Topaz Studio | Transition Questions

General Discussion
564

Hi tenten71.
Here goes:

The Personalized FAQ (PAQ) for tenten71

Installation and Software Coexistence

Q: With this latest batch of updates to be released pre-Studio Launch, will Topaz Photo replace my running copy of Photo AI? Or will they run side-by-side?

A: According to dakota.wixom: “Studio versions will install into a new directory, and you can run them alongside the non-Studio versions of the app. This way you can try out the new features and keep your perpetual version around”. The apps install in separate directories - you can have both Photo AI and Topaz Photo installed simultaneously without conflicts.

License Retention and Version Control

Q: If maintenance updates continue after 9/16 for Photo AI, and I cancel my subscription on 2/1/2026, do I keep the Photo AI version from 9/16/2025 or the version from my cancellation date (e.g., v4.0.6)?

A: Based on dakota.wixom’s clarification: “Patch updates were only free for your existing minor version (major.minor.patch). Since there will be no new major or minor versions, all patch releases will be available to you if you own the latest version of the software already”. You would retain access to patch updates received during your subscription period, but ida.topazlabs confirmed that after September 16th, “we will continue to offer maintenance updates and minor fixes” only.

License Server and Offline Concerns

Q: For legacy software, can the online license confirmation requirement be turned off? I’m concerned about license server availability in 10+ years.

A: This specific concern was not directly addressed by corporate authorities in the available discussion. However, dakota.wixom emphasized that “You will continue to be able to use all versions of Gigapixel locally” and assured users about maintaining compatibility with future operating systems. Contact support directly for account-specific license management questions.

Studio Pricing and Auto-Renewal Benefits

Q: What’s the difference between renewing 2 vs. 3 apps? Do I get any benefit from renewing all 3 apps as opposed to just 2?

A: ida.topazlabs clarified the key thresholds: “If you own 2 or more desktop apps with auto-renew enabled, you’ll get Topaz Studio at your current price for life”. dakota.wixom confirmed: “If you have auto-renewal on for 2 products you should automatically get Studio access”. There’s no additional benefit to renewing 3 apps versus 2 - both give you full Studio bundle access.

Q: If I turn off one auto-renewal but keep two active, do I still get access to all the new software while paying for only 2 renewals?

A: Yes. dakota.wixom confirmed this approach works: “Make sure you maintain active licenses and you’ll get the best price either way”. Two auto-renewing licenses provide full Studio access.

Founder Status and Pricing Lock

Q: Does “founder” status pricing mean my renewal cost is locked, or should I expect inflation increases while still paying less than non-founders?

A: dakota.wixom stated: “Grandfathered auto-renewal price as long as your plan is active” and warned: “if you let it expire you’ll lose founder status, and will also lose any preferred pricing”. margaux.topazlabs confirmed: “If you keep auto-renewal on for 2 apps, Topaz Studio will continue to be included at no additional cost”.

Studio Pricing Transparency

Q: What’s the actual cost of Studio software? The claim of saving 50-80% makes me think you’re really going to jack up the price.

A: dakota.wixom explained: “Will be equivalent to the price of your 2 products on auto-renewal at the time. This will be much cheaper than the list price”. The savings percentages refer to discounts compared to what new customers will pay, not price increases for existing customers.

Auto-Renewal Activation

Q: Confirming that turning on auto-renewal doesn’t involve paying anything now?

A: dakota.wixom confirmed: “Auto-renewal does not need to be enabled, but it’s a good idea to do so and make sure your subscription doesn’t expire prior to the launch date”. The corporate responses indicate auto-renewal setup is for billing management, not immediate payment.

Note: Based on questions throughout the 542-post discussion thread.

For account-specific questions, contact help@topazlabs.com as recommended by corporate representatives.

565

Thx. And, maybe a not so bad segue either!

566

A graphic view of participation…

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567

Topaz Studio Transition: Comprehensive Community FAQ

(20 Q & A as produced by Perplexity Sept 13, 2025 from Posts 1-542 only)

:small_blue_diamond: PERPETUAL LICENSE STATUS & RETENTION

Q1: What happens to my existing perpetual licenses after September 16th?

A1: margaux.topazlabs: “If you already have a perpetual license, you’ll keep it. Nothing about the new subscription model takes away what you already own”. dakota.wixom confirmed: “You’ll still retain perpetual license access to your existing products, and they will receive maintenance updates for a period of time”.

Q2: Will my perpetual licenses continue receiving new AI models and major updates?

