What is the default activation limit for software products (Windows and Office) purchased through CSP?

Le Tuan 20 Reputation points
2024-10-24T08:56:36.85+00:00

Hello,

I would like to inquire about the activation limits for software products purchased through CSP.

Currently, I have 10 licenses for Office Standard LTSC 2021 purchased via CSP, and I have some questions regarding the activation limits for these licenses:

What is the maximum number of activations allowed for one key?

If a machine experiences a Windows failure and I reinstall Office, will this be considered a new activation? Specifically, if I have 10 LTSC 2021 licenses and I’ve used one to activate a machine, and later the machine fails, requiring a reinstallation of both Windows and Office using the same key, will this reduce the available activations to 8?

I encountered an issue where a PC successfully activated Office under an Administrator account. The PC was then joined to a domain, its PC name was changed, and the user logged in with a different account, causing Office to lose its activation. When I re-entered the activation key, it indicated that the activation limit had been exceeded.

How can I check the remaining number of activations for software products (Windows, Office) purchased through CSP?

I would appreciate your assistance in addressing these concerns.

Best regards,

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  1. Jiajing Hua-MFST 10,560 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2024-10-25T02:45:42.5633333+00:00

    Hi @Le Tuan

    I have 10 licenses for Office Standard LTSC 2021 purchased via CSP

    Is this Office a volume licensed version of Office? Besides, did you buy a MAK key to activate this Office?

    Each MAK has a predetermined number of allowed activations and is based on your volume licensing agreement.

    But actually, the number of activations available for a product won't always match the number of licenses purchased, you'll receive more activations in case you need to reinstall and activate some of your products, or your device changes the hardware significantly, because these actions will increase MAK count.

    I am not able to tell you the maximum number of your MAK activations that Microsoft gives you. You need to sign into Microsoft 365 admin center to check your volume licensing agreement and activation numbers, for more please refer to: https://video2.skills-academy.com/en-us/licensing/.

    If your device changes the hardware significantly, the MAK count is not enough, please request an increase to MAK activation limits from Microsoft: https://video2.skills-academy.com/en-us/microsoft-365/commerce/licenses/product-keys-faq?view=o365-worldwide#how-to-request-an-increase-to-mak-activation-limits.

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  1. Le Tuan 20 Reputation points
    2024-10-25T06:55:41.5266667+00:00

    Hi @Jiajing Hua-MFST

    Thank you for the information provided.

    According to the documentation I reviewed from Microsoft, perpetual software for Windows and Office purchased through CSP supports Multiple Activation Keys (MAK): CSP Software Key Activations. Could you please confirm if this understanding is correct?

    Additionally, for Office LTSC Standard 2021 purchased via CSP, there appears to be an option to downgrade to a lower version, such as Office Standard 2019. I have purchased 10 licenses for Office LTSC Standard 2021, and I’m facing the following situation:

    • I installed Office Standard 2019 and activated it with the corresponding key on a PC. Now, I would like to reinstall Office LTSC Standard 2021 on the same PC. My question is, if I activate Office LTSC Standard 2021 using the 2021 key, will it count as a new activation? Since I have purchased 10 licenses and activated twice, does this mean I have 8 activations remaining for other devices?

    Please let me know if any part of my question requires further clarification, and I can provide additional details.

    I appreciate your assistance in helping me clarify this matter.

    Best regards,

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