Replies: 9 comments 12 replies
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Hi, I have a v3.x license. At first I got the complimentary license upgrade, but somehow the app became Unlicensed, maybe I clicked something? I try to use my v3.x license code. Which should work as I would assume the license upgrade would apply per computer or per user, and this it the same MacBook I have always run BetterDisplay on. However, when I try to use the key to access my complimentary upgrade, it says "Outdated License" and the status remains as "Unlicensed, Trial Expired" without any Pro features unlocked. In short -- I am locked out of Pro features despite having a valid key. |
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Hi, if you have a v3.x license, it should work on the v4.x app version just fine. I can check the particular license but I'd need the license/purchase details for that. You should reach out to me directly - see the contact info at the bottom of the GitHub main project page: https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay#contact--discord-community-server Thank you! |
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Hi, I'll stick to v3.5.6b and I've disabled checking for updates but seems that update check took place already and I get the relevant notification icon. How to get rid of it ? Simply restarting the app doesn't help |
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@gbil - valid question. You should try clicking on the "Install App Update" notification, then hit "Skip This Version" to get rid of the notification. |
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👎 for update to new major version without clear mention of the license being "outdated" before update, and no prorated discount for close-to-july-2024 licenses, and scary misleading message about "outdated" license. So you get me hooked on v4 and if I have to reinstall now I am forced to get a new license. Paying for the license is fair but the way it was done isn't great. Edit to add that I appreciate all of your work @waydabber and I will be renewing my license soon. |
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Hi @bdrewery – I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I did try to make it clear in the release notes (shown on in-app upgrades and linked to the FAQ) that this was a major version update and who qualifies for a free upgrade (the release notes is non-skippable and appears to every user who upgrades the app): https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay/releases/tag/v4.0.4 The “outdated license” message isn’t meant to be scary or misleading – it’s just meant to clarify that the license is outdated and once the app is deactivated, this license can’t be used again for activation with the new app version. The action button clearly starts with a "Deactivate…", so I don't think there is any ambiguity. The update doesn’t force a deactivation though: the app continues to work normally, and the notice can be closed or ignored if you’d prefer to delay getting a new license. I really iterated a lot on how this works and improved upon the feedback received over the 6 weeks long public pre-release testing. With the v2→v3 transition I didn’t add any license messaging at all (except noting in the release notes and license terms that the update is a paid one), and as a result almost everyone ignored that it was a paid upgrade. This time I aimed for a clearer message. Again, thanks for the feedback and I will try to make the experience even better next time! |
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I'll suggest a minor refinement: 
Replace the copy of the |
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Hi @AldoMX - indeed, that would help clarifying things - but from a technical perspective sadly this can't be implemented as the older app version (from which an user upgrades) is already out there and the Install Update button can't be changed retroactively (an other technical issue is that the "Install Update" button is actually provided by the popular third party app update framework, Sparkle - but I plan to change how this works in a future update anyway to streamline updates). Additionally, users with a v3.x license holders and free users can upgrade without any payment and even v1.x and v2.x license holders can upgrade, the app won't get deactivated - they can decide to get a new license when they are ready, so the payment is not actually required upon update in a strict sense but when they acknowledge the outdated license issue and ready to get a new license. But I am learning from all the useful feedbacks (also on the similar forum channel at the app discord server) and next time around I will incorporate these suggestions. :) |
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I also updated the release notes a bit (as that part is dynamically pulled from GitHub) so all the relevant information fits better: 
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I honestly can’t remember ever having to pay for a major upgrade just 18 months after purchasing the paid version. |
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Thanks a lot for sharing your perspective — I genuinely appreciate hearing different viewpoints like this. Just to give a bit of context on how I think about the pricing and upgrade policy:
So all in all, I still think the current approach is super-benign and reasonable. :) |
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After this experience, I’ve decided that I will not be purchasing any of your software licenses again, and I am uninstalling right away. |
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Of course, no problem. Thanks for using the app for about 1.5 years then (assuming you got the app near the cut-off date). I believe even the v3.x version app of the app is great and you'd of course be able to continue using it indefinitely, but I understand your perspective – for sure, it is always healthy to express a frustration in a way that makes a statement. Let me know if you need some suggestions on great app alternatives you might be interested in from other developers. |
