microsoft licensing

KMSPico’s promise — “free activation” for Windows and Office — is as old as it is controversial: a small, automated utility that imitates Microsoft’s Key Management Service (KMS) to flip product activation status from unlicensed to “genuine.” The guide published by Kahawatungu that circulated in...

Windows 10’s official servicing clock is winding down, but a growing number of users and enthusiasts are plotting a different route: convert a secondary PC to a Windows 10 LTSC (Long‑Term Servicing Channel) edition or rely on third‑party micropatching to preserve security coverage while avoiding...

Microsoft’s consumer-facing pricing can feel like a maze of subscriptions, promotions, and licensing fine print — and the piece you provided distills three practical, high-impact ways ordinary users and small businesses can cut that bill dramatically. The recommendations range from snapping up...

Microsoft is urging users to prepare for a hard deadline—Windows 10 reaches end of support this October, and a flood of promotional offers has followed, including a widely shared deal that advertises Windows 11 Pro for as little as $14.97 as users scramble to move off an unsupported OS...

Microsoft's decision to collapse volume-based price bands for Online Services under Enterprise Agreements into a single, web‑published price is a major commercial shift that will simplify licensing but almost certainly raise bills for many organizations — and reshape how enterprises, partners...

Microsoft has confirmed it will standardize pricing for Online Services sold through its volume‑licensing channels, aligning list prices across Price Levels A–D with the prices shown on Microsoft.com — a change that takes effect for renewals and new purchases beginning November 1, 2025...

Microsoft is standardizing how it prices online services purchased through its volume licensing programs, expanding a single, consistent price across Price Levels A–D to all Online Services sold under Enterprise Agreement (EA) and Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA), with the change...

As the Windows 10 end-of-support deadline looms closer, millions of users face a challenging dilemma: stay on their familiar operating system with paid security updates or transition to newer alternatives, often involving hardware upgrades or unwanted account changes. But for those clinging to...

Behind the sleek veneer of Britain's digital revolution lies a fierce contest for control of the nation’s cloud infrastructure—a contest now coming under hard governmental scrutiny. This summer, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) drew a definitive line in the sand: its final report...

The UK’s cloud computing sector stands at a critical juncture, as a landmark investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) concludes that dominant players Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft are harming competition. The findings mark an inflection point not only for British...

As the October 14, 2025, end-of-support date for Windows 10 approaches, Microsoft has introduced several options to help users maintain security updates beyond this deadline. These options cater to both individual consumers and organizations, offering flexibility based on user preferences and...

As Microsoft prepares to end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, users face critical decisions regarding their operating systems. Post this date, Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates, software enhancements, or technical support, leaving systems vulnerable to emerging...

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has announced the renewal of its software licensing agreement with Microsoft, projecting savings of more than £1 million for taxpayers over the next three years. This move, which comes amid mounting fiscal pressures and an evolving technology landscape...

Microsoft has officially launched the enrollment for the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, offering users an additional year of critical security updates beyond the operating system's end-of-support date on October 14, 2025. This initiative aims to assist the substantial number...

European cloud computing has long battled for regulatory fairness in the face of US tech giants' commercial dominance, but a groundbreaking agreement between Microsoft and the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) may signal a new chapter for regional sovereignty and customer...

In a significant development for the European cloud computing landscape, the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) and Microsoft have announced further amendments to their licensing agreements. This move aims to enhance accessibility to Microsoft's software services for CISPE...

European cloud infrastructure providers, long frustrated by Microsoft’s complex and oft-criticized licensing rules, have scored a measured win in their drawn-out battle for more equitable cloud software terms. After more than two years of pressure from the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers...

As Windows 10 approaches its end-of-support deadline, many users with older hardware face a dilemma: upgrade to Windows 11 or seek alternatives. Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements for Windows 11 have left numerous devices deemed incompatible. Enter FlyBy11, an open-source tool designed...

For organizations that have deployed Windows Server Datacenter Edition but now find themselves needing to switch to the more economical Standard Edition, the downgrade path is neither straightforward nor officially supported by Microsoft as an in-place process. Yet, this scenario is increasingly...

Few products in the enterprise communication landscape have navigated as turbulent an evolution as Skype for Business Server. With the launch of the Subscription Edition (SE), Microsoft’s latest move, the platform is undergoing a significant licensing transformation that directly reflects the...