A2: No. dakota.wixom: “There are new AI models which will only be available in the Studio versions of our products” and “we won’t be adding new AI models to [legacy versions]”. ida.topazlabs: “After that point, we will continue to offer maintenance updates and minor fixes”.

Q3: What type of updates will perpetual licenses receive?

A3: dakota.wixom specified: “Patch updates were only free for your existing minor version (major.minor.patch). Since there will be no new major or minor versions, all patch releases will be available to you if you own the latest version of the software already”.

:small_blue_diamond: STUDIO ACCESS & GRANDFATHERING

Q4: How many active licenses do I need for full Studio access?

A4: ida.topazlabs: “If you own 2 or more desktop apps with auto-renew enabled, you’ll get Topaz Studio at your current price for life”. dakota.wixom: “If you have auto-renewal on for 2 products you should automatically get Studio access”.

Q5: What if I only have one active license?

A5: ida.topazlabs: “If you own 1 desktop app with auto-renew enabled, you’ll get the Studio version of that app at the same price”.

Q6: What if auto-renewal is disabled but I have remaining license time?

A6: ida.topazlabs: “If auto-renew is off but you still have time left on your upgrade license, you’ll keep access to Topaz Studio…until your license expires”.

Q7: Is founder pricing locked permanently?

A7: dakota.wixom warned: “if you let it expire you’ll lose founder status, and will also lose any preferred pricing”. margaux.topazlabs: “Grandfathered auto-renewal price as long as your plan is active”.

:small_blue_diamond: INSTALLATION & COMPATIBILITY

Q8: Will Studio apps overwrite my existing Topaz software?

A8: dakota.wixom: “Studio versions will install into a new directory, and you can run them alongside the non-Studio versions of the app. This way you can try out the new features and keep your perpetual version around”.

Q9: Will legacy apps work on future operating systems?

A9: dakota.wixom: “Yeah we’ll make sure you will continue to be able to use this model on your latest OS. For example there’s a major Mac OS update coming which we’ll be ensuring compatibility for across all apps including Photo AI perpetual”.

:small_blue_diamond: CLOUD PROCESSING & TECHNICAL FEATURES

Q10: What’s included in unlimited cloud rendering?

A10: dakota.wixom: “unlimited cloud in the studio version - no credits needed” for images. However: “We don’t yet have batch processing for Topaz Photo in the cloud, but it’s definitely something that might be useful to add”.

Q11: Does Gigapixel Studio support batch processing?

A11: Yes. dakota.wixom: “Actually you will be able to do batch in Topaz Gigapixel - some reasonable limits will apply, but we’re talking hundreds or thousands of images”.

Q12: Are Studio apps cloud-only?

A12: No. dakota.wixom: “Studio versions will have both local and cloud rendering of course. And they are desktop apps, just as before”.

:small_blue_diamond: HARDWARE PLATFORM SUPPORT

Q13: Will Mac and AMD users get equal access to new features?

A13: Limited. dakota.wixom acknowledged: “The new Starlight Mini optimizations and AMD/Mac support will be available in the new Studio version only” and “Unfortunately Apple devices aren’t going to be the best way to access the most powerful AI models at this time”.

Q14: Will AMD/Mac users receive compensation for reduced functionality?

A14: dakota.wixom: “They’ll still be able to use the model in the new app, they will have access there. It just won’t be perpetual”. No specific compensation mentioned.

:small_blue_diamond: BETA TESTING & DEVELOPMENT

Q15: Will current beta features be released for perpetual licenses?

A15: dakota.wixom: “Anything in Beta now is slotted for the Studio release”. Beta features will not be backported to perpetual versions.

Q16: Can I continue beta testing with just a perpetual license?

A16: dakota.wixom: “You will also need to maintain a license to be in the Beta forums for any of the products”.

:small_blue_diamond: PRICING & SUBSCRIPTION COSTS

Q17: What will Studio actually cost?

A17: dakota.wixom: “Will be equivalent to the price of your 2 products on auto-renewal at the time. This will be much cheaper than the list price”.

Q18: Are there any pro-rated refunds for recent license renewals?

A18: dakota.wixom mentioned: “If you do choose to refund your purchase, you will have access to the version which you previously owned prior to the upgrade”. However, no systematic refund program was announced. Users are directed to contact support.

:small_blue_diamond: SUPPORT & ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Q19: How do I check my transition status?

