TeamViewer terminates perpetual licenses: Difference between revisions

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+{{#seo:
+|description=TeamViewer terminates perpetual licenses for versions 11 and 12 by shutting relay servers December 2025; class-action lawsuit filed March 2026.
+}}
 {{IncidentCargo
 |Company=TeamViewer
-|StartDate=
+|StartDate=2025-05-26
 |EndDate=
-|Status=
+|Status=Active
 |ProductLine=
 |Product=TeamViewer 11, TeamViewer 12
-|ArticleType=
+|ArticleType=Service
 |Type=Broken Promise
-|Description=
+|Description=TeamViewer kills internet connectivity for perpetual license holders by shutting relay servers for v11 & v12 on Dec 31, 2025
 }}
-[[TeamViewer]] terminates perpetual license users by no longer supporting versions 11 and 12 on their global network infrastructure.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=JeanK (Community Manager) |date=26 May 2025 |title=End of support for TeamViewer versions 11 and 12 |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/141015/end-of-support-for-teamviewer-versions-11-and-12/p1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618115103/https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/141015/end-of-support-for-teamviewer-versions-11-and-12/p1 |archive-date=18 Jun 2025 |access-date=21 Jun 2025 |via=Teamviewer Community}}</ref> Versions 11 and 12 were the last versions of TeamViewer that were not subscription based. The customer response on the community forum focuses on the legal aspect of this conduct, and about organizing a class action lawsuit against TeamViewer.
+[[TeamViewer]] sold perpetual licenses for versions 11 & 12 at prices ranging from $650 to over $5,000 depending on the tier, then announced in May 2025 that those versions would lose access to the company's relay servers on December 31, 2025.<ref name="announcement">{{Cite web |last=JeanK (Community Manager) |date=26 May 2025 |title=End of support for TeamViewer versions 11 and 12 |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/141015/end-of-support-for-teamviewer-versions-11-and-12/p1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618115103/https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/141015/end-of-support-for-teamviewer-versions-11-and-12/p1 |archive-date=18 Jun 2025 |access-date=21 Jun 2025 |via=TeamViewer Community}}</ref> Without relay servers, the software can't connect to remote machines over the internet. It can only function over a Local Area Network. For remote access software, that removes the core reason anyone bought it.
+A class-action lawsuit, ''Thorner v. TeamViewer US, Inc.'' (Case No. 9:26-cv-80214), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on March 3, 2026.<ref name="thorner">{{Cite web |title=Thorner v. Teamviewer US, Inc. 9:2026cv80214 |url=https://dockets.justia.com/docket/florida/flsdce/9:2026cv80214/708612 |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=Justia Dockets & Filings}}</ref>
 ==Background==
-TeamViewer built its business on a perpetual licensing model. The initial licensing fee was substantial at the time, but licensees were given the option of paying for upgrades at a discount that would contain new features and enhancements. Licensees were also promised that should they not need the new features, they would not be forced to upgrade. Licensees could continue to use their existing version in perpetuity. TeamViewer 12 was the last version that allowed perpetual licensing. The licensing model of TeamViewer products has been changed, perpetual licenses are no longer supported, and instead new customers are sold a subscription model.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yuri_T |date=27 Feb 2019 |title=Perpetual licence option? |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/55413/perpetual-licence-option/p1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250621140111/https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/55413/perpetual-licence-option/p1 |archive-date=21 Jun 2025 |access-date=21 Jun 2025 |website= |via=TeamViewer Community}}</ref>
+TeamViewer SE is a German software company headquartered in Göppingen that makes remote desktop & remote support software.<ref name="permira">{{Cite web |title=TeamViewer |url=https://www.permira.com/portfolio/our-portfolio/teamviewer |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=Permira}}</ref> The company was founded in 2005.<ref name="permira" /> Through version 12, TeamViewer offered a perpetual licensing model: customers paid a one-time fee & could use the software indefinitely without recurring charges.
