Activate Windows with KMS Server
Step 1: KMS Client Setup Key
Before activating your Microsoft product (Windows or Office) on the KMS server, you must change the product activation key to the public KMS Client Setup Key. You can change the product key to KMS from the Windows GUI (use the command slui.exe 4), or you can use the slmgr command line tool. Slmgr.vbs is a VBS script located in the %SystemRootsystem32 folder and used to manage the Windows licensing on a local or remote computer.
To activate a KMS client, it must have a special KMS public key installed. This product key is called the GVLK key (Generic Volume License Key). For each Windows editions, this key is unique. To replace an existing product key, run the command prompt as an administrator on the computer you are want to activate and type:
slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
(XXXXX is GVLK key for your Windows edition from the table below)
In our case, we want to activate Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 on a KMS server. The KMS Client key installation command will look like this:
slmgr.vbs /ipk M7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D
Step 2. Checking VLMCS Record in DNS and Setting KMS Server Address
After you specify the GVLK key, the KMS client tries to connect to the previously configured KMS server or find a special SRV (_VLMCS) record in the DNS. This DNS record is created when you install a new KMS server in the domain and pointing to your KMS server. After KMS server discovery using the DNS server, the client performs the OS activation.
You can skip this step if your DNS has a valid SRV record that allows clients to find the KMS server.
Tip. You can check this DNS entry using the nslookup command:
nslookup -q=SRV _VLMCS._TCP.VMwareenterprise.com
If the client does not find the KMS server automatically, you can specify the address of the KMS server manually using the slmgr with the option /skms. You can also specify the TCP port on which the activation service listens (by default 1688):
slmgr.vbs /skms <KMS_server_name_or_IP>:1688
You can test network connectivity between your computer and the KMS server using the PowerShell command:
Test-NetConnection -ComputerName KMS_server_name_or_IP -Port 1688
Step 3: Activate Windows on KMS Server Using Slmgr.vbs Command
To activate Windows with the KMS server, run the command:
Slmgr.vbs /ato
And wait until message Product activated successfully appeared.
Step 4: Check the Status of Windows Activation
Optionally, you can display information about the Windows activation status:
slmgr.vbs /dli
As you can see, the utility returned the following useful info:
- Name – the OS version;
- Description – distribution channel VOLUME_KMSCLIEN channel;
- License status – licensed;
- Volume activation expirations – 180 days;
- KMS server IP address and DNS name.
Windows Public GVLK Keys
Below are the collection of the public KMS Client license keys (GVLK) from Microsoft for all supported Windows versions. All these keys are taken from the official Microsoft site, where they are publicly available. They are pretty hard to find using the Microsoft website
Update (2019-05-04): Added GVLK keys for the Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 LTSC editions).
| Operating system version | KMS Client License Key |
| Windows Server 2019 | |
| Windows Server 2019 Datacenter | WMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG |
| Windows Server 2019 Standard | N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C |
| Windows Server 2019 Essentials | WVDHN-86M7X-466P6-VHXV7-YY726 |
| Windows 10 LTSC 2019 | |
| Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 | M7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D |
| Windows 10 Enterprise N LTSC 2019 | 92NFX-8DJQP-P6BBQ-THF9C-7CG2H |
| Windows Server 2016 | |
| Windows Server 2016 Datacenter | CB7KF-BWN84-R7R2Y-793K2-8XDDG |
| Windows Server 2016 Standard | WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY |
| Windows Server 2016 Essentials | JCKRF-N37P4-C2D82-9YXRT-4M63B |
| Windows 10 | |
| Windows 10 Professional | W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX |
| Windows 10 Professional N | MH37W-N47XK-V7XM9-C7227-GCQG9 |
