How to Use the slmgr Command in Windows

Software Licensing Management Tool (slmgr) is a CLI in Windows which is used to perform advanced Windows activation tasks.

Slmgr Uses

Slmgr is used to activate Windows or change the product key if the normal activation process fails or if the normal activation process throws “Windows is not genuine” errors.

How to user Slmgr Commands

The Slmgr commands are used in a Windows command prompt. Please open the command prompt as an administrator using below process.

Click on Search > type ‘cmd’ > Right Click on ‘Command Prompt’

Note: Slmgr.vbs is used only for the Windows operating system. Ospp.vbs manages volume licensing for Microsoft Office products.

Common Slmgr Commands and its uses

CHECK ACTIVATION STATUS

slmgr /xpr

Use this slmgr command to see if Windows is activated. You’ll see a message that says Windows is activated if it is, or be given a date if it’s not permanently activated, or see an error if no product key has been provided.

Note: A regular Command Prompt can work for some of these tasks but others—ones that involve changing data and not just displaying it—require an elevated Command Prompt.

VIEW CURRENT LICENSE INFO

slmgr /dli

With this slmgr command, you’ll see part of the product key being used on your computer and an indication of whether the license is active. Other details are included here, too, like the KMS machine IP address, activation renewal interval, and other Key Management Services (KMS) information.

DETAILED LICENSE INFO

slmgr /dlv

This command for slmgr.vbs reveals a lot more information about your computer. It starts off with the Windows version number and follows with the activation ID, extended PID, installation ID, remaining Windows rearm and SKU count, and a few other details on top of what the /dli option shows.

RESET ACTIVATION TIMERS

slmgr /rearm

The rearm command resets activation timers, which essentially lets you use Windows without activating it by extending the trial. For example, if you’re using Windows on a 30-day trial, this one-month limitation can be reset back to the beginning after entering this slmgr command.

A restart of your computer is required to complete this command.

Note: There’s a limit to how many times you can rearm the Windows activation files. Check the rearm count with the /dlv command above to see how many cycles are left.

DELETE WINDOWS PRODUCT KEY

slmgr /cpky

Use this slmgr command to remove the product key from Windows Registry. Doing this will not delete the key from your computer or un-activate Windows, but it will prevent key finder programs and malicious tools from being able to retrieve the key.

ACTIVATE WINDOWS ONLINE

slmgr /ato

This slmgr command forces Windows to try online activation, which is useful if you attempted normal activation steps (not using Slmgr.vbs) but received a connection problem or similar error.

CHANGE WINDOWS PRODUCT KEY

slmgr /ipk 12345-12345-12345-12345-12345

Change the Windows product key with this slmgr command. Replace those numbers with the real product key, but be sure to include the dashes. Restart the computer to fully apply the new key.

If the key isn’t correct, you’ll see a message that The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid.

CHANGE REMOTE PRODUCT KEY

slmgr /ipk mattpc Safi P@ssw0rd 12345-12345-12345-12345-12345

This command is the exact same as the slmgr /ipk command shown above but instead of executing the change product key request on the local computer, it’s performed on the machine named mattpc with the Matt admin users’ login credentials.

DEACTIVATE WINDOWS

slmgr /upk

A fitting last example for the slmgr command in Windows is this one, which will uninstall the product key from the local computer. Just reboot your computer after you see the Uninstalled product key successfully message.

Apart from the above, there are other Slmgr CLI which can be used to perform advanced functions. Below is a compilation of all the useful CLI commands for Slmgr. Please have a look at the slmgr command syntax and the other supported options:

slmgr [MachineName [username [password]]] [option]

Slmgr Command Options

Note: The MachineName option can’t be used across platforms. For example, you can’t manage Windows activation on a Windows 7 computer from a Windows 10 computer.

That’s all folks. Thanks for reading. Have a great day…!