Activating all versions of Windows Server without a product key

As you know, Windows Server is a specialized operating system which is designed for server only. In today’s post, I will show you how to activate Windows in your VPS or dedicated server for FREE using KMS client product keys. Although the KMS license is valid for 180 days only but there is no limit on the number of activation. So you can renew it whenever you want. Actually, the license will be renewed automatically every 7 days by default (almost similar to Let’s Encrypt certificate). In this way, just do it one time and forget it completely.

Note:

  • If you are a student, an office worker or any standard user who is using desktop edition of Windows, just skip this post and please do not follow the instructions. I will not be responsible for any damage caused by you.
  • All editions of Windows Server in the Microsoft homepage are evaluation ones and not supported by KMS. So if you are using an evaluation version, just convert it to the retail one before following the instructions below.

Supported products:

  • Windows Server 2022/2019/2016.
  • Windows Server, version 1809, 1803, 1709.
  • Windows Server 2008/2012 (R2).
Here is Windows Server status when it is not activated
Here is Windows Server status when it is not activated

As you can see in the image above, I am using a copy of Windows Server 2016 Standard and it is not activated.

Method 1: Manually installing KMS client key and activating it.

How-to video

Step 1.1: Get the right product key from the official article of Microsoft.
The KMS Client Setup Key of Win Server 2016 Standard is “WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY”. I will use it in the next step.

Step 1.2: Install the key on your server.
To open command prompt, click on the Windows button, search for “cmd” and run the command prompt as administrator. Then, enter “slmgr /ipk CLIENTKEY” in the command window.
Note: each command is followed by hitting Enter.

Open cmd with admin rights
Open cmd with admin rights
run command slmgr ipk
run command slmgr ipk

Step 1.3: Set the KMS server.
Enter “slmgr /skms kms8.msguides.com” in the window.

run command slmgr skms
run command slmgr skms

Step 1.4: Activate the KMS client key.
Finally, use the command “/ato” to activate your Windows.

run command slmgr ato
run command slmgr ato

If you see the error 0xC004F074, it means that your internet connection is unstable or the server is busy. Please make sure your device is online and try the command “ato” again until you succeed.

Method 2: Using a pre-written batch file.

This one is not recommended anymore due to the new update of Microsoft.

Step 2.1: Copy all the text below into a text file.

@echo off
title Activate Windows Server (ALL versions) for FREE - MSGuides.com&cls&echo =====================================================================================&echo #Project: Activating Microsoft software products for FREE without additional software&echo =====================================================================================&echo.&echo #Supported products:&echo http://bit.ly/kmsclientkeys&echo.&echo.&echo ============================================================================&echo Activating your Windows...&set i=1
cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 4DWFP-JF3DJ-B7DTH-78FJB-PDRHK >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 22XQ2-VRXRG-P8D42-K34TD-G3QQC >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 7M67G-PC374-GR742-YH8V4-TCBY3 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk RCTX3-KWVHP-BR6TB-RB6DM-6X7HP >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 39BXF-X8Q23-P2WWT-38T2F-G3FPG >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk YQGMW-MPWTJ-34KDK-48M3W-X4Q6V >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk W7VD6-7JFBR-RX26B-YKQ3Y-6FFFJ >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk TM24T-X9RMF-VWXK6-X8JC9-BFGM2 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk WYR28-R7TFJ-3X2YQ-YCY4H-M249D >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk GT63C-RJFQ3-4GMB6-BRFB9-CB83V >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 74YFP-3QFB3-KQT8W-PMXWJ-7M648 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk TT8MH-CG224-D3D7Q-498W2-9QCTX >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 6TPJF-RBVHG-WBW2R-86QPH-6RTM4 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk XNH6W-2V9GX-RGJ4K-Y8X6F-QGJ2G >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk HM7DN-YVMH3-46JC3-XYTG7-CYQJJ >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 4K36P-JN4VD-GDC6V-KDT89-DYFKP >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 2WN2H-YGCQR-KFX6K-CD6TF-84YXQ >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 8N2M2-HWPGY-7PGT9-HGDD8-GVGGY >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk BN3D2-R7TKB-3YPBD-8DRP2-27GG4 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk KNC87-3J2TX-XB4WP-VCPJV-M4FWM >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk W3GGN-FT8W3-Y4M27-J84CP-Q3VJ9 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk D2N9P-3P6X9-2R39C-7RTCD-MDVJX >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk JCKRF-N37P4-C2D82-9YXRT-4M63B >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk CB7KF-BWN84-R7R2Y-793K2-8XDDG >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk WVDHN-86M7X-466P6-VHXV7-YY726 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk WMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk DPCNP-XQFKJ-BJF7R-FRC8D-GF6G4 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 6Y6KB-N82V8-D8CQV-23MJW-BWTG6 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk PTXN8-JFHJM-4WC78-MPCBR-9W4KR >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 2HXDN-KRXHB-GPYC7-YCKFJ-7FVDG >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk N2KJX-J94YW-TQVFB-DG9YT-724CC >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 6NMRW-2C8FM-D24W7-TQWMY-CWH2D >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk WX4NM-KYWYW-QJJR4-XV3QB-6VM33 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H >nul||goto notsupported
:skms
if %i% GTR 10 goto busy
if %i% EQU 1 set KMS=kms7.MSGuides.com
if %i% EQU 2 set KMS=kms8.MSGuides.com
if %i% EQU 3 set KMS=kms9.MSGuides.com
if %i% GTR 3 goto ato
cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /skms %KMS%:1688 >nul
:ato
echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo.&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ato | find /i "successfully" && (echo.&echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo #My official blog: MSGuides.com&echo.&echo #How it works: bit.ly/kms-server&echo.&echo #Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.&echo.&echo #Please consider supporting this project: donate.msguides.com&echo #Your support is helping me keep my servers running 24/7!&echo.&echo ============================================================================&choice /n /c YN /m "Would you like to visit my blog [Y,N]?" & if errorlevel 2 exit) || (echo The connection to my KMS server failed! Trying to connect to another one... & echo Please wait... & echo. & echo. & set /a i+=1 & goto skms)
explorer "http://MSGuides.com"&goto halt
:notsupported
echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo Sorry, your version is not supported.&echo.&goto halt
:busy
echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo Sorry, the server is busy and can't respond to your request. Please try again.&echo.
:halt
pause >nul
Create a new text document
Create a new text document
Save batch script
Save batch script