| Windows 10 Enterprise | NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43 |
| Windows 10 Enterprise N | DPH2V-TTNVB-4X9Q3-TJR4H-KHJW4 |
| Windows 10 Education | NW6C2-QMPVW-D7KKK-3GKT6-VCFB2 |
| Windows 10 Education N | 2WH4N-8QGBV-H22JP-CT43Q-MDWWJ |
| Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB | WNMTR-4C88C-JK8YV-HQ7T2-76DF9 |
| Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB N | 2F77B-TNFGY-69QQF-B8YKP-D69TJ |
| Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB | DCPHK-NFMTC-H88MJ-PFHPY-QJ4BJ |
| Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB N | QFFDN-GRT3P-VKWWX-X7T3R-8B639 |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard | D2N9P-3P6X9-2R39C-7RTCD-MDVJX |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | W3GGN-FT8W3-Y4M27-J84CP-Q3VJ9 |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials | KNC87-3J2TX-XB4WP-VCPJV-M4FWM |
| Windows 8.1 | |
| Windows 8.1 Professional | GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9 |
| Windows 8.1 Professional N | HMCNV-VVBFX-7HMBH-CTY9B-B4FXY |
| Windows 8.1 Enterprise | MHF9N-XY6XB-WVXMC-BTDCT-MKKG7 |
| Windows 8.1 Enterprise N | TT4HM-HN7YT-62K67-RGRQJ-JFFXW |
| Windows Server 2012 | |
| Windows Server 2012 Core | BN3D2-R7TKB-3YPBD-8DRP2-27GG4 |
| Windows Server 2012 Core N | 8N2M2-HWPGY-7PGT9-HGDD8-GVGGY |
| Windows Server 2012 Core Single Language | 2WN2H-YGCQR-KFX6K-CD6TF-84YXQ |
| Windows Server 2012 Core Country Specific | 4K36P-JN4VD-GDC6V-KDT89-DYFKP |
| Windows Server 2012 Server Standard | XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4 |
| Windows Server 2012 Standard Core | XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4 |
| Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Standard | HM7DN-YVMH3-46JC3-XYTG7-CYQJJ |
| Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Premium | XNH6W-2V9GX-RGJ4K-Y8X6F-QGJ2G |
| Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P |
| Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Core | 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P |
| Windows 8 | |
| Windows 8 Professional | NG4HW-VH26C-733KW-K6F98-J8CK4 |
| Windows 8 Professional N | XCVCF-2NXM9-723PB-MHCB7-2RYQQ |
| Windows 8 Enterprise | 32JNW-9KQ84-P47T8-D8GGY-CWCK7 |
| Windows 8 Enterprise N | JMNMF-RHW7P-DMY6X-RF3DR-X2BQT |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 HPC Edition | FKJQ8-TMCVP-FRMR7-4WR42-3JCD7 |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter | 74YFP-3QFB3-KQT8W-PMXWJ-7M648 |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise | 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems | GT63C-RJFQ3-4GMB6-BRFB9-CB83V |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard | YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC |
| Windows Web Server 2008 R2 | 6TPJF-RBVHG-WBW2R-86QPH-6RTM4 |
| Windows Server 2008 | |
| Windows Server 2008 Datacenter | 7M67G-PC374-GR742-YH8V4-TCBY3 |
| Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V | 22XQ2-VRXRG-P8D42-K34TD-G3QQC |
| Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems | 4DWFP-JF3DJ-B7DTH-78FJB-PDRHK |
| Windows Server 2008 Enterprise | YQGMW-MPWTJ-34KDK-48M3W-X4Q6V |
| Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V | 39BXF-X8Q23-P2WWT-38T2F-G3FPG |
| Windows Server 2008 Standard | TM24T-X9RMF-VWXK6-X8JC9-BFGM2 |
| Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V | W7VD6-7JFBR-RX26B-YKQ3Y-6FFFJ |
| Windows Web Server 2008 | WYR28-R7TFJ-3X2YQ-YCY4H-M249D |
| Windows 7 | |
| Windows 7 Professional | FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4 |
| Windows 7 Professional N | MRPKT-YTG23-K7D7T-X2JMM-QY7MG |
| Windows 7 Enterprise | 33PXH-7Y6KF-2VJC9-XBBR8-HVTHH |
| Windows 7 Enterprise N | YDRBP-3D83W-TY26F-D46B2-XCKRJ |
| Windows 7 Enterprise E | C29WB-22CC8-VJ326-GHFJW-H9DH4 |
| Windows Vista | |
| Windows Vista Business | YFKBB-PQJJV-G996G-VWGXY-2V3X8 |
| Windows Vista Business N | HMBQG-8H2RH-C77VX-27R82-VMQBT |
| Windows Vista Enterprise | VKK3X-68KWM-X2YGT-QR4M6-4BWMV |
| Windows Vista Enterprise N | VTC42-BM838-43QHV-84HX6-XJXKV |
After installing the GVLK key, the Windows tries to either directly connect to the specified KMS server, or find a DNS SRV record that points to the KMS server, and then performs the activation.
