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 Windows OS Hub / MS Office / Configuring KMS Server for MS Office 2019/2016 Volume Activation

August 14, 2019 MS Office

Configuring KMS Server for MS Office 2019/2016 Volume Activation

In this article we’ll deal with the peculiarities of MS Office 2019 and Office 2016 volume activation on a corporate KMS server (preferably you should read the article “FAQ: Understanding MS Key Management Service”). It is supposed that you already have the deployed KMS server on Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2019 or other Windows versions (see the list of the supported operating systems below).

Corporate customers can activate Office products inside the corporate network by using the local KMS server without connecting to Microsoft activation servers in the Internet. Earlier we have already considered the peculiarities of KMS activation of MS Office 2013, and the main principles and approaches to the MS Office 2019 and 2016 activation on a KMS server stayed unchanged.

Tip.

  1. This guide applies only to corporate (volume) Office 2019/2016 editions and doesn’t cover Office 365 ProPlus, managed via the subscription (licensing differences between Office 2019 and Office 365);
  2. When deploying a KMS server to activate Windows operating systems, you can use the latest KMS host key to activate all earlier Windows editions. However, to activate previous versions of Office on the KMS server, you need to install the appropriate volume license packs and activate them with own KMS host key. For example, KMS for MS Office 2019 doesn’t allow to activate previous Office versions (Office 2016, 2013 and 2010).

Contents:
  • System Requirements for the MS Office 2019/2016 KMS Server
  • Updating KMS Server to Support Office 2019/2016 Volume Activation
  • Office 2019/2016 Activation Using Active Directory (ADBA)
  • Configuring MS Office 2019/2016 clients for Activation on the KMS Server
  • GVLK Keys for Microsoft Office 2019 and 2016
  • KMS Activation Error “vmw.exe has stopped working” on Windows Server 2016

System Requirements for the MS Office 2019/2016 KMS Server

A KMS server for Office can run on the following Windows OS versions:

  • KMS server for Office 2016 – requires OS not older than Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 SP 1 with the KB2757817 installed (yes, you can deploy a KMS server even on a desktop Windows edition );
  • KMS server for Office 2019 – requires OS version not lower than Windows Server 2012 or Windows 8.1.

Two types of enterprise volume activation are supported:

  • Activation on a dedicated KMS server;
  • Activation through the domain – ADBA (Active Directory-Based Activation), requires the domain functional level at least Windows Server 2012.

Updating KMS Server to Support Office 2019/2016 Volume Activation

First of all, you have to find and copy a KMS Host key for Office 2019 or 2016 in your personal section on Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) website.

Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) website

The next step is to download and install on the KMS server the following extension package – Microsoft Office Volume License Pack. This small package (about 400 Kb) contains the files necessary for the KMS server to be able to receive and process activation requests from MS Office clients. Depending on the version of Office that you plan to use, you must download and install the correct version of the Volume License Pack:

  • Microsoft Office 2016 Volume License Pack (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49164) – office2016volumelicensepack_4324-1002_en-us_x86.exe;
  • Microsoft Office 2019 Volume License Pack (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=57342) – office2019volumelicensepack_x64.exe.

 

download office 2019 volume license pack

Run the file volumelicensepack you have downloaded on your KMS as an administrator.

Install Microsoft Office 2016 Volume License Pack

During installation the Volume Activation Tools window appears, where you have to select the activation type (KMS or ADBA). Both options are described below.

If you are going to use the standard KMS activation, select Key Management Service, specify the FQDN name of your KMS server and the KMS Host Key you got earlier.

Then select the activation method: online or by phone. In the first case you will have to temporary provide your KMS server with the direct Internet access.

kms host activate online

After your KMS server is activated on Microsoft, the current KMS server configuration is displayed. In the Product Key Management list, the entry Name: Office 16, VOLUME_KMS_channel (or Office 19, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel) with the licensing status Licensed should appear.

Note. In Windows Firewall, in order to connect to port TCP 1688 on the server an additional rule should be enabled. If necessary, this rule must be enabled manually using the command:

Enable-NetFirewallRule -Name SPPSVC-In-TCP

Close the Volume Activation wizard, and Software Protection service will be restarted.

Office 16, VOLUME_KMS_channel

You can get information about the installed KMS key for your version of Office as follows:

For Office 2019 – cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv 70512334-47B4-44DB-A233-BE5EA33B914C

For Office 2016 – cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv 98ebfe73-2084-4c97-932c-c0cd1643bea7

If your KMS server for Office 2019 is successfully configured, something like this will appear:

Name: Office 19, OfficeKMSHostVL_KMS_Host edition
Description: Office 19, VOLUME_KMS channel
Activation ID: 70512334-47B4-44DB-A233-BE5EA33B914C
License Status: Licensed
Tip. If the automatic activation from Volume Activation Tools was completed with an error, then you need to try to activate the KMS server manually. To do this, restart the Software Protection service:

net stop sppsvc && net start sppsvc/code>

restart KMS - Software Protection service

and run the command:

slmgr /ato 98ebfe73-2084-4c97-932c-c0cd1643bea7 (for Office 2016)

or

slmgr.vbs /ato 70512334-47B4-44DB-A233-BE5EA33B914C (for Office 2019)

Office 2019/2016 Activation Using Active Directory (ADBA)

If you are going to use ADBA for the automatic activation of Office 2019/2016 on the computers in the AD domain, select Active Directory-Based Activation as a volume activation method in Volume Activation Tools. This activation method works only for Windows 10/ 8.1 and Windows Server 2019 / 2016 / 2012 / 2012 R2.

ms office 2016 adba activation

Then you have to enter the same KMS Host key (CSVLK) and specify its name (optional).

install kms host key for ms office 2016

Now you only have to activate your KMS key.

office 2016 kms host

A warning that a new object will be created in the AD forest appears. Therefore, to properly install the KMS server for ADBA activation, you will need Enterprise Admin privileges.

office 2016 vat: adding ADBA object to the domain forest

In this case, additional entries will appear in the domain configuration branch CN=Activation Objects,CN=Microsoft SPP,CN=Services,CN=Configuration.

CN=Activation Objects,CN=Microsoft SPP,CN=Services,CN=Configuration

Close the VAT window, and press ENTER in the update tool console. The information about the installed KMS key can be obtained using SKU-ID (displayed in the final step of the KMS server installation):

slmgr.vbs /dlv 98ebfe73-2084-4c97-932c-c0cd1643bea7 – for Office 2016

slmgr.vbs /dlv 70512334-47B4-44DB-A233-BE5EA33B914C – for Office 2019

Now this KMS server is ready to activate clients with Office 2019/2016 joined to the Active Directory domain.

Configuring MS Office 2019/2016 clients for Activation on the KMS Server

You need to install a special corporate edition of Office 2016 on the users’ computers (you can download it from the personal section of the Microsoft VLSC licensing site). In this version, a special KMS (GVLK) key is preinstalled (however, you can change the product key for a usual Office version installed with the retail, MAK or OEM key).

Starting with Office 2019, Microsoft uses Click-to-Run (C2R) technology instead of traditional MSI packages to install enterprise products. Unlike previous versions, you can’t download Office 2019 products from your personal account on the Volume Licensing Service Center website. To deploy Office 2019 products (including Visio and Project), you must use the Office Deployment Tool (ODT). In addition, you can install Office 2019 only on Windows 10 devices.

Those, if you have a valid DNS record for the KMS server in the domain (you can find a KMS server in a domain with the command: nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp.woshub.com), and you installed the corporate edition of MS Office (Volume License), then a copy of Office should activate automatically after installation on a computer in the AD domain.

To immediately activate the Office on the client computer, run these commands one by one (in the elevated command prompt):

CD \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16

Note. For a 32-bit Office version installed on a Windows x64 version, another command is used:

CD \Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16

You can specify the KMS server manually:

cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:kms01.woshub.com

You can also specify the name or IP address of the KMS server through the following REG_SZ registry parameter KeyManagementServiceName in the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform\ (you can deploy this registry key in the domain using GPO).

If the KMS server is running on a non-standard port (not on 1688), you can change the port on the client like this:

cscript ospp.vbs /setprt:1689

Or through the registry: parameter KeyManagementServicePort in the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform.

Activate your Office product copy of on the KMS server:

cscript ospp.vbs /act

cscript ospp.vbs - activating office2016 on KMS from cmd

The presence of the following lines indicates that your copy of Office 2016 has been successfully activated:

License Name: Office 16, Office16ProPlusVL_KMS_client edition
License description: Office 16, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
<Product activation successful>

With the help of the following command, you can get information about the client activation history on the KMS server (you are searching for entries with the Event ID: 12288):

cscript ospp.vbs /dhistorykms

To allow performing Office activation for the non-admin users, run the command:

cscript ospp.vbs /puserops

If you want to allow KMS activation only under administrator account, run:

cscript ospp.vbs /duserops

If Office 2019/2016 activation errors occur, more detailed information about the errors can be obtained using the command:

cscript ospp.vbs /ddescr:0xC004F042

where 0xC004F042 is your activation error code.

If you need to activate Office 2019/2016 on a remote computer, use the following format command:

cscript OSPP.VBS <Options> remotePCname [username] [password]

Note. To delay Office activation for 30 days (up to 5 times), you can use the tool  ospprearm.exe.

You can check the current Office 2019/2016/365 activation status using the command:

cscript ospp.vbs /dstatusall

Note. In order the KMS server to start activating clients, it has to receive at least 5 product activation requests from the clients (activation threshold). If there are not enough requests, you will see an error on the clients:

LICENSE STATUS:  ---OOB_GRACE---
ERROR CODE: 0x4004F00C
ERROR DESCRIPTION: The Software Licensing Service reported that the application is running within the valid grace period.

The detailed information can be found in the KMS section of the event log (look for the Event ID 12290).

GVLK Keys for Microsoft Office 2019 and 2016

All corporate Office 2016/2019 versions are installed with Generic Volume License Keys (GVLK). These keys are public and accessible to everyone on the Microsoft TechNet. Due to them, all Office product versions are automatically activated if there is the KMS server in the domain network. So,  in most cases, it is not required to specify the GVLK key for Office.

A complete list of official public GVLK keys for MS Office 2016 and 2019 can be found here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn385360(v=office.16).aspx.

Product name GVLK key for KMS activation
Office Professional Plus 2019 NMMKJ-6RK4F-KMJVX-8D9MJ-6MWKP
Office Standard 2019 6NWWJ-YQWMR-QKGCB-6TMB3-9D9HK
Project Professional 2019 B4NPR-3FKK7-T2MBV-FRQ4W-PKD2B
Project Standard 2019 C4F7P-NCP8C-6CQPT-MQHV9-JXD2M
Visio Professional 2019 9BGNQ-K37YR-RQHF2-38RQ3-7VCBB
Visio Standard 2019 7TQNQ-K3YQQ-3PFH7-CCPPM-X4VQ2
Access 2019 9N9PT-27V4Y-VJ2PD-YXFMF-YTFQT
Excel 2019 TMJWT-YYNMB-3BKTF-644FC-RVXBD
Outlook 2019 7HD7K-N4PVK-BHBCQ-YWQRW-XW4VK
PowerPoint 2019 RRNCX-C64HY-W2MM7-MCH9G-TJHMQ
Publisher 2019 G2KWX-3NW6P-PY93R-JXK2T-C9Y9V
Skype for Business 2019 NCJ33-JHBBY-HTK98-MYCV8-HMKHJ
Word 2019 PBX3G-NWMT6-Q7XBW-PYJGG-WXD33
Office Professional Plus 2016 XQNVK-8JYDB-WJ9W3-YJ8YR-WFG99
Office Standard 2016 JNRGM-WHDWX-FJJG3-K47QV-DRTFM
Project Professional 2016 YG9NW-3K39V-2T3HJ-93F3Q-G83KT
Project Standard 2016 GNFHQ-F6YQM-KQDGJ-327XX-KQBVC
Visio Professional 2016 PD3PC-RHNGV-FXJ29-8JK7D-RJRJK
Visio Standard 2016 7WHWN-4T7MP-G96JF-G33KR-W8GF4
Access 2016 GNH9Y-D2J4T-FJHGG-QRVH7-QPFDW
Excel 2016 9C2PK-NWTVB-JMPW8-BFT28-7FTBF
OneNote 2016 DR92N-9HTF2-97XKM-XW2WJ-XW3J6
Outlook 2016 R69KK-NTPKF-7M3Q4-QYBHW-6MT9B
PowerPoint 2016 J7MQP-HNJ4Y-WJ7YM-PFYGF-BY6C6
Publisher 2016 F47MM-N3XJP-TQXJ9-BP99D-8K837
Skype for Business 2016 869NQ-FJ69K-466HW-QYCP2-DDBV6
Word 2016 WXY84-JN2Q9-RBCCQ-3Q3J3-3PFJ6

If necessary, you can change the Office product key to a GVLK as follows:

cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

KMS Activation Error “vmw.exe has stopped working” on Windows Server 2016

If you are trying to install a KMS server for Office 2019/2016 on the Windows Server 2016, keep in mind that it has a number of problems with the launch of the Volume Activated Services Tool. When you try to activate an Office 2019/2016 KMS server through the Volume Activated Services GUI, you can receive an error:

Vmw.exe has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.

Vmw.exe has stopped working then activate Office 2016 KMS server

I’ve met somewhere before that VAMT currently supports only operating systems up to Windows 8.1. And when installing the KMS server role on Windows Server 2016 or Windows 10, the executable file Vmw.exe crashes.

As a workaround, you need to activate the KMS server from the command prompt after installing volumelicensepack. Install the KMS Host key (which you got with VLSC) with the command:

slmgr -ipk <Office_2016_2019_KMS_Host_Key>

install kms host key for office 2016

Then activate the KMS server itself (you need direct Internet access):

slmgr.vbs /ato 98ebfe73-2084-4c97-932c-c0cd1643bea7

For Office 2019, use the SKU ID – 70512334-47B4-44DB-A233-BE5EA33B914C.

activating office16kmsostv_kms_host_editionl

Now your KMS server based on Windows Server 2016 is activated and can be used to activate clients.

