How to Fix “The License Key You Entered Doesn’t Match Your Installed Plugin Level”

If you see the error “The license key you entered doesn’t match your installed plugin level,” your license key and the version of NextGEN Gallery installed on your site don’t match. This typically happens after upgrading your license, for example from Starter to Pro. This article walks you through removing the old plugin and activating your new license correctly.

Why This Error Appears

Each NextGEN license tier (Starter, Plus, Pro) has its own plugin package. When you upgrade your license, your site still has the old plugin installed. Entering a Pro license key while the Starter plugin is active triggers this mismatch error.

The fix is to remove the old plugin first, then activate your new license key. NextGEN will install the correct plugin version automatically.

How to Fix the License Mismatch

Step 1: Deactivate the Old Plugin

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Dashboard > Plugins.
3. Find NextGEN Gallery Starter (or whichever tier you were previously on) in the list.
4. Click Deactivate beneath the plugin name. The page will reload and the plugin will appear greyed out.

Step 2: Delete the Old Plugin

1. With the plugin deactivated, click Delete beneath the plugin name.
2. A confirmation prompt will appear. Click Yes, delete these files to confirm. The plugin will be removed from your site.

Your galleries, images, and NextGEN settings are stored in your WordPress database, not in the plugin files. Deleting the plugin does not affect any of your existing content.

Step 3: Activate Your New License Key

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Imagely > Settings.
2. Click the License tab.
3. Enter your Pro license key in the license key field.
4. Click Activate License. You will see a confirmation message and NextGEN Pro will begin installing automatically.

Step 4: Confirm NextGEN Pro Is Active

1. Go to Dashboard > Plugins.
2. Look for NextGEN Gallery Pro in the list. It should show as active.
3. If prompted to update the plugin, click Update Now to make sure you have the latest version.

Troubleshooting

The Delete option is not visible after deactivating. Make sure you deactivated the plugin first. WordPress only shows the Delete link for inactive plugins. Refresh the page and check again.

The license key field is not visible under Imagely > Settings > License. This usually means the old plugin was deleted but no NextGEN plugin is currently active. Go to Dashboard > Plugins > Add New, search for “NextGEN Gallery,” and install the free version. Once active, the Imagely settings menu will reappear and you can enter your license key to upgrade automatically.

Activating the license shows an error or says the key is invalid. Double-check that you copied the full license key from your account. Log in at your Imagely account page, navigate to your license, and copy the key directly. Avoid adding extra spaces before or after the key.

NextGEN Pro did not install automatically after activation. Go to Dashboard > Plugins and check whether an install prompt appeared. If the automatic install failed, your hosting environment may have restricted file permissions. Contact your host and ask them to allow WordPress to install plugin files, then try activating the license again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting the Starter plugin remove my galleries or images? No. Your galleries, images, and settings are stored in your WordPress database, not in the plugin files. Deleting the plugin removes only the plugin’s code. Your content will be intact when NextGEN Pro is installed.

Do I need to back up my site before doing this? It is always a good habit to back up before making plugin changes, but this process is low-risk. No database changes are made when you delete and reinstall the plugin.

Where do I find my Pro license key? Log in to your account on the Imagely website. Go to your account dashboard and look for your active licenses. Your Pro license key will be listed there.

What if I have both Starter and Pro license keys? Use only your Pro key. Once NextGEN Pro is installed and activated with your Pro license, the Starter license is no longer needed on that site.

I upgraded but my site still shows Starter features. What should I do? After activating your Pro license, clear your site’s cache if you use a caching plugin, then reload the page. If Pro features are still missing, go to Dashboard > Plugins, confirm that NextGEN Gallery Pro is listed and active, and check for any available updates.