For IT: silent install and Remote Desktop

This page is for IT staff who install PubKeep on several Windows computers. Everything here uses the regular PubKeep installer.

Install silently

Run the installer with /S to install with no windows or prompts:
```
PubKeep-<version>-Setup.exe /S
```
By default PubKeep installs for the current user, with no administrator rights needed. To install for everyone on the computer, add /allusers and run it as an administrator:
```
PubKeep-<version>-Setup.exe /S /allusers
```

The installer starts no PowerShell, cmd, or reg.exe process.

Activate with a license key

Add /KEY= with your license key, so nobody has to paste it:

PubKeep-<version>-Setup.exe /S /allusers /KEY=<license key>

The first time each Windows user starts PubKeep, it activates that user with the key and takes a seat, with no activation screen.

For an /allusers install, the installer writes the string value LicenseKey under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\PubKeep. For a per-user install, it writes it under HKCU\SOFTWARE\PubKeep. The installer never shows or logs the key. PubKeep reads LicenseKey from these keys in order and uses the first one it finds, so Group Policy or Intune can set it instead:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\PubKeep
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\PubKeep
HKCU\SOFTWARE\PubKeep

A per-user install writes the key for the account that runs the installer. If your deployment tool installs as SYSTEM or another account, use /allusers /KEY= or Group Policy. A user who already has a key keeps it. When every seat is in use, PubKeep shows a message with the seat count.

Remote Desktop and multi-session hosts

On Windows Server (with or without the Remote Desktop Session Host role) and on Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise multi-session, the license counts each named user, not the computer. Each Windows user who opens PubKeep takes one seat, named with the server and the user, for example RDS01 (CORP\jsmith). The same user signing in again from any client keeps the same seat. A regular workstation still takes one seat for the computer, even over Remote Desktop.

Buy one seat for each person who uses PubKeep on the server (see the buy page). To free a seat, that user opens PubKeep on the server and chooses File > Account > Deactivate this computer. For someone who has left, email hello@pubkeep.com with the seat name and we’ll free it.

Offline use

A paid license keeps working offline after it activates once online. A trial needs to connect at least every 48 hours.