-==Perpetual Users LAN only==
+Perpetual license pricing was tiered. A single-computer Business license cost roughly $650, while multi-computer licenses ran around $1,300 CAD.<ref name="caretech">{{Cite web |last=CareTech Computing |date=19 Feb 2018 |title=Don't like TeamViewer's subscription pricing? Here's an alternative for you |url=https://www.caretech.io/2018/02/19/dont-like-teamviewers-subscription-pricing-heres-an-alternative-for-you/ |access-date=28 Mar 2026}}</ref> Version upgrades (e.g., v10 to v12) cost an additional $639 or more.<ref name="caretech" />
-As of an email dated 6/3/2025, the final perpetual version will no longer function outside of a Local Area Network.
-In addition, TeamViewer has also removed features from the product and reintroducting similar features in new product. TeamViewer removed the meeting capability in TeamViewer 13 with the introduction of Blizz (now TeamViewer Meeting).
+In 2014, private equity firm Permira Holdings acquired TeamViewer & restructured the company toward recurring revenue.<ref name="permira" /> On September 25, 2019, TeamViewer conducted its IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange at €26.25 per share.<ref name="permira" /> Under Permira's ownership, TeamViewer transformed into a pure SaaS provider; the company's revenue grew from approximately €100 million at acquisition to roughly €700 million by the time Permira completed its exit in September 2025.<ref name="permira" />
-TeamViewer is offering discounts to the subscription version for perpetual users
+TeamViewer 12, released in November 2016, was the last version widely sold with a perpetual license.<ref name="tv12-release">{{Cite web |title=The Final Version of TeamViewer 12 is Here! |date=29 Nov 2016 |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/1081/the-final-version-of-teamviewer-12-is-here |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=TeamViewer Community}}</ref> TeamViewer's own end-of-support announcement describes versions 11 & 12 as "the last versions of TeamViewer that were not subscription based."<ref name="announcement" /> The company no longer offers perpetual licenses.<ref name="subscription">{{Cite web |title=All about subscription |url=https://www.teamviewer.com/en/global/support/knowledge-base/teamviewer-classic/licensing/subscription/all-about-subscription/ |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=TeamViewer Support}}</ref> Perpetual licenses purchased before the switch were supposed to remain valid. Forum users in the TeamViewer community cited what they described as a 10-year server availability guarantee in their license agreements.<ref name="forum-eula-claim">{{Cite web |title=TeamViewer 9 & 10 End-of-Life (page 7) |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/108667/teamviewer-9-10-end-of-life/p7 |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=TeamViewer Community}}</ref> Archived copies of the EULA from 2017, retrieved via the Wayback Machine, do not contain such a clause; Section 5 covers customer obligations & makes no mention of server availability.<ref name="eula-archived">{{Cite web |title=TeamViewer End-User License Agreement (archived 29 Jun 2017) |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629123344/https://www.teamviewer.com/en/eula/ |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=TeamViewer (via Wayback Machine)}}</ref> When versions 8 through 10 reached end-of-life in 2021, a TeamViewer staff member acknowledged a commitment to "10 years of server service from purchase year" for those license holders.<ref name="v910-eol" />
-===TeamViewer's response===
+==End of support for versions 11 & 12==
-Customers were sent the following email:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Customer notice to "upgrade" |url=https://services.teamviewer.com/html_mail.jsp?params=SPAWb7TgrG3i5Ps2Vo6AdrIr3nf2RLCsakmg2S5bYYz8ciX0%2FFb7IqnRBskejxpadKtGgym6KxphKhlEPSqdrhTa%2Ba6Ue7J%2BmDFwuzVAVX6%2FBRU5mWsXOLB98yOvpswe |website=TeamViewer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250820182219/https://services.teamviewer.com/html_mail.jsp?params=SPAWb7TgrG3i5Ps2Vo6AdrIr3nf2RLCsakmg2S5bYYz8ciX0%2FFb7IqnRBskejxpadKtGgym6KxphKhlEPSqdrhTa%2Ba6Ue7J%2BmDFwuzVAVX6%2FBRU5mWsXOLB98yOvpswe |archive-date=20 Aug 2025}}</ref>
+On May 26, 2025, TeamViewer announced that versions 11 & 12 would no longer be supported on the company's global network infrastructure after December 31, 2025.<ref name="announcement" /> A brief grace period extended the final cutoff to January 7, 2026. After that date, these versions can only connect to machines on the same Local Area Network; internet-based remote sessions are permanently disabled because TeamViewer's relay servers stop routing traffic for those versions.
