Beyond Compare 4 by Scooter Software is a premier file and folder comparison utility for developers, system administrators, and power users. However, encountering a popup stating that your license key has been revoked can instantly halt your workflow.
When re-registering, ensure you copy the block of text from the email Scooter Software sent you, including the --BEGIN-- and --END-- headers. Extra whitespace or missing characters will cause a "Bad License Key" error.
What (Windows, macOS, or Linux) are you currently running?
Open Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G , and navigate to ~/Library/Application Support/Beyond Compare 4/ . Delete the BC4Key.txt file. Relaunch the application. Method 3: Purchase a Legitimate License beyond compare 4 license key has been revoked
The methods in this article will work on any computer where Beyond Compare 4 is installed. However, repeatedly resetting the license on many computers may eventually lead to your IP address or hardware ID being temporarily blocked by the software.
is completely free to download and use for both commercial and open-source projects. It requires no license key and offers all essential diff and merge features.
Beyond Compare stores its license key locally in plain text files or the system registry. To input a new key or reset the software to trial mode, you must first wipe the revoked data. On Windows: Close Beyond Compare 4 entirely. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Beyond Compare 4 by Scooter Software is a
If your error references a specific license key number like 3281-0350 (common in Beyond Compare 3), simply delete the entire <TCheckForUpdatesState> node and save.
Beyond Compare licenses are generous but have strict boundaries. Per-user licenses allow a single person to use the software on multiple machines. Standard workstation licenses are tied to specific machines. If a company buys a 5-seat license but the installer image—pre-loaded with the license key—is deployed across 50 employee workstations, the activation servers will detect the anomaly and revoke the key for non-compliance. 3. Use of "Cracked" or Warez Keys
Create inbound rule (repeat Step 2 with Inbound Rules selected) Extra whitespace or missing characters will cause a
The error message typically occurs when Scooter Software identifies that a specific license key has been leaked to the internet or used in a manner that violates their License Agreement . When a key is flagged for public distribution—such as appearing on "free key" websites or GitHub gists—the developer revokes it to prevent further unauthorized use. Why Your License Was Revoked
The most common cause is that the key you are using has been posted on public forums or pirated software sites. When a key is used on hundreds of computers simultaneously, it is blacklisted and revoked.
If you're seeing this message, it typically indicates: