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Cornell University

Install MATLAB

This article applies to: Software Licensing

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Single Sign-On

We have activated Single Sign-On with MathWorks. Technical considerations require us to split our MATLAB license between Weill Cornell Medicine and the rest of Cornell. WCM users must register MATLAB under a different license number and activation key than the rest of Cornell.

When you register your license, you will be brought to a CUWebLogin page and will be prompted to use your standard Cornell credentials: 

  • Personnel at the Cornell University and Cornell Tech campuses: Use your NetID@cornell.edu and your NetID password.
  • Personnel at Weill Cornell Medicine: Use your CWID@med.cornell.edu and your CWID password.

Note to Weill affiliates: Cornell's MATLAB license for Weill Cornell Medicine only applies to matriculated students enrolled at WCM and to staff and faculty employed by WCM. Personnel at Weill-affiliated organizations who have a CWID but an email address other than '@med.cornell.edu' are NOT covered by this license. Please work with your organization's local IT support providers for alternative MATLAB licensing options. 

New Installation of MATLAB: Single-User Configuration

  1. Get your MATLAB activation code:
    • Institutional (staff/faculty) Licenses: Look up your Activation Key on your online order confirmation page. The Activation Key is under the Download Software link. For instructions on how to access this page, please see our online guide How To Look Up Your Software License Codes. (Weill users: If your order confirmation page does not display a separate line for Weill users, please contact CU Software and include your Order ID with the request.)
    • Cornell University Students: MATLAB is available at no charge for all currently-registered students at Cornell. Note that the activation procedure is different for students at Weill. Please refer to the appropriate PDF for your circumstances:
  2. Download the appropriate installer for your computer from the CU Software MATLAB page to your computer's hard drive. Don't try to run the software remotely, as this will fail. You have two kinds of installers to choose from:
    • Standard Installer (recommended): Smaller initial download that allows you to select individual components to install.
    • Disk Image Installer: A large download in ISO disk image format that includes all components included with Cornell's license. Only the current version of MATLAB is available via this method.
  3. Make sure that your computer has an active Internet connection. If you cannot connect to the Internet, you will not be able to activate with these instructions. If that's the case, please contact us for more information.
  4. Launch the installer:
    • Standard Installer: Double-click the installer to launch.
    • Disk Image Installer: From the mounted MATLAB installer disk, find the installer application file, then double-click to launch: Windows: setup.exe Macintosh: InstallForMacOS.app
  5. On the Select Installation Method window, select Log in with a MathWorks account, then click Next. This requires a network connection.
  6. On the License Agreement window, you must agree to abide by the license terms. Select Yes and click Next.
  7. On the License Information window, you will need to sign into your account on the MathWorks system.
    • If you have previously created a MathWorks account:
      1. Type in the email address you registered with MathWorks and your MathWorks password. Click Next.
      2. On the License Selection window, choose the second option, Enter an Activation Key for a license not listed, then enter the Activation Key that you retrieved in Step 1. Select this option even if your MathWorks account was previously associated with a MathWorks license.
      3. Click Next, and proceed to Step 8.
    • If you have never created a MathWorks account:
      1. Select I need to create an account, then click Next.
      2. On the Account Creation screen, fill out the information that is requested, then click Next. You must use an email address that ends with "cornell.edu". Use the Activation Key that you retrieved in Step 1.
  8. The MATLAB installer will prompt you to open a browser window to verify your Cornell credentials; please allow this. You may be prompted to select a browser; we recommend that you choose your preferred browser. 
  9. Your browser will open a CUWebLogin window. Enter your Cornell credentials. Note that if you have set up Two-Step Login for your Cornell account, you will need to use your second step to proceed. 
  10. After successful sign-in with your Cornell credentials, the browser will show a MathWorks Account page, displaying "Verification successful!" Go back to the MATLAB installer and click OK or Continue
  11. On the Folder Selection window, we recommend that you choose the default installation location. Click Next. Windows users: Windows may ask permission to create the default folder location. Click Yes.
  12. On the Product Selection window, choose which specific toolboxes you wish to install. If you don't know which ones you need, keep the default selections; you can always add additional toolboxes later. Once you have chosen the toolboxes you need, click Next.
  13. On the Installation Options window, choose where you wish shortcuts to MATLAB to appear and whether you wish user experience information to be sent to MathWorks automatically. Click Next
  14. On the Confirmation window, make sure that the components you want to install are showing. Click Install.
  15. The installation can take more than an hour, depending on which components you chose to install. Please be patient while the installer runs.
  16. On the Product Configuration Notes window, the installer may tell you that additional components are available under your license. This refers to installation options not chosen. You may install those later should you need them. Click Next.
  17. On the Installation Complete window, make sure the Activate MATLAB box is checked. Click Next.
  18. On the MATLAB Software Activation window, click Next.
  19. MATLAB will contact the vendor's servers to activate. Click Confirm.
  20. Your MATLAB Single-User license is only valid for one user account on your computer. Please choose which user account can use the license. By default, the installer picks the user account that's running the installer. We recommend that you do not change this. Click Next
  21. On the Confirmation window, make sure that everything is right for activation. Click Confirm.
  22. Activation should now be complete. Click Finish. You will receive a message from MathWorks via email shortly confirming product activation.