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I am also pretty disappointed in the surprise of having to pay for the new version. It has soured my experience on what had been a very positive experience so far! I agree with others that it should be made explicit during the upgrade prompt that installing a new version would require purchasing a new license and for a better user experience provide another button that says "Stop prompting me for major version updates, I'll stick with the major version I have a license for." I still purchased a new license, but don't foresee forking over 20+ a year, if that's the major version upgrade cadence going forward. And if macos vNext support is contingent on new BetterDisplay major versions, I don't see how this is semantically different than an opt-in subscription model? |
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Hi there - thanks for sharing this and thank you for upgrading! The upgrade prompt has the info about the upgrade rather prominently, but I understand for many users it is automatic to click on "Install" without getting into details. That's why I made sure an update does not deactivate Pro with an outdated license – instead it simply shows a warning. The user then can decide whether to upgrade, defer the upgrade to a later date, take the effort to downgrade or simply do nothing. I also updated the last v3.5.6b version to work on Tahoe (with some minor compromises understandable in light of the major UI design changes that happened) so users who don't want to upgrade the app don't feel forced because of a new macOS version. Similarly, when v3.x was released, I made sure the last v2.x version was working on the then-released macOS Sequoia. |
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I would update my license if version 4.x included significant new features. However, it seems the update only adds support for the latest macOS, which doesn't benefit me. I'll keep using BetterDisplay until it no longer works, but I won't be renewing my license. If support for older versions is discontinued, I will uninstall the app entirely. |
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I completely agree — if someone’s running the latest v3.x version on Sequoia, there’s no real need to upgrade. I also made sure the last v3.5.6b release works nicely on Tahoe too (apart from the more limited OSD, since that part changed fundamentally in Tahoe). So if you don’t care about the new glass UI or any of the upcoming features, sticking with v3 is a totally valid option. There’s no need to justify that — honestly, it just shows how solid and mature v3.x has become, and I’m really happy about that. That’s why I sometimes find the frustration around a paid upgrade a bit puzzling. The upgrade doesn’t take anything away from what users already have — it simply adds an extra option for those who want an improved UI or new/future features. I could have just stopped development, but that’s not my plan. I want to keep improving the app and also reward those who support the work with new stuff like the upgraded UI, new OS feature support, and other enhancements. Since the app isn’t subscription-based, the only sustainable way to keep this going is through a mix of free and paid upgrades. This is exactly how the switch from v2.x to v3.x worked too — nothing new here. About the new features in v4.x: if you compare the very first v2.0.x release to the final v3.5.6 version, the difference is huge. But if you compare the last v2.3.9 to the first v3.0.x, the change is much smaller. The same is true now — the jump from v3.5.6 to the first v4.0.x is more incremental. That’s because I release new features continuously and bump the major version when something big happens. Reworking the entire UI and adding full Tahoe compatibility was a pretty major effort for me, so it made sense to call that v4. BetterDisplay isn’t like apps that “freeze” features per major version — I keep evolving it over time. As the app matures, the jumps might get smaller, but I fully intend to keep adding both free and Pro features throughout the v4.x cycle (some of which you personally might not need, and again, that’s totally fine). |
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I have been having great experience with BetterDisplay and also @waydabber has always been very responsive and helpful to my weird compatibility issues when I first began to use M1 mac (first time mac user). However I'm a bit sad and annoyed by this decision to expire the old purchase in a "new" version (I guess it was my fault to ignore the "Your purchase also includes at least one year of free updates" condition and thought it's a "permenant" license):
I guess the best choice for me might be rolling back to v3 (but was pretty sure the V4 update was automatically triggered also I guess just like most users I pressed the upgrade without even reading anything because there're simply too many terms&conditions/update logs from many softwares nowadays) |
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Hi @DanielYang59 - thanks for the feedback.
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是否可以在官网增加一个重新生成许可证的功能？ |
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Hi there, please contact me directly with the license details (see the contact info at the main GitHub page) so I can check its validity. If the license key was acquired from an unauthorized third party reseller, it might be compromised. Some of these resellers sell the same key to multiple unsuspecting users. In this case these users might deactivate each other's installations as they fight for the same activation seat. The safest way to get a Pro license is through in-app purchase or at https://betterdisplay.pro/buy. |
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BetterDisplay 4 adds full compatibility with macOS Tahoe 26 and includes various improvements.
FAQ TL;DR:
Q: Which macOS versions can run the v4.x app versions?
v4.x is compatible with macOS Tahoe 26, as well as the same versions supported by v3.x: macOS Sequoia, macOS Sonoma, and macOS Ventura.
Q: Is the v4.x upgrade free for Pro users?
If you bought Pro for the v3.x app (any purchase after July 15, 2024), you get the v4.x upgrade for free.
If you have a Pro license from v1.x or v2.x, your license is considered outdated for v4.x. We kindly ask you to purchase a new Pro license for v4.x after upgrading to support ongoing development.
Q: Is the v4.x upgrade free for non-Pro users?
Of course.
Q: Is there a cheaper upgrade license or upgrade discount?
