This article refers to the following error message that may appear in UA Connect:
To solve this issue, follow the guide below.
Ensure iLok / PACE Background Services Are Active
iLok requires services to run in the background. To check if these services are currently active, follow these steps:
- Open System Settings and go to General.
- Click on Login Items.
Note: The panel is called Login Items & Extensions on macOS 26 Tahoe. - Under the Allow in the Background (App Background Activity on macOS 26 Tahoe) section, ensure iLok License Manager is toggled on.
Note: On older macOS 13 Ventura versions, this might incorrectly appear as Avid Pro Tools or PACE Anti-Piracy, Inc..
- Press the Windows Key + R.
- Type services.msc, and hit Enter on your keyboard.
- Scroll to find PACE License Services.
- Ensure the status is currently set to Running. If it is not, right-click the entry and select Start.
- Right-click PACE License Services, select Properties, and set its Startup type to Automatic.
Check For Conflicting Third-Party Software
Some third-party software often conflicts with music software, including UA's. Confirm that any of the applications listed in this article are at least disabled from your computer. If active, configure these applications so they are not blocking UA Connect, iLok License Manager, the UA Cloud Helper Tool and your DAW of choice.
Manually Enable the UA Cloud Helper Tool
Make sure the UA Cloud Helper Tool is running, even if you are using perpetual licenses. To do so, follow the steps in this article.
Run and Log In To iLok License Manager
Ensure you are logged in to the iLok account assigned to your UA account. You can check which iLok account is linked to your UA account by clicking the User icon in UA Connect.
Important Note: If the iLok username shows as an email address, then you must log in to the iLok account that uses the indicated email address as a username.
Reinstall iLok License Manager
Occasionally, an iLok License Manager can get corrupted and requires reinstallation. To perform a reinstallation, read this article.
Additional Troubleshooting
If going through all of the steps in this article did not solve the issue, we recommend you contact PACE directly via their support page.