-{| class="wikitable"
-|Dear Customer,
+The practical effect is that the software's primary function is destroyed. Users who paid for perpetual licenses to access remote machines over the internet are left with a product that can only work if both machines are on the same network, which eliminates the need for remote access software in the first place. Users on the TeamViewer community forum reported that without server authentication, the software defaults to a "Free" mode on LAN, which drops connections due to "suspected commercial use" detection.<ref name="announcement" />
-Thank you for being a valued TeamViewer  customer.
+Unlike the earlier end-of-life actions for versions 8 through 10 (see below), TeamViewer did not offer complimentary access to a newer version. The only option presented was an "exclusive upgrade discount" to a subscription plan, which users described as paying a recurring annual fee for functionality they had already purchased outright.<ref name="announcement" />
+===Prior end-of-life actions===
+This is not the first time TeamViewer has shut down relay servers for perpetual license holders. Versions 8, 9, & 10 were discontinued on September 15, 2021.<ref name="v910-eol">{{Cite web |title=TeamViewer 9 & 10 End-of-Life |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/108667/teamviewer-9-10-end-of-life/p1 |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=TeamViewer Community}}</ref><ref name="v8-eol">{{Cite web |title=TeamViewer 8 End-of-Life |url=https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/108666/teamviewer-8-end-of-life |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=TeamViewer Community}}</ref> After that date, those versions could no longer connect to remote machines outside the local network.
-We’re reaching out to inform you of an  important update regarding your TeamViewer license. Support for TeamViewer versions '''11 and 12''' will officially end on '''31 December 2025''', as we continue advancing the security and performance of our remote connectivity platform.
+TeamViewer did provide a bridge for those users: all version 8 through 10 license holders received complimentary access to TeamViewer 15, corresponding to 10 years of server service from the purchase year.<ref name="v910-eol" /><ref name="v8-eol" /> Version 8 holders received complimentary TeamViewer 13 access valid through December 31, 2023.<ref name="v8-eol" /> This was consistent with the 10-year server service commitment TeamViewer staff acknowledged for those versions.<ref name="v910-eol" />
+For versions 11 & 12, no equivalent complimentary access was provided. If the 10-year commitment acknowledged for versions 8 through 10 applied equally to later perpetual licenses, a customer who purchased a TeamViewer 12 license in 2017 would be within that window until 2027; the December 31, 2025 cutoff arrives two years early.<ref name="announcement" />
-'''How does this affect you?'''
+===TeamViewer's response===
+TeamViewer sent the following email to perpetual license holders:<ref name="email">{{Cite web |title=Customer notice to "upgrade" |url=https://services.teamviewer.com/html_mail.jsp?params=SPAWb7TgrG3i5Ps2Vo6AdrIr3nf2RLCsakmg2S5bYYz8ciX0%2FFb7IqnRBskejxpadKtGgym6KxphKhlEPSqdrhTa%2Ba6Ue7J%2BmDFwuzVAVX6%2FBRU5mWsXOLB98yOvpswe |website=TeamViewer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250820182219/https://services.teamviewer.com/html_mail.jsp?params=SPAWb7TgrG3i5Ps2Vo6AdrIr3nf2RLCsakmg2S5bYYz8ciX0%2FFb7IqnRBskejxpadKtGgym6KxphKhlEPSqdrhTa%2Ba6Ue7J%2BmDFwuzVAVX6%2FBRU5mWsXOLB98yOvpswe |archive-date=20 Aug 2025}}</ref>
-*After the above date, licenses for TeamViewer '''11 and 12 will no longer be supported''' on our global network infrastructure.
+<blockquote>
-*You will still be able to use these versions for local (LAN) connections, where both devices are on the same network, but internet-based remote sessions will no longer be available.
+'''How does this affect you?'''
+* After the above date, licenses for TeamViewer '''11 and 12 will no longer be supported''' on our global network infrastructure.
+* You will still be able to use these versions for local (LAN) connections, where both devices are on the same network, but internet-based remote sessions will no longer be available.
 '''Why this change?'''
-As technology and security standards evolve,  older software versions like TeamViewer 11 and 12 become more susceptible to  vulnerabilities and lack the capabilities to support modern features.  Continuing to maintain these legacy versions not only poses security risks  but also limits our ability to provide you with the most stable and secure  experience.
