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iLok 3rd Generation is a USB software authorization key that holds over 1,500 licenses in a machined metal case, working with every iLok-enabled application on the market. It is half the size of the second generation, twice as fast, holds three times as many licenses, and stays fully backward compatible, so anything that ran on a second generation key runs on this one.
One key, every licence you own, and you can move it between machines.
Most professional audio software authorizes to iLok rather than to a machine. That is the point of it. Licences live on the key instead of the computer, so moving a session to a different room means carrying a key rather than deactivating and reactivating software, and a machine failure does not strand your licences on a dead drive.
The third generation shrinks the physical key while tripling capacity. The metal case is split and crack proof, the security loop takes most desktop cables, and the serial number is etched rather than printed so it survives handling. Anyone building a plugin collection across several manufacturers ends up needing one, and the capacity means a single key covers a full studio's worth of authorizations.
At a Glance
| Brand | PACE Anti-Piracy |
|---|---|
| Model | iLok 3rd Generation |
| Connector | USB-A |
| Capacity | Over 1,500 licenses |
| Case | Machined metal, split and crack proof |
| Compatibility | All iLok-enabled software |
| Backward compatible | Yes, with 2nd generation iLok |
| Security | Etched serial number, reinforced security loop |
What Does an iLok Actually Do?
It stores the licences for software you own, separately from any computer. Applications check the key at launch instead of checking the machine, so the same licences work on any computer you plug the key into. That matters for anyone who works in more than one room.
Do I Need the 3rd Generation, or Will a 2nd Generation Key Work?
Second generation keys still work with most software. The third generation is smaller, faster and holds three times as many licences, and it is fully backward compatible, so software that lists 2nd generation support runs on it.
What Happens If I Lose My iLok?
PACE offers Zero Downtime as a paid protection program that covers replacement licences for a lost or stolen key. Without it, replacing licences means contacting each software manufacturer individually, which is why most people buy the coverage.
Which Connector Do I Need?
This is the USB-A version. If your machine only has USB-C ports, the USB-C model avoids carrying an adapter.
Why PACE
PACE Anti-Piracy has built software licensing and authorization systems since 1985, and iLok is the format the professional audio industry settled on. Hundreds of manufacturers authorize their software to it, so a single key carries licenses from many different companies at once. PACE also runs License Manager and the Zero Downtime protection program that covers a lost or stolen key.