Step 2.2: Save the text file as a batch file with .cmd extension. (Eg run.cmd)

Set name of the batch script
Set name of the batch script

Step 2.3: Run the batch file with admin rights.

Execute the batch script as admin
Execute the batch script as admin
Windows Server is activated successfully
Windows Server is activated successfully

Finally, check activation status of your server again.

Check out Windows Server activation status
Check out Windows Server activation status

If you would have any questions or concerns, please leave your comments. I would be glad to explain in more details. Thank you so much for all your feedback and support!

5/5 - (1384 votes)

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169 Comments

  1. 2025 Standard
    slmgr /ipk TVRH6-WHNXV-R9WG3-9XRFY-MY832
    slmgr /skms kms8.msguides.com
    slmgr /ato

    2025 Datacenter
    slmgr /ipk D764K-2NDRG-47T6Q-P8T8W-YP6DF

  2. i am try this steps for windows server 2016 standard finally output this version is not supported… please help to activated windows with out using key..

  3. Après avoir procédé à l activation plusieurs fonction ne fonctionne plus comme par exemple fonction résolution de problèmes, car géré par l admistration.

  4. Hi
    If I did activation this way and I want to install active directory for domain user account, do I need another license?

  5. I need to activate Windows 2003 server because I have a system that only works on server 2003, can anyone help me.

  6. who ever write this content i want to say hi to you and tell you that you are really really smart

  7. Hello,
    i want to install Server 2022 Essentials but i cannot find the right product key at the microsoft site.
    Could anyone help me out with the correct key please?
    Thanks in advance.
    Magnum

  8. Server 2022
    Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /AcceptEula /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
    Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /AcceptEula /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
    Windows Server 2022 Datacenter WX4NM-KYWYW-QJJR4-XV3QB-6VM33
    Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
    Azure Edition NTBV8-9K7Q8-V27C6-M2BTV-KHMXV
    Windows Server 2022 Standard VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H
    slmgr /skms kms8.msguides.com
    slmgr /ato

  9. I’m thrilled to share my positive experience with activating Windows Server 2022 Standard. Thanks to an official license that I was able to acquire at an affordable price, I successfully activated my system without any issues. The process was smooth and efficient, and I’d like to recommend the website licence-activation.com to anyone seeking cost-effective and legitimate software activation solutions. It’s important to uphold intellectual property rules and use official licenses to support developers and ensure the stability of our systems. Feel free to explore licence-activation.com if you’re looking for reliable options for your software activation needs.

  10. slmgr is not working on some of my machines. it says I need to use SLUI.. I can change the key with slui 3 . but cannot set kms server or activate it.. any ideas?

  11. I’m trying to manually activate Windows Server 2019 Standard but I’m getting error 0xC004F074 over and over again.