Hello everyone! I asked Steinberg support and I still don’t have an answer, maybe someone on the forum can enlighten me. I bought Cubase 13 online from a music store, I didn’t receive a license, I only received a download code. In the meantime, I decided to switch to Windows 7, for personal reasons. I would like to know if I can receive a Cubase 10 license in exchange for Cubase 13, because 13 doesn’t work in Windows 7. Maybe there is a possibility to exchange with someone but I don’t have a USB license or a digital one. I activated Cubase 13 with the download assistant. Can you help me with some advice?
Hi,
unfortunately this is not possible.
As an owner of Cubase 13 you can also work with Cubase 12 but not with versions that require the old licensing system. If you already owned a C11 license and updated to C13 you would own every previous license below C11 plus C12 to C13 which are both part of the new licensing system.
You can sell your license on knobcloud and alikes and try to buy a license that comes with a USB-eLicenser. That would do the trick.
I’m sure there’s someone out there who would be more than lucky to swap with you.
Good luck!
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thanks for your attention! I don’t know how to sell cubase 13, as I said in the previous comment, I don’t have a license, I only have the download code. If I want to sell it, do I have to deactivate something in my steinberg account, or how do I proceed?
Well, @geky , Reco29 gave you the above hint
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I understand to a point but it doesn’t seem so simple these days, it’s not like I’m exchanging socks. Do I have to give the future C13 owner my download code + my Steinberg account details email, password, ID so they can register the C13? How do I get the Cubase 10 elicenser if it’s on USB? Does it work, can I register the C10 with the elicenser I received, on my computer?
Hi,
yes, you are right, it’s not like selling socks and it seems to be complicated at first glance 
However, it’s not so complicated as expected, have a look at this, please
That should answer your questions.
I understand. I don’t see myself fitting into any category in the example sent. I don’t have an elicenser software for Cubase 13 or USB. As I said before, I have a download code, I enter the code in the download assistant software, I install C13 and when I open C13 it asks me to log in to my Steinberg account, that’s how C13 is activated/registered with me. I have an elicenser software for Cubase 10.5 element, that is clear to me and I know what I need to do to register, reactivate C10.5 element.
more precisely, I don’t have an activation code. When I bought C13 I only received a card, on which it says access download code.
Seems you’re pretty clear about the situation…
What you have as a code…can only be used for what you bought.
The card that says “access code” is what you will type in at the Steinberg download assistant. That code then creates an activation code (I’m simplifying a bit).
The Sb system will then recognize what you bought, and allow you to download & activate it…not on windows 7 of course…
(although I’ve been meaning to see what kinds of error messages I may receive if/when I test-install cubendo on my older win xp/7 machines.
The above is all done on a win10-11 computer in simultaneous right-now steps…not…say..do one thing today with the code and then activation some other time…and as you no doubt understand…
the reason for the simultaneous steps is because…at that moment…the cubendo13 (or whatever) will be tied to THAT computer and no other. Again…you won’t get this far on a win7 machine.
Which, as you know, is why…at that moment…you must have a singular Steinberg account tied to your email..
that…important…you don’t forget 
I see soooo many people who have…somehow over time…created multiple steinberg accounts under multiple emails…a guarantee recipe for confusion on the user’s part imo
There is no Steinberg-direct way to buy downgrades. There is no way to download and install cubase 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 (some of which worked for win7…I don’t remember although I have them all) unless you own an elicenser that already contains a PRO license on it for cubendo10 etc (NOT elements). Even with that capability (as I have), when the future day arrives that my dongle stops working, or is swept away in a hurricane…end of the line for me using Cubase 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 etc.
As you already understand, your old “elements” elicenser doesn’t factor into this and you can leave it unplugged from the computer and sitting over on the desk while you do the above procedure on a not-windows-7 computer. (ie only on win10-11 will the procedure work with your access code)
I believe that pretty much sums up what others have mentioned regarding USING the access code you possess.
As to selling the code…which doesn’t solve your Windows7 dilemma, I don’t have an opinion on selling/buying codes. Outside of my area of interest.
Now, all that being said…if you are intent on using Win7 and nothing else…the only daw on the planet I’m aware of that supports winXp and 7 is Reaper. You’ll just have to switch to Reaper in that case.
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thank you very much for your attention! C10.5.30 element works great on a dell optiplex 3040 with cpu i7 6700 qad core .16 gb ram DDR3.windows 7 is more stable and fluent,than my newer generation pc with cpu i9 12900k 16 core 24 thread …64 gb ram ddr5 4800 mhz with windows 10 and c13 pro. i tried for a year,to accommodate and support the instability of the operating system and new generation software.it was simply a nightmare for me, both software and hardware.i bought this dell for 150 €,i installed windows 7 and i am very happy. c10.5.30 elemet would be enough for me if i had not spent the money on c13 pro and if i could disable the AUTO-APPLY function.
Well, you weren’t exactly clear about your situation in the first place. And you didn’t mention if you own a Pro/Artist/Element license. I wrongly assumed you are talking about the Pro version since you only mentioned Cubase 13 and - my bad - I was wrongly assuming that this is correct and explained everything else based on that assumption. 
My bad. TBH, my first question should have been: “What sort of licenses do you own (Pro/Artist/Elements) and how are they stored?”
@DosWasBest was so kind to explain in detail how things work with the DAC/Activation Code and hinted at potential risks if you want to stick to C10 Pro on Win7. That’s solid advice on functionality aspects that I would definetly take into account if I were you!
That’s what I was previously referring to when I wrote that you will surely find someone who is more than willing to swap their eLicenser based Cubase Pro 10/11 version for a Cubase Pro 13 version. Or you keep your C13 license and buy an additional C10/11 eLicenser based Pro License.
A simple online search on well known platforms for selling all sorts of used stuff showed a variety of offers for Cubase 10 Pro including USB eLicensers - for a reasonable price. It’s there if you want to and you don’t have to sell an organ of yours to get your hands on an old Pro version. So keeping your new license and buying an additional one would be possible. Up to you.
Whatever you do - good luck!
I apologize for not specifying the version, I translate with Google and inadvertently, I forgot to mention. I’m talking about Cubase 13 Pro. I also have a Cubase 10.5.20 Element license. Until a few days ago I didn’t know that you could buy, sell software, plugins second-hand, if I had known for sure I would have bought C10 Pro.