How to Activate Microsoft’s New Server OS with an Official License Key

Activating a licensed copy of Windows Server 2022 is considered a mandatory step after installing the operating system. Without activation, the server’s functionality will be limited, and a message about the need for activation will constantly appear on the desktop. This article will detail how to use a Windows Server 2022 key.

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Prerequisites for Activation

To successfully activate Windows Server 2022, the following conditions must be met:

An installed copy of Windows Server 2022 Standard. If the server is not yet installed, a clean installation of the operating system should be performed first.
A genuine Microsoft product key for Windows Server 2022 Standard. The key must be purchased from an authorized Microsoft provider. Using pirated keys is illegal and unsafe.

Step-by-Step Activation Process

Once the server is installed and a valid product key is available, you can proceed with activation. The process consists of the following steps:

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Step 1. Launch the Command Prompt as Administrator

To activate Windows Server, you need to execute a command in the Command Prompt with administrator privileges. This is because activation requires modifying the system registry and other protected areas of the OS, which only an account with administrative privileges can access. To launch the Command Prompt as an administrator:

Open the Start menu and type “Command Prompt” in the search field.
In the search results, right-click on the “Command Prompt” application.
In the context menu that appears, select “Run as administrator”.
When the UAC (User Account Control) prompt appears, confirm launching the Command Prompt with administrator rights by clicking “Yes”. UAC is a Windows security component that requests confirmation for tasks requiring administrative privileges.

Step 2. Enter the Activation Command

In the Command Prompt window with administrative privileges, enter the following command, replacing XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX with your valid product key:

Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /AcceptEula /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Let’s examine the components of this command in detail:

Dism — This is the Deployment Image Servicing and Management utility, designed for servicing Windows images and disks.
/online — Indicates that the target OS for changes is the currently running system, not an image file.
/Set-Edition:ServerStandard — Sets the target edition to which the system will be updated — in this case, Windows Server 2022 Standard.
/AcceptEula — Confirms acceptance of the Microsoft End-User License Agreement (EULA).
/ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX — Specifies the product key for activation.

After entering the command, press the Enter key to execute it.

Step 3. Wait for the Activation Process to Complete

After executing the activation command, the process of applying the key and activating the server operating system will begin.

The activation time depends on the server’s performance and internet connection speed and can take from a few seconds to several minutes. Activation includes verifying the authenticity of the product key on Microsoft’s activation servers and obtaining a digital certificate confirming the license’s legality.
During the activation process, messages about the progress are displayed in the Command Prompt window. These messages inform about the current stage of the process, such as applying the product key, verifying authenticity, changing the edition, etc. If an error occurs at any stage, its description will also be output to the Command Prompt.
Wait for a message about the successful completion of activation. After the process is finished, a message like “The edition change completed successfully” should appear in the Command Prompt window. This means that the activation was successful, and the server is now using the specified product key.

Verifying Successful Activation

To ensure that the system has been successfully activated, you need to check the activation status in the system properties. To do this:

Open the Start menu and go to “Settings”.
In the “Settings” window, select the “System” category, then the “About” section.
In the “Windows specifications” section, you should see the text “Windows is activated” and the product key used. This means that the server has been successfully activated and is linked to the specified key.

If instead of the “Windows is activated” status, you see an activation error message or a prompt to activate Windows, it means that problems occurred during the activation process, and it could not be completed. In this case, you need to analyze the error messages and take steps to correct the situation, as described in the following section.

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Possible Problems and Solutions

In most cases, activating Windows Server 2022 with a product key proceeds without errors. However, the following problems may occur:

If an error message appears after entering the activation command, first check the correctness of the entered product key and make sure there are no typos. Even one incorrect letter or digit in the 25-character code will result in an activation error. If the key is entered correctly, but the error still occurs, it’s possible that this key is not suitable for this edition of Windows Server 2022 or has been blocked by Microsoft.
Only genuine product keys purchased from reliable providers should be used. Pirated keys, key generators, and activators will not allow legal activation of the system and may lead to server malfunctions and other problems.

In the event of other errors not described above, you should contact technical support, providing a detailed description of the issue and screenshots of error messages.