KBilling Docs

Licensing and panel updates

Activate a license, understand automatic synchronization, and install signed updates safely.

Activate the installation

  1. Purchase a license and copy the activation key from the KBilling customer portal.
  2. Open the panel license-recovery page and authenticate with an administrator account.
  3. Enter the activation key. The registered domain and observed server IP must match the license assignment.
  4. After a successful signed response, return to administrator sign-in.
License ID versus activation keyThe long hexadecimal value displayed in License Details is the installation's license ID, not the secret activation key. Activation keys are obtained from the KBilling customer portal.

Automatic synchronization

The master automation cron invokes the licensing scheduler before licensed automation tasks. It renews only when the signed lease is due, includes the installed panel version, and applies bounded retry backoff after transient failures.

*/5 * * * * /usr/bin/php /absolute/path/to/kbilling/crons/cron.php >/dev/null 2>&1

Use Check Now on the license page for an immediate authenticated check. The page shows the last successful check, next check, last attempt, synchronization health, and last failure.

If automatic sync is stale

  • Confirm the master cron is actually invoked by the operating-system scheduler; a successful manual run does not prove the scheduler is configured.
  • Use an absolute PHP binary and application path.
  • Check that the cron user can read the application and write the private licensing directory.
  • Confirm outbound HTTPS and certificate verification can reach the fixed licensing authority.
  • Review the Automation Status page and protected PHP error log using the displayed reference code.
  • Do not delete signed cache or installation-identity files to force reactivation.

Install updates

  1. Back up files and database and test on staging.
  2. Confirm the license includes software updates through the required date.
  3. Use the panel updater to fetch the signed manifest and licensed package.
  4. Allow the updater to create its database backup and run included migrations.
  5. Verify admin login, checkout, gateway callbacks, provisioning, email, cron, and license status.

The updater verifies the signature, origin, size, and SHA-256 checksum. It does not replace configuration.php, customer storage, release secrets, or the licensing server. The three newest successful backup sets are retained.