The license key is intended only for use with Plesk operating inside the following virtual environments

Alex Tsmokalyuk

Updated June 10, 2026 16:28

kb: technical Plesk ABT: Group B

Applicable to:

Plesk

Symptoms

The following error is shown when attempting to open Plesk interface or update a license key:

PLESK_ERROR: Error: The license key is invalid. In order to use Plesk, please obtain and install a new valid license key. The license key is intended only for use with Plesk operating inside the following virtual environments: Virtuozzo containers, VMWare, Microsoft Hyper-V, Xen, KVM, Virtuozzo Server, LXC, Docker.

Cause

The license is being installed on a dedicated server instead of VPS, or Plesk does not detect the server as running inside a supported virtual environment.

Resolution

Check how Plesk detects the server virtualization environment.

For Plesk for Linux:

# /usr/local/psa/admin/bin/php -dauto_prepend_file= -r 'echo get_virtualization();'

# systemd-detect-virt

For Plesk for Windows:

C:\> "%plesk_bin%\php.exe" -dauto_prepend_file= -r "echo get_virtualization();"

If the command does not return a supported virtual environment, use a Plesk license for dedicated servers or redeploy the server in a supported virtual environment so that Plesk can detect it correctly.

If you would like to use your Plesk license on a dedicated server, convert the license from VPS to Dedicated. You can complete this process in Platform 360 by logging in with the email used for the license purchase and following the upgrade instructions.