+As technology and security standards evolve, older software versions like TeamViewer 11 and 12 become more susceptible to vulnerabilities and lack the capabilities to support modern features. Continuing to maintain these legacy versions not only poses security risks but also limits our ability to provide you with the most stable and secure experience.
-By transitioning to the latest TeamViewer  Remote platform, you’ll benefit from:
+'''Your options'''
-*Stronger security with the latest standards and encryption protocols
-*More stable and responsive connections across devices and platforms
-*Continuous access to innovations like AI-powered support and new productivity tools
+We highly encourage you to consider upgrading to the latest version of TeamViewer. As a valued customer, we are pleased to offer you an '''exclusive upgrade discount''' should you choose to transition to a subscription plan.
+</blockquote>
-This change ensures that you can continue to  rely on TeamViewer for secure, efficient, and cutting-edge remote  connectivity.
+The email frames the shutdown as a security measure. It does not address the perpetual nature of the licenses, the 10-year server service commitment previously acknowledged for older versions, or that "upgrading" means paying an ongoing subscription for functionality customers already purchased with a one-time payment. The "exclusive upgrade discount" is not specified.<ref name="announcement" />
-'''Your options'''
-We highly encourage you to consider upgrading to the latest version of TeamViewer. As a valued customer, we are  pleased to offer you an '''exclusive upgrade discount''' should you choose  to transition to a subscription plan.
-To explore your options or to speak with a member of our support team, please click below:
-{| class="wikitable"
-|-
-|'''Contact Us'''
-|}
-|}
-In the original post, TeamViewer proposes that users with existing perpetual licenses "upgrade" to the latest TeamViewer under a subscription plan. It is mentioned that existing customers are eligible for an "exclusive upgrade discount", which is not further specified for perpetual license owners.<ref name=":0" />
 ==Lawsuit==
-{{Placeholder box|If applicable, add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.
 ===Claims===
-Main claims of the suit.
+On March 3, 2026, Craig Thorner filed ''Thorner v. TEAMVIEWER US, INC.'' (Case No. 9:26-cv-80214) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.<ref name="thorner" /> The complaint targets TeamViewer's U.S. subsidiary & seeks class-action status on behalf of perpetual license holders.
-===Rebuttal===
+Consumers on the TeamViewer community forum & the Linus Tech Tips forum have discussed breach of contract (the perpetual license was an indefinite-term agreement) & false advertising (marketing the license as "perpetual" while planning to shut down the infrastructure it depends on) as potential legal theories.<ref name="announcement" /><ref name="ltt-forum">{{Cite web |title=TeamViewer Is Terminating My Perpetual License |url=https://linustechtips.com/topic/1614802-teamviewer-is-terminating-my-perpetual-license-%E2%80%94-has-this-happened-to-anyone-else-what-are-you-doing-about-this/ |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=Linus Tech Tips Forum}}</ref>
-The response of the company or counterclaims.
-===Outcome===
+Community forums document customers from multiple countries discussing legal options & gathering invoices and historical EULAs to establish breach of contract.<ref name="announcement" />
-The outcome of the suit, if any.}}
-==Consumer response==
+===Prior litigation===
-One user on the forum states that they bought a license for TeamViewer version 12 with a term of 10 years, so this comes two years before their license ends.<ref name=":0" /> Commercial users of the software must have a license to use TeamViewer, only personal usage of the software is free.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2023 |title=Commercial use suspected |url=https://www.teamviewer.com/en/global/support/knowledge-base/teamviewer-classic/licensing/personal-use/commercial-use-suspected/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250208061425/https://www.teamviewer.com/en/global/support/knowledge-base/teamviewer-classic/licensing/personal-use/commercial-use-suspected/ |archive-date=8 Feb 2025 |access-date=21 Jun 2025 |website=TeamViewer Support}}</ref>
+TeamViewer has faced litigation over its licensing practices before, though on a different issue. In ''Gershfeld v. TeamViewer US, Inc.'' (9th Cir. No. 21-55753), Jack Gershfeld alleged TeamViewer violated California's Automatic Renewal Law by renewing his subscription without adequate disclosure. The Ninth Circuit upheld the district court's dismissal in January 2023, finding TeamViewer's checkout disclosures & pre-renewal email adequate under the statute.<ref name="gershfeld">{{Cite web |title=JACK GERSHFELD V. TEAMVIEWER US, INC., ET AL, No. 21-55753 (9th Cir. 2023) |date=20 Jan 2023 |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/21-55753/21-55753-2023-01-20.html |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=Justia Law}}</ref> That case dealt with auto-renewal disclosures, not the separate question of whether shutting down relay servers for perpetual licenses constitutes breach of contract.
