If you do not specify a product key, Office will use the Key Management Server (KMS) by default and it will contact the kms.uad.maine.edu server run by End User Technology (EUT). The machine will automatically pick up the KMS server if you are part of the University of Maine System (UMS) Active Directory (AD) domain and connect to the University network periodically (every 30 days is recommended). If your computer is not joined to UMS AD or your version of Office is still configured to use MAK activation, then there are manual steps that are required to activate your Microsoft Office License using the KMS.
INFO: Microsoft Project and Microsoft Visio also uses KMS based licensing. After configuring KMS with the commands above, they should also be listed as "Activated" when you run it.
WARNING: You must ensure that you have purchased an additional license for Project and/or Visio. They are not included in the Microsoft Agreement by default.
Instructions
Additional Step for non-UAD joined computers
- Open a command prompt
- Enter the following:
cd "<path/to/Microsoft/Office>"
- Replace <path/to/Microsoft/Office> (i.e C:\program files\microsoft office\office16\)
cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:kms01.uad.maine.edu
cscript ospp.vbs /act
Switching from MAK to KMS for Office Professional Plus
- Find the location of your Microsoft Office installation. By default it is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\". ("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\" on 64 bit installs)
- Open an administrative command prompt and type:
cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:XQNVK-8JYDB-WJ9W3-YJ8YR-WFG99
- This will switch to using the KMS key.
cscript ospp.vbs /act
- This will activate the key.
Troubleshooting
- From a command prompt you can run the following command to see current KMS status:
cscript.exe "<path/to/Microsoft/Office>" /dstatus
- Replace <path/to/Microsoft/Office> (i.e C:\program files\microsoft office\office16\)
Environment
- Windows 10+
- Office 2019+
- machine-based licensing