Trial over is not product over. But a paid license expiring is a different story entirely. Knowing which of the two just happened to you decides what you do next.
Expiry messages scare admins because they are vague. This page separates the two situations that get mixed up: a trial ending, which lands you softly on the Free edition, and a paid license expiring, which stops the product working until you renew. Everything below follows ManageEngine's published FAQ answers, not forum rumours.
Endpoint Central's free trial runs for 30 days with the full feature set and, during those 30 days, no endpoint limit. When the trial ends you have three honest options: extend the trial if ManageEngine agrees, buy a license, or continue on the Free edition. Nobody's data is deleted overnight, and the server does not lock you out in anger. But the limits change immediately, and pretending they did not is where admins get surprised.
Per ManageEngine's own FAQ, when the trial expires and you move to the Free edition, you are allowed to choose up to 25 endpoints that you want to keep managing. The configurations related to those chosen devices are retained. Configurations tied to the endpoints you did not choose are lost - so choose deliberately, not by whichever 25 the console lists first. Pick the machines that matter: servers first, then the PCs whose patching and remote control you actually use.
The Free edition itself is permanent and legitimate - it supports up to 25 endpoints with 1 technician, on-premises or cloud. Small setups can run on it forever.
This is the part to take seriously. ManageEngine's FAQ is blunt: once a paid license has expired, Endpoint Central cannot perform any actions, including inventory scanning, until the license is renewed. Patch deployments, software rollouts, remote sessions and scans all stop. The console and your historical data are still there, and the agents are still installed on the PCs - nothing is uninstalled - but the product will not work for you until a valid renewed license file is uploaded.
That is exactly why renewal belongs on a calendar before the expiry date, not in a panic after it.
[email protected] for license renewals.For the complete knowledge and full installation walkthrough, watch the full video on the Technical Anshu YouTube channel.
Watch Full VideoNo. When you move to the Free edition you choose up to 25 endpoints to keep managing, and the configurations for those chosen devices are retained. Configurations for the endpoints you did not choose are lost, which is why the choice should be deliberate.
Yes. The Free edition is a permanent edition for up to 25 endpoints with 1 technician, not a second trial. Many small offices run on it legitimately for years.
No. The agents stay installed and your data stays on the server, but per ManageEngine's FAQ the product cannot perform any actions, including inventory scanning, until you renew and upload the renewed license file.