-This invalidation additionally ignores when users who paid for their lifetime perpetual licenses, where in one case with Linus of ''Linus Tech Tips'' only received a discount for the subscription for paying for a ~$5k+ software upgrade only a few months before the announcement of the sunset of versions 11 and 12 in '''December 2025'''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=LMG Clips |date=Jun 23, 2025 |title=If Buying Isn’t Owning, Then Piracy Isn’t Stealing |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDfCYF0PLac |access-date=Jun 23, 2025 |work=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=uDfCYF0PLac |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> Some highlights included with the email sent to Linus are the following:<blockquote>'''How does this affect you?'''
+TeamViewer US, Inc. is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.<ref name="bbb">{{Cite web |title=TeamViewer US, Inc. BBB Business Profile |url=https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/clearwater/profile/computer-services/teamviewer-us-inc-0653-90109057 |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=Better Business Bureau}}</ref>
-- After the above date, licenses for TeamViewer '''11 and 12 will no longer be supported''' on our global network infrastructure.h
+==Consumer response==
+The announcement triggered backlash across tech communities. On the TeamViewer community forum, customers focused on the legal implications & discussed organizing a class-action lawsuit.<ref name="announcement" /> The discussion ran across multiple pages, with users arguing that a perpetual license for software whose primary function depends on the vendor's servers can't reasonably be interpreted as allowing the vendor to later disable those servers.<ref name="announcement" />
-- You will still be able to use these versions for local (LAN) connections, where both devices are on the same network, but internet-based remote sessions will no longer be available
+Linus Sebastian of Linus Tech Tips had been publicly critical of TeamViewer's pressure tactics since October 2021, when he posted on social media: "ZERO DOLLARS YOU VAMPIRES! I paid for a f***ing *perpetual* license of TeamViewer 12. Stop emailing me. Stop calling me at Eastern-Time-o-clock in the morning and stop popping up this crap when I use the software I paid THOUSANDS of dollars for."<ref name="linus-tweet">{{Cite web |last=Sebastian |first=Linus |date=6 Oct 2021 |title=ZERO DOLLARS YOU VAMPIRES! |url=https://x.com/linusgsebastian/status/1445974503771672581 |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}</ref>
-'''Your options'''
+When the version 11 & 12 shutdown was announced, Sebastian covered it on the LTT WAN Show in June 2025. He revealed that Linus Media Group had spent roughly $5,000 for a corporate perpetual license of TeamViewer 10, then paid an additional $1,000 to upgrade to version 12.<ref name="lmg-video">{{Cite news |author=LMG Clips |date=23 Jun 2025 |title=If Buying Isn't Owning, Then Piracy Isn't Stealing |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDfCYF0PLac |access-date=23 Jun 2025 |work=YouTube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=uDfCYF0PLac |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> Sebastian argued that if a company unilaterally revokes a perpetual license that was paid for in full, the consumer is morally justified in using the software by other means.<ref name="lmg-video" />
-We highly encourage you to consider upgrading to the latest version of TeamViewer. As a valued customer, we are pleased to offer you an '''exclusive upgrade discount''' should you choose to transition to a subscription plan.</blockquote>
+The shutdown has driven users toward alternatives. RustDesk, an open-source self-hosted remote desktop tool, is frequently recommended in forum discussions as an option for users who refuse to pay recurring fees for a function they already own hardware & bandwidth to perform.<ref name="rustdesk">{{Cite web |title=RustDesk: Open-Source Remote Desktop with Self-Hosted Server Solutions |url=https://rustdesk.com/ |access-date=28 Mar 2026 |website=RustDesk}}</ref><ref name="ltt-forum" />
 ==See also==
 *[[Lifetime license removal]]
 *[[Adobe Lightroom: Perpetual to Subscription Transition]]
@@ Line 104: / Line 90: @@
 {{reflist}}
 [[Category:TeamViewer]]
+[[Category:Lifetime license removal]]