Login & accounts
The first time you open GRBL Server on a workshop computer you choose one of two doors: Start your free month — no account, no card — or Sign in with your GRBL Server account. Either way it's a once-per-host step: after that, anyone on the local network can use the app from a browser without signing in again. Your workflows, files, and machines stay on your local server throughout.
Starting your free month (no account)
- Install and launch GRBL Server, then open the address it shows in a browser.
- On the first screen, click Start your free month.
- That's it — the full product is unlocked on this computer for one month.
What an account is for
You don't need an account to try GRBL Server. You create one when you subscribe after the free month. The account:
- Carries your subscription (€3.99/month after the trial), managed from your dashboard.
- Unlocks the desktop app on the workshop computer once you've subscribed — and creating one also grants the free month if you'd rather start with an account.
- Stores your contact email so you can be reached about important updates.
- Later on, will be the entry point for optional cloud features (backup, sync, sharing) — off by default.
Creating an account
- Go to https://grblserver.com/register.
- Enter your name, email and a password.
- Submit. You're signed in immediately on the website.
- If email verification is enabled, click the link in the email we send you.
Signing in from the desktop app
Signing in is how a subscription unlocks a host — you'll do it when your free month ends, or right away if you already have an account.
- Open GRBL Server in a browser using the address shown in the launcher window (e.g.
http://192.168.1.42). - On the welcome screen, use the Sign in form below the free-month button.
- Use the same email and password you set up on this website.
- That's it. The host stays signed in across restarts — you won't be asked again on this computer unless you sign out, or your account is no longer valid.
Using GRBL Server when the internet drops
Workshop internet isn't always reliable, and that's fine. Once a host is signed in, GRBL Server keeps working for several days even if the connection drops — you can engrave and cut without any interruption.
When the host has been offline for longer than that, it'll politely ask to reconnect before letting you continue. Plug back into the network, click Re-check licence on the screen it shows you, and you're back in business.
If the app stops letting you in
If something's wrong with your trial, account or licence, every page is replaced with a clear lockout screen that tells you what's going on. The things you'll see most often:
- "Your free month has ended" — the trial on this computer is used up. Create an account on the website, subscribe, then click Sign in with an account on the lockout screen. Your machines, presets and workflows are exactly where you left them.
- "Your licence has expired" / "Your licence is cancelled" — a subscription lapsed or stopped. Subscribe or re-activate your account on the website, then click Re-check licence on the lockout screen. The app unlocks within a moment.
- "This host has been offline too long" — see the section above. Reconnect and re-check.
From the lockout screen you can also Sign out and sign in with a different account, which is useful if you're handing the workshop computer to someone else.
Forgot your password?
- Go to https://grblserver.com/forgot-password.
- Enter the email you registered with.
- Check your inbox for the reset link (check spam too — first emails from a new sender sometimes land there).
- Set a new password and sign in again from the desktop app.
Managing your devices
From your dashboard on the website you can:
- See every host that has signed in with your account at Devices.
- Remove a host you no longer use — it'll be asked to sign in again next time someone tries.
Signing out
From any browser session — or from the lockout screen — click Sign out. The host returns to the sign-in screen so another account can be used on the same computer.