Mikrotik — Change Software Id Link

In MikroTik RouterOS, the Software ID is a unique identifier generated based on the storage medium (HDD, SSD, or USB) and cannot be manually edited or "changed" like a setting.

If you need to link a license to a new Software ID due to hardware failure or a system migration, use the following procedures: 1. Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) License Transfer

CHR licenses are the most flexible and can be transferred between virtual instances via your MikroTik account.

Step 1: Register the new CHR. Log into the new instance and run: /system license renew. Enter your MikroTik account credentials to add it to your account.

Step 2: Transfer the license. Log into the MikroTik Account Portal, navigate to All CHR keys, find the old license, and click Transfer.

Step 3: Select target. Choose the new Software ID from the dropdown menu to link the license. 2. x86 License "Replacement Key"

For traditional x86 installations, the license is permanently tied to the storage drive. If the drive fails, you cannot "move" the key yourself and must request a Replacement Key.

Cloud Hosted Router, CHR - RouterOS - MikroTik Documentation

A MikroTik Software ID is a unique identifier tied to your hardware's storage (HDD, SSD, or USB flash). Because MikroTik licenses are locked to this ID, you generally cannot change the ID manually

through settings or links, as doing so would invalidate the license. MikroTik community forum

If you need to change your Software ID for licensing purposes, you must use one of the following official methods: Official Procedures for Software ID Changes Request a Replacement Key mikrotik change software id link

: If your hardware (like a hard drive) fails, you can request a license transfer by contacting support@mikrotik.com

. You must provide the old Software ID and the new one for them to issue a replacement key. Transfer a CHR License

: If you are using a Cloud Hosted Router (CHR), licenses are not tied to hardware IDs. You can easily transfer these licenses between different instances directly through your MikroTik account Correction of Errors : For x86 systems, MikroTik allows you to correct up to two characters

in the Software ID for free if you made a typo when purchasing a key, provided the key hasn't been upgraded yet. How to Find Your Software ID

To view your current ID and determine if a change is needed: and connect to your router. Navigate to Software ID ) will be listed in the window. MikroTik community forum If you are suggesting this as a new feature

to MikroTik, the official way to submit feature requests is through their Customer Support Portal MikroTik community forum between two different physical routers? RouterOS license keys - MikroTik

In MikroTik RouterOS, the Software ID (SoftID) is a unique 8-character identifier generated based on the storage drive's formatting and serial number. It is used to tie a specific license to your hardware. Can You Manually Change or Link the Software ID?

Manual Changes are Restricted: You cannot simply type in a new Software ID. It is automatically generated by the system.

Generating a New ID: You can force a new ID to be generated using the command /system license generate-new-id. Warning: Doing this typically causes you to lose your current license, and the device may revert to "free mode" until a new license is linked.

Linking to a License: To link a SoftID to a license, you must log in to your MikroTik Account and paste the Software ID into the "Purchase" or "Replacement" section. When Does the Software ID Change? A Software ID change usually occurs unintentionally during: In MikroTik RouterOS, the Software ID is a

Reformatting or Reinstalling: Netinstall or zero-wiping a disk can trigger a new ID generation.

Hardware Changes: Moving the same hard drive to different hardware (especially on x86 systems) or replacing a faulty HDD will often result in a different SoftID.

Drive Geometry: Changes in drive translation (C/H/S) or LBA settings can also alter the ID. Moving a License to a New ID

If your Software ID has changed (e.g., due to a drive failure), you generally cannot "link" the old license yourself. You must contact MikroTik Support to request a Replacement Key. Important Commands CLI Command View Current ID /system license print Generate New ID /system license generate-new-id Renew/Update License /system license renew (Requires account login)

Are you trying to transfer an existing license to new hardware, or are you troubleshooting a Software ID that keeps changing unexpectedly? RouterOS license keys - MikroTik

The MikroTik Software ID is a unique identifier tied to your device's storage media (HDD, NAND, or flash drive) and serves as the primary link for your RouterOS license. Because this ID is hardware-dependent, it cannot be manually "changed" or edited by the user to match an old license. Instead, when hardware fails or you migrate to a new system, you must link the existing license to the new Software ID through a transfer or replacement process. How to View Your Current Software ID

Before attempting any changes or transfers, you must identify your current ID: Via WinBox: Navigate to System > License. Via Terminal: Run the command /system license print.

Format: It appears as an 8-character string, often separated by a hyphen (e.g., 43NU-NLT9). Managing the Software ID Link

Depending on your installation type, the process for linking a license to a new Software ID varies. 1. Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)

CHR licenses are account-based rather than hardware-locked, making them the easiest to "change" or move. RouterOS license keys - MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) CHR uses a perpetual

Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)

CHR uses a perpetual demo or paid levels (P1, P10, P19). The Software ID is generated from the virtual disk UUID.

  • To change ID: Delete the VM disk and create a new one.
  • To link license: CHR uses a License file. Download the new .lic file from your account and upload it to /flash/etc/ via FTP.

1. What is the Software ID?

  • Location: Found in /system license or /system resources.
  • Purpose: A unique identifier for your router. It is used to bind official MikroTik licenses (Level 4, 5, 6) to a specific device.
  • How it's generated:
    • RouterBoard (RB): Based on the RouterBOOT serial number and hardware. Permanent.
    • x86/CHR (Cloud Hosted Router): Based on the hard disk/SSD serial number (for Level 1-6) or Instance ID (for CHR). Can be reset.

Important Notes:

  1. Legal Notice: Changing Software ID may violate MikroTik's license agreement
  2. Technical Reality: Software ID is derived from hard disk serial number and cannot be easily changed
  3. Alternative: For legitimate license transfers, contact MikroTik support
  4. Security: Always use HTTPS in production
  5. Authentication: Add JWT or session-based authentication for production use

This feature provides a web interface to interact with MikroTik routers for license management, but actual Software ID changes require hardware modification or official license transfers from MikroTik.

  1. The System Identity: This is the name of the router (e.g., "MikroTik-Router-01").
  2. The RouterBOARD License "Software-ID": This is a unique hexadecimal ID tied to the hardware itself (e.g., ABCD-EFGH), used to register a license key.

Most users asking to "change software id link" are usually trying to rename the router so it shows up correctly in network scans or management links (like WinBox or Dude).

However, if you are trying to change the actual License Software ID, that is impossible via software commands.

Here is the guide for both scenarios.

Important Note First

You cannot arbitrarily change the Software ID. It is a cryptographic hash derived from your device's hard drive serial number (or NAND ID for flash storage).
Changing the hard drive changes the Software ID. Changing the license level does not change the Software ID.

The only practical reason to "change" the Software ID is when you need to transfer a paid license (Level 4-6) to a different installation (e.g., moving from a PC to a Cloud Core Router, or from one hard drive to another).

Step-by-Step: Changing Software ID by Moving License (Legit Transfer)

If you want to move a paid license from an old hard drive to a new one (thus changing Software ID legally):

MikroTik Software ID Changer - Web Feature

My Software ID changed after a motherboard BIOS update!

Yes, some BIOS updates modify the DMI/SMBIOS table hash. This is a known issue. You must contact MikroTik support with logs proving the hardware is identical. Provide /system routerboard print and /system resource print before-and-after logs.

Method 1: Via WinBox (GUI)

  1. Open WinBox and connect to your router.
  2. On the left menu, click System.
  3. Click Identity.
  4. In the Name field, enter your desired name (e.g., Office-Floor-1).
  5. Click Apply or OK.
    • Note: If you are connected via MAC address (Layer 2), the "Name" column in the Neighbor Discovery list might take a moment to update.