A19: dakota.wixom: “Check out this page topazlabs.com. Log in to check your Topaz Studio launch perks. We’re making this launch special for our founding customers with perks based on your current active licenses”.

Q20: What if I have account-specific questions?

A20::telephone_receiver: For Individual Account Questions: Contact help@topazlabs.com

568

Since I just discovered my minimum configuration Mac Mini M4 16 GB really can upscale a 1280x720 to 4k. So I bought a copy of TVAI before Sept 16.

569

I subsequently revamped the FAQ to include your answers + the others in a combined FAQ that shared with Topaz Support. at their request.

570

Hi.

Time for human intervention

I can’t be a hundred percent sure but, I believe the latest round of Patches was to ensure there won’t be any conflict issues between the old and new applications because, it’s been clearly stated you’ll be able to run the two side by side.

The original Apps will continue to receive minor updates therefore, as an example, if the last version of Photo A I is v4.0.9 you’ll still be able to download and keep that version even if you had cancel your Subscription before that version has been released.

The sign-in issue is with your computer or antivirus software, you shouldn’t have to keep signing to confirm your licence.

Please contact Topaz Support here’s the link

Topaz Support
support@topazlabs.com

Who can say what the future holds for Topaz nobody knows even if they are takeover tomorrow their not going to disappear overnight.

Owning one of the three applications Photo, Gigapixel and Video AI will give you access to the Studio version of that application until your current Subscription expires.

Owning one of the three applications Photo, Gigapixel and Video AI with Auto-Renewal active as above you’ll only have access to the Studio version of that application and not the full Topaz Studio you’ll need two qualifying applications for that.

Owning two or all three qualifying applications will give you full access to Topaz Studio including all apps with Auto-Renewal active.

Owning all three qualifying applications will give you full access to Topaz Studio including all apps and your original applications with Auto-Renewal active.

The only benefit of owning all three qualifying applications is you’ll still be able to download your legacy applications. If, you only have two qualifying applications you’re have access to the full Studio versions Topaz Photo, Gigapixel and Video but, won’t be able to download the legacy version of that application.

After one year I suggest cancelling your Video AI subscription you won’t loose anything by doing this because, you’re still have two qualifying applications and you’ll still have access to the full Topaz Studio including all apps and neither will you loose your Founder status or loose access to your legacy applications.

Your Founder status pricing is locked as long as you maintain your Subscription though Auto-Renewal in fact my current Auto-Renewal price has been locked since it was introduced again renewing two or three won’t make any difference to the Founder status or the full Topaz Studio the only difference will be you’ll be paying a hell of a lot more for the privilege.

You never had to worry about the cost of the software after the initial purchase your only concern has really ever been the Upgrade year on year cost as it stands, with Auto-Renewal activated you’re currently enjoying 15% of the regular Upgrade price which, is a better price than, you’ll get on Black Friday which begs the question why didn’t you activate Auto-Renewal sooner.

Topaz are not jacking up the price but, if you’re creating a bundle of seven applications plus extras and calling it Topaz Studio you can’t expect to pay the same price as an individual application or even two or three that said, why are you concerned you’re getting the best deal possible at the best price possible for the applications you own.

This is the FAQ section it’s just been somewhat hijacked

The thing is there was never going to be an easy way for Topaz to transition to a full Subscription Model there was always going to be winners and losers and Topaz has offered us the best deal and price possible.

If, Topaz wanted to be hateful and greedy as some people say they are they wouldn’t have done the transition now in fact, they would have waited until after Christmas and the sales period before swapping to Subscriptions only.

Because, most people wait for the sales Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas before making their purchase Topaz know this so, if they were this Evil Company run by Lucifer himself don’t you think they would have locked most into another years Upgrading and New Customers into a full years purchase then, announce they were switching to Subscriptions only.

No, they announced it now because, they know this will affect the least amount of people possible

Hope this helps

571

Are you saying I’m not helping and the only way of helping is to use ChatBot for the answers all you done, is hijacked this page with overlong generated text so, people with genuine concerns can’t get help from fellow members which, this community is all about

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572

Interesting chart that really do reflect at least my involvement accurately.

I still have a lot of opinions about this transition, but since it became quite obvious that I was banging my head against the wall and nobody really answered my comments about being robbed with regards to the remainder of my current subscriptions - the only reply I ever got kept being variations of “but you will have access to updates as long as you keep paying for Studio” (which isn’t really a direct answer) - I dialed back.