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20 comments

Steavy Handrix June 14, 2016 - 5:54 pm

Thanks Donald; it works perfectly.

Reply
Yokamura Kawatichi June 18, 2016 - 2:59 pm

I think the link was deleted. It was a very good website indeed.

Reply
Miriam Schechter July 6, 2016 - 5:00 pm

Do I have to have Office 2016 installed on the computer that is running the KMS?  When I run the cscript, it says everything is fine, and it opens the Volume Licensing Tool, but the tool doesn’t give me the option to choose a product, and although it accepts the Office key, I don’t see any change in the products being managed.  This is a 2012 r2 server that is working fine for activating Windows 7 work stations.  I have been told that I can be running the KMS activation for Office on the same server as for Windows, but is that not correct?  It’s a file server and secondary domain controller, so naturally I don’t have Office installed.

Reply
admin July 7, 2016 - 9:31 am

You dont need to install Office 2016 on KMS server. The single KMS server may well activate both Windows and Office clients

Reply
Abdulrahman July 20, 2016 - 9:29 am

Thanks for the great article, my question what if i need to activate just Visio and Project without all office apps shall i will use the same procedure or it will be different?

Reply
chu ky so November 2, 2016 - 6:01 am

Thank a lot Ad

Reply
Jesse November 29, 2016 - 8:30 pm

If i have an environment of 100 workstation that I reimage every 6 months and i only have 120 VL of office 2016.
When I activate the 100 workstation, I will use up the 100 licenses but what if i reimage the computers on the 6 months. What will happen? will only 20 computers be activated or all 100 computers of office 2016 be activated?
Thanks

Reply
admin November 30, 2016 - 7:18 am

In that case, if you are using KMS server to activate Office , all 100 computers will be activated

Reply
Jesse December 1, 2016 - 4:23 pm

Admin. thanks for the reply.

Assume I setup KMS server correctly, Is the KMS smart enough to count that I just have 100 computers with office that I reformat/activate all the time so its still 100 licenses compare to a kms counter that just keeps increasing?

if so, then this article should be a great start for me, correct?

thanks in advance.

Reply
admin December 7, 2016 - 6:21 am

KMS servers don’t check the number of licenses you have purchased. You could have 100 licenses and can activate 1000 computers against it. It’ll activate them all.

Reply
Dominic Blais January 6, 2017 - 4:05 am

For some reason, the “Volume Activation Tools” window never appears. Only a little window suggesting to use slmgr.vbs …

Reply
Gtech February 3, 2017 - 2:28 pm

Thanks for great article.
Now if organization has Office365 , wants to deploy office2016 using KMS host and client running server 2012 r2 – rds/ citrix environment how activation & licensing works..
Citrix for publishing office 2016 thru Xen App 7.x ..

Reply
David Connolly February 10, 2017 - 11:46 am

Hi Great Article.
Quick question which you may be able to answer for me. We have an environment with 1000 computers. We have purchased 800 licenses initially of Office Standard 2016 and using KMS with VAMT 3.1 they activated fine.
We then went and got a further 180 licenses, but we got a different KMS and MAK key for the new 180.
Do I need to run slmgr.vbs with new KMS key and if so will this overwrite my original KMS key for the 800

Reply
admin February 22, 2017 - 7:15 am

Your old KMS server can activate unlimited number of Office 2016 copies.
Or you can activate new client using MAK key (not a good solution if you have activated KMS server)

Reply
A. Kusnir March 13, 2018 - 1:53 pm

Hi,

thank you. I have a Windows 2016 Server. Was working good.

Best regards.
Aleksej

Reply
Matt January 15, 2019 - 9:39 am

Hi thanks for this article.
I need to migrate from Office 2010 to Office 2016 on 2 X 2008R2 RDS Server with 20 users each.
Do I need to install first Office Pro Plus 2016 on both servers and, when it’s done, install the KMS host server ?
Or Do I have to setup the KMS host server first and then install Office 2016 ?
Thank you

Reply
Duncan June 3, 2020 - 11:05 pm

For Windows Server 2012 R2 Core, your command line instructions at the end of the article work perfectly.

Reply
Alberto November 21, 2020 - 9:02 pm

End of 2020, just wanted to check in and let everybody know this works beautifully on a 2016 or 2019 server and I verified it works for activating clients with Office 2016 or Office 2019. Thank you so much for this awesome tutorial.

Reply
Brian January 12, 2021 - 8:14 pm

Great resource.. thanks for putting so much useful informaiton together.. demystifying kms..

Reply
Obrien17 January 15, 2021 - 6:20 am

Hi !
Thanks for this great article.
However, when you have several GVLK keys for the same Office 2016/2019 product and that you encounter the issue to add new keys from the GUI, how can I specify multiple GVLK keys for my KMS server using the slmgr utility from command prompt ?
Thanks in advance.

Reply

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