New Installation of MATLAB: Network Configuration

  1. Please contact us to request a new or updated license file for your license server. We will need the following information:
    • Your server's Operating System (macOS, Windows, or Linux).

    • The hardware address ("MAC address") of your server's network card.

    • A unique descriptive name for your license server. (Your server's Internet host name would work.)

  2. After we have generated your MATLAB Network Server license file, we will send it to you along with a File Installation Key and installation/set-up instructions. Please allow up to 5 business days to process this request.

Update Existing MATLAB Single-User Installation

  1. Get your MATLAB activation code:
    • Institutional (staff/faculty) Licenses: Look up your Activation Key on your online order confirmation page. The Activation Key is under the Download Software link. For instructions on how to access this page, please see our online guide How To Look Up Your Software License Codes. (Weill users: If your order confirmation page does not display a separate line for Weill users, please contact CU Software and include your Order ID with the request.)
    • Cornell University Students: MATLAB is available at no charge for all currently-registered students at Cornell. Note that the activation procedure is different for students at Weill. Please refer to the appropriate PDF for your circumstances:
  2. Start MATLAB.
  3. If your license has already expired, you will see the MathWorks License Update Window. If your license has not yet expired, under MATLAB's Help menu, select Licensing, then Activate Software.
    • Mac Users: You need to use the Help menu within the MATLAB window; NOT the macOS Help menu bar item.
  4. On the MathWorks License Update window, select Log in with my MathWorks account
    • NOTE: earlier versions of MATLAB call this Activate Using the Internet.
  5. Log in to your MathWorks account
  6. Enter your MATLAB Activation Key.
  7. On the Update Confirmation window, click Confirm.

Your installation of MATLAB should now be activated.

Some customers have reported that they receive a window stating that MATLAB requires deactivation. If you are receiving that message, please click the "Deactivate" button on the window, then proceed with the instructions above.

If you are running MATLAB and are unable to complete the above license update procedure, you may need to manually deactivate MATLAB. To deactivate, launch MATLAB and select Help -> Licensing-> Deactivate from the MATLAB menubar.

Update Existing MATLAB Network Installation 

  1. Please contact us to request a new or updated license file for your license server. We will need the following information:
    • Your server's Operating System (macOS, Windows, or Linux).

    • The hardware address ("MAC address") of your server's network card.

    • A unique descriptive name for your license server. (Your server's Internet host name would work.)

  2. After we have generated your MATLAB Network Server license file, we will send it to you along with a File Installation Key and installation/set-up instructions. Please allow up to 5 business days to process this request.

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