# 7. Windows - "Invalid mph.license" message

<span dir="ltr">If you get a message on the left bottom corner of the MP Host that the license is invalid it means that the mph.license file does not match the hardware of the computer you are using.</span>

<span dir="ltr">You can use the </span>License Manager application (recommended) to create a new license. Download it from the user portal.

Alternatively, if you have copied the mph.license file from another computer [delete ](https://kb.mpmidi.com/books/mp-controller-documentation/page/3-mp-host-properties-and-config-files)both the mph.license and hardware.id files and run the MP Host in the DAW to create a new hardware.id file. To create a new hardware.id file, unload any instances of the MP Host plugin in your DAW and then load it. It will automatically create the hardware.id file.

<p class="callout info">The hardware.id file is a digital signature of your computer and your mp controller combined, so it is passed to the server to generate a license.</p>

Then, [**log on your account**](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11dFAhWMQkr65AkyxNweT92F7MG87MP08B30MgXvg7-o/edit?slide=id.g34cbf9b63e7_6_0#slide=id.g34cbf9b63e7_6_0) (sent via email when you purchased the MP Controller) and upload the hardware.id file to generate a new mph.license.

<p class="callout warning">The hardware.id and mph.license files should have these 2 exact names.</p>

<u><span dir="ltr">**Related articles:**</span>  
<span dir="ltr">[Activating the MP Controller on other computers](https://kb.mpmidi.com/books/mp-controller-documentation/page/21-activating-the-mp-controller-on-other-computers)</span>  
<span dir="ltr">[Get the mph.license from the user portal](https://kb.mpmidi.com/books/mp-controller-documentation/page/22-get-the-mphlicense-from-the-user-portal)</span></u>