So - me, I’m staying here back in the dust. Cheated, beaten and lied to without so much as an apology to me and people left with similar sensations - I guess the part about apology would be admitting that they knowingly stop delivering service already paid for.

In the end repeating the same mantra “but you will have access to the new stuff as long as you keep on paying” to any comment about wanting your money’s worth with regards to the perpetual versions says more about the people replying than the ones asking
… Just saying :innocent:

Oh, well - whenever the dust settles I’m just a drop in the ocean that will be forgotten with the passing of this thread, and people will move on either staying or looking for other alternatives.

I have however been thinking about starting a separate thread for us who aren’t continuing where one can share thoughts on “where to go from here” (maybe it already exists?) but I’m a bit lazy about it and also ask myself how long that would survive considering it wouldn’t be in Topaz Labs interest keeping that kind of thread alive.

1 Like
573

If you can try and keep memory management working well enough for people to be able to use an 8GB GPU as a minimum base line, that would be ideal. GPUs >8GB are still a stretch for many people and some of the latest high-VRAM cards have had teething problems with a number of apps as well (so, there are more hurdles than just the high prices).

Sure, Studio includes a cloud allowance, but local processing is still a very important feature and, in some cases, might be too limiting if it becomes unavailable for anything less than bleeding edge GPUs.

574

I asked Lingyu about that a couple of days ago on the PAI 4.0.4 forum:

Does this 4.0.4 add anything of use to 4.0.3? Are you just adding nag screens, etc. to 4.0.4 to bother us to buy a subscription to Studio?

Please clarify what this 4.0.4 perpetual PAI update provides of use to the users. Thank you.

Unfortunately, no one from Topaz answered my specific question so I take that to mean that, yes, it likely just adds nag screens and other stuff to annoy people.

So far, I have stuck with 4.0.3.

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575

Hello AND-E,

You are helping. Plain and simple.

You have helped me more than anyone else in T-Com.

And I genuinely appreciate it. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

576

Thank you for your words Michael, I understand it’s a frustrating unknowing time and I agree with a lot of your insights so, I was a little shocked us humans don’t count and was beginning to think what’s the point and why bother.

So, thank you for explaining and the best thing to do is to let’s lay that ghost to rest.

I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the PPW it truly is an incredible and powerful Photoshop plugin with a lot more under the hood. Speaking of which, I’ve created a simple Photoshop Action using Blend If for tackling the Highlights, Midtones and Shadows separately after using the Bigger Hammer Action for even more control and refinement plus a quick Tutorial I think, will be particularly useful for your historical photographs.

Just waiting for the dust to settle after Sep 16th

Thank again

Andy

577

“Multiple app owners: If you own two or more desktop apps with active auto-renewals, you’ll get access to the full Topaz Studio bundle for the combined cost of your current renewals.”
“As long as you maintain 2+ active upgrade licenses: You’ll receive Topaz Studio at no additional cost”

My question is about the new pricing. I currently have auto-renew for all 3 (Photo, Video and Gigapixel). I’m interpreting the above as that as long as I have 2 (“or more” which is 3) then I can get the full studio bundle. Does that mean moving forward I can drop one auto-renew and keep only 2 and still have the full bundle? Obviously Video is more expensive so how does the new pricing work with this “2 or more” deal.

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578

what happen if I already have Topaz Studio 2? It has legacy plugins and the current ones in it.

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579

Had some confusion there. All clear now. Thx!

580

On reddit there is a support person that answers peoples questions about the changes.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TopazLabs/
You might want to incorporate their repsonses as well.

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581

You know so much, I have on occasion mistaken you for Topaz Support.

582

I’m sorry but isn’t this totally off subject?

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583

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I’m a bit confused. It seems I have a subscription to Photo AI and Video AI. I also have an active license, not on auto renew it seems, for Gigapixel AI until September 30.

  1. Will I need to purchase a new license, and what price? I intend to use all three softwares.
  2. As a longtime license holder, will we get a discount for the subscription?
  3. what is with my subscription to Video AI which ends next year? Do I get a refund or will that be taken into account any way?

Personal opinion: Even though I do use subscription based services like Adobe and MS Office and Google, I don’t like them. The current system was a subscription system in disguise, but at least I would have been able to use the software frozen to the last version if my license expired. I guess that will not happen with a “real” subscription Adobe style.
Overall: This move is something that makes me look for alternatives. Nano banana is already quite capable in editing, and local generative models like FLUX are getting better and better. Well, only time will tell…