Unfortunately, no. Every outdated license already received one major version upgrade for free, and in all cases the purchase was made more than a year ago.
Q: I am still running an earlier app version — if I purchase Pro now with an in-app purchase from the older app version, will my license count as v4.x?
Any purchase (using any app version in case of an in-app purchase) is now considered a v4.x purchase.
Q: I am running an old macOS version so I need to have an old app version installed. Can I still buy a license and activate my older app version with a newly purchased v4.x license key?
Newly purchased licenses activate any older app versions as well as the new v4.x version.
Q: I have an old (v1.x or v2.x) Pro license. Will the app be deactivated immediately after I upgrade to v4.x because of the outdated license?
No, the app will not be deactivated when you update. You’ll see a warning about the outdated license in the app menu and under
Settings > Pro, but all Pro features remain fully accessible. You can safely buy a new license after upgrading the app.Q: I purchased the app very close to the July 15, 2024 cut-off date. Can't you make an exception with me?
No — but as explained above, the app does not get deactivated on upgrade just because you have an outdated license. If you feel you had bad luck buying the app on July 14, 2024, feel free to compensate a bit by using the v4.x version with the outdated license for a while, then get a new license.
Q: I don’t want to buy a new license because I don’t believe in paying for upgrades / I have financial issues / I prefer to keep my wallet on a strict diet. What can I do?
No worries, as long as you don't deactivate the app after upgrading your activated v3.x installation to v4.x, you can technically continue to use Pro with the notification about the outdated license.
Q: I have a clean installation of the v4.x app version (instead of upgrading the app using the updater). Or my installation got deactivated for any reason. Now the app does not accept my old (v1.x or v2.x) license key for activation. What should I do?
Outdated (v1.x and v2.x) keys will not activate Pro for the v4.x app version. You either need to buy a new license key — or you can install v3.x and activate the app with the old key.
Q: I upgraded the app to v4.x, have an outdated license, don't want to get a new one and hate the notification in the app menu about the outdated license! Is there a solution?
The preferred way to get rid of the outdated license warning is to get a new license.
But if you really can't (or don't want to) do that, go Settings > Menu > Additional menu options and enable
Hide warnings in the menu baroption. You can also click thexicon in the top-right corner of the warning message underSettings > Proto make the license warning message less pronounced there. This way you can continue to use the app with the old license with fewer warnings for the time being. Make sure you don't deactivate the app because then you won't be able to activate the v4.x installation again with the outdated key.Q: But... but I still don't feel it's fair to ask money for a new version! Why shouldn't I feel cheated?
BetterDisplay licenses are lifetime licenses for each main version. We’ve also always given one free upgrade: v1.x users got v2.x for free, v2.x users got v3.x, and now v3.x users get v4.x.
On top of that, v3.x will still happily activate with a v1.x key (even though technically outside license terms). So if you have a v1.x or v2.x license, you can keep using v3.x indefinitely — it’s still a very capable version, and it hasn’t lost any value just because v4.x exists.
Q: Ok, but I want to run Tahoe, because I have a very capable, expensive Mac, but at the same time I don't want to pay for a v4.x Pro upgrade, even after getting the previous upgrade for free. The v3.x version has this issue with auto-brightness enabled on Apple Silicon with Tahoe — so I feel cornered into buying a new license. How is this fair?
We don't believe in cornering people into paying for an app upgrade due to a macOS version change. This is why a retrofitted version of the latest stable v3.x is available for download (BetterDisplay v3.5.6b) with updated Tahoe compatibility.
Q: What if I buy v4.x and v5.x comes out?
Rest assured, if you buy the app and there will be a major upgrade in a year or so, you are covered - just like v3.x users got v4.x for free.
Q: Is it okay to run the v4.x app version with an outdated license warning in the long run?
Officially not, as it goes against the license terms — so if you can afford an upgrade, please support development by getting one. But if you are not a business user and don't have the means to get a new license right away but still want to use the v4.x version instead of being satisfied with the (still perfectly good) previous v3.x version, you have some flexibility.
Q: Can you show me where it is in the earliest version of the License Terms that an upgrade may require additional payment?
Of course. Please go to the license terms page, click on the "edited" button (top-right corner), where you can check out all revisions of the license terms and understand what changed when. Search for the following in the earliest revision: 'Licenses are valid for the current major version of the app(…)'
Q: I am an early backer (from the time when the app was called BetterDummy with some initial features). Can I get a free license?
Absolutely. If your name is on the Early Backers List, you have lifetime upgrades for free. Please contact me for an appropriate coupon code with the original receipt of your contribution.
Please feel free to give your opinion (thumbs up or down…) or comment!
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