How to Assign a License to an ESXi Host with the new HTML5 Console

For those of us familiar with the “FAT” Client that ESXi used to have, this will not be anything new.  For someone that is new to VMware this might take them a while to figure out.

I have a brand new ESXi 6.5 install that is using the Free License.  Luckily I am a VMUG user and have access to a full license.

The setup is very simple, access your ESXi HTML Web Console.  For me I was greeted with a warning that the License would expire in 60 days.

To license the host, it is very simple . Select Manage and then Licensing

Then you click Assign License and Copy and Paste your License Key into the Window.  Click Check License and then Assign License

Then you can see that your License will change from Evaluation Mode to the License that you have purchased.