberg account automatically; you won't receive a Download Access Code, since it isn't needed for trials.

Note: Trials aren't always available on day one. If a product just launched, check back later. The trial is usually added shortly after release.

Download and install the Steinberg Download Assistant, then use it to install the product you requested.

You will find the download in the "My products" section in the Steinberg Download Assistant. Once installation is complete, you can start using the software right away.

Here you can learn more about using the Steinberg Download Assistant:
Steinberg Licensing: Steinberg Download Assistant guide

Trial periods vary by product - the exact duration is shown on the product's trial page.

Note: The trial period begins as soon as you request it on the website, not when you install or first launch the software. We recommend installing and testing it as soon as possible to make full use of the available time.

No. Trials are obligation-free. There are no hidden subscriptions, renewals, or automatic purchases.

If you decide not to continue using the software, simply allow the trial to expire. Once the trial period ends, the license is automatically deactivated, and the software will no longer be usable, with no further action required on your part.

Once the trial ends, the expired license will remain in your MySteinberg account, providing a convenient way to the product page right from the Steinberg Activation Manager.

The trial software gives you full access to all features of the software without any restrictions. During the trial period, you can try out all features, settings, and workflows exactly as they are in the full version.

The only limitations to the license are that it's time-limited and cannot be used for offline activations.

No. There's only one version of the application - not separate trial and full installations - so your existing installation, projects, and settings all carry over.

Simply redeem the Download Access Code you received after purchase to activate your permanent license. Your full license takes over automatically once the trial expires, so you can keep working without interruption.

We recommend creating a backup of your projects before testing a newer version. New software versions include new features, and some changes may not be fully backward compatible. To stay safe, open important projects from a copy or a backup so you can always return to them in the product version you already have.

If you go back to your older version after the trial ends, you may run into a missing license message. This happens if you've installed instruments or content during the trial that require the newer version.

If this happens, either remove the content named in the message using the Steinberg Library Manager, or uninstall the newer instruments/content first, then reinstall the version that belongs to your product using its downloads.

For some product editions, such as Cubase Artist or WaveLab Elements, you will not find a separate trial request link on the product’s trial page.

Since licenses of higher editions are valid across editions, you can control which edition the software starts in.

Here is an example of how to try out Cubase Artist:

• Request the Cubase Pro trial from the product's trial page.
• Open the Steinberg Download Assistant to download and install Cubase Pro. The download is available in the "My products" section.
• When you start Cubase (for example, by double-clicking the desktop shortcut), press and hold the Alt/Option key immediately after clicking the icon.
• You will then see a selection dialog offering to launch Cubase in various editions. Choose "Cubase Artist" to launch Cubase in that edition.

Please note that you need to do this each time you launch Cubase, as it does not remember the previously selected edition.