If you are using a 30-day trial, note that the trial licenses for WinCC Advanced typically include all options (including Logging) for the first 14-21 days. After that period, the "Logging" component shuts off even if the base visualization works. You cannot fix this without purchasing a real license.

Always use ALM to view, install, or transfer licenses. Do not manually copy license files.

If you are running WinCC Runtime Advanced as a service (headless operation), the service account may not have permission to read the license file.

Before fixing the license, it is crucial to understand what you are licensing.

Without a valid license for Logging, your runtime will either:

Before purchasing expensive logging licenses, request a 21-day trial license from Siemens to confirm tag count and feature requirements.

If all else fails:

Note: This will not delete your project files, but you will need to reconfigure the TIA Portal download path.

Licenses are often stored on a USB dongle (hardware key) or a license file on your engineering PC. For Runtime Advanced to use the license, it must be present on the target PC (the computer running the runtime), not just on the engineering PC where TIA Portal is installed. You must transfer it using the Automation License Manager (ALM) .