Under the Envato Elements License, if you want to use the same item in separate projects, you must create a new license for each use. This is both a legal requirement under the license terms and how contributors are paid for each use of their work.
How are licenses created when I download an item?
When you download an item from Envato Elements, a license is automatically created at the point of download. The license is stamped with the date it was created and is immediately available in your My Downloads page.
If you want to assign the license to a specific project or end product name at the time of download, click the Manage button after downloading to create a new project or select an existing one.
How do I create a new license for an item I have already downloaded?
You do not need to re-download an item to create a new license for a new project. There are four ways to create a new license for an existing download:
- At download: Click Manage after downloading to create a license with a new or existing project name.
- From your Downloads page: Go to My Downloads, select View licenses, then click Create new license.
- From the item page: Open the item's page on Envato, click Licenses, then click Create new license.
- From a Workspace: When you download via a Workspace, the item is automatically licensed to the Workspace name. To use a different project name, click Manage and create a new license.
You can create and label licenses at any time without affecting your commercial rights.
How do I manage and organize my licenses?
Each license covers a single use of an item in a single project. If you use the same item across multiple projects or for multiple clients, you need a separate license for each. Creating named licenses is helpful for:
- Tracking which assets were used in which end products
- Providing license certificates to clients
- Maintaining records for commercial or legal purposes
You can organize your licenses at any time from the four access points listed above. No re-downloading is required.
Why is it important to create a new license for each project?
If you want to use the same Item for separate projects, you will need to create a new license for each end-use. This ensures you comply with the license terms and support the contributors.
What happens to my existing licenses for items I’ve already downloaded?
All your past valid downloads are already covered for their original intended use (more details on Trial Use licenses below). Our system has automatically generated a valid commercial license (for Project Use) for every item you’ve downloaded in the past, so there’s no need to re-download or manually register those specific projects. Keep in mind that each license covers a single specific project. If you want to use one of these items for a new or different project, you will need to create a new license for that specific end-use.
If you need to access a license certificate for something you downloaded previously (unless the Item has been removed from Envato Elements, or was used as part of previous "Trial use" options), you can find it via:
- Your My Downloads page
- The item's page on Envato
- Your Workspace, if you saved it there
About Trial Use licenses (prior to December 2025)
Note: The Trial Use download option was removed in December 2025. The information below applies only to items downloaded before December 2025 using the "Download without license" (Trial Use) option.
What was a Trial Use download?
Before December 2025, Envato Elements offered two download options:
- License & Download — a Project Use (licensed) download for items you intended to use in an ongoing project
- Download without license — a Trial Use download for testing, comparing, or exploring items without committing to a licence
Trial Use downloads were not covered by the Envato Elements Licence and did not grant an ongoing right to use the item commercially.
I downloaded an item as Trial Use before December 2025 — what do I need to do now?
If you downloaded an item using the "Download without license" (Trial Use) option before December 2025 and have since incorporated it into a project or end product, you have two options:
- Create a project use license — if you have an active Envato Elements subscription, you can still relicense the item for project use by visiting the item page, clicking Create new or Download, and assigning it to a project. Once relicensed, the item is covered by the standard Envato Elements commercial license for future use.
- Remove the item — if you are unable to relicense the item (for example, because your subscription has lapsed or the item has been removed from the library), you must remove the item from any associated product, project, or end use in accordance with the applicable terms of use for Trial Use downloads (see: Envato Elements User Terms, section 25 d) .
Important: licences cannot be applied retrospectively. Creating a project use license now covers your use of the item going forward from the date the licence is created — it does not cover any prior usage of the item under a Trial Use download. If the item was used commercially during the Trial Use period, that prior usage is not retroactively authorised by generating a new license today.
How do I know if an item in My Downloads was a Trial Use or Project Use download?
Go to your My Downloads page and click View licenses next to the item. If the download (or license certificate) is labelled Trial rather than showing a project name, it was a Trial Use download and is not covered by the Envato Elements License for ongoing use.
Where can I read the full licence terms?
See the Envato Elements Licence Terms for the complete licence wording.
How do I control how my downloads are licensed?
The Licensing setting lets you choose how a license name is assigned each time you download an asset. This is useful for keeping your downloads organised by client or project.
To change your licensing setting, open Preferences and use the drop-down menu under Licensing in the Account section. There are three licensing options available:
- Never ask — Assets are licensed automatically on every download, with no additional steps. Best for high-volume projects where speed is a priority.
- Always ask — You are prompted to choose a license name on every download, so you can assign each asset to a specific client or project at the time of download.
- Remember last choice — The license name from your previous download is automatically applied to your next download, keeping you in the same project flow without repeated prompts.
How do I search for previously used license names?
Reusing project names is easy with our search feature. When downloading, you can search through all your existing license names to assign them quickly. If you choose not to name a license, your items remain fully licensed under the automatic date-stamped system.
Frequently asked questions
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Do I need to re-download an item to create a new license?
No. You can create a new license for any item you have previously downloaded without re-downloading it. Use your My Downloads page, the item page, or a Workspace to create a new license at any time.
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Where can I find all my Envato license certificates?
All your license certificates are accessible from your My Downloads page. You can also access them from the individual item's page on Envato Elements, or from any Workspace where the item was downloaded.
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Can I rename an existing Envato license?
You can create a new license with a different project name at any time from your Downloads page, the item page, or a Workspace. Existing licenses are stamped with the date they were created and cannot be retroactively renamed, but you can create additional named licenses for the same item without re-downloading.
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What if I use the same item in multiple client projects?
You need a separate license for each client project. Create a new license for each project via any of the four methods described above — no re-downloading required.