# Activate a device

> Installing Wandelbots NOVA on a virtual machine or an industrial PC requires activating the device against your NOVA account and license. Learn what activation does and where it happens.

Cloud instances are already tied to your account. An installation on your own hardware is not,
so it has to be activated once. Activation connects the device to your
[NOVA account](/nova-cloud/accounts) and to the
[license](/nova-cloud/licenses) assigned to it.

## Where activation happens

Activation involves both sides at the same time: the installation dialogue on the device shows a
code, and NOVA Cloud accepts it.

| Side | What happens |
| - | - |
| NOVA Cloud, `Downloads` tab | The `Activate device` button appears in the panel of the Wandelbots NOVA image you downloaded. It opens the activation website |
| The device | The installation dialogue prompts for activation and displays a one-time code |
| NOVA Cloud, activation website | You enter that code. Logging in to your account again may be necessary |

## Prerequisites

- The Wandelbots NOVA image downloaded from NOVA Cloud, see
  [Downloads](/nova-cloud/downloads).
- Internet access on the device. Activation and licensing reach NOVA Cloud over
  `portal.wandelbots.io`, `api.portal.wandelbots.io`, and `auth.portal.wandelbots.io`, which
  restricted networks must allow, see
  [Install behind a proxy](/nova/latest/installation/proxy).
- A license assigned to your account. Each on-premise installation consumes one activation, and
  a license allows 5 activations.

## Run the activation

Activation is part of the installation procedure. Follow the steps for your instance type:

- [Virtual machine](/nova/latest/installation/installation#virtual-machine-vm)
- [Bare-metal, industrial PC](/nova/latest/installation/installation#bare-metal-ipc)

## Freeing up an activation

Deactivating a license on an instance frees an instance slot so the license can move to another
VM or bare-metal instance. Deactivation runs on the instance, see
[License management on your instance](/nova/latest/licenses).

## Next steps

After installation, [connect the instance to NOVA Cloud](/nova-cloud/quickstart#connect-your-instance-to-nova-cloud)
to manage it in the fleet.