Overview
This is a batch script rather than an application, which is deliberate and is the main reason it has the reputation it does. There is no installer, no service that stays resident, no user interface built in a framework that needs a runtime, and nothing that a scanner has to guess about. The script is readable, it does what it says in the order it says, and when it has finished you can delete the folder.
It handles volume channel Windows editions and the volume channel Office suites, which between them covers most of what is posted on this site without a license already applied. Two modes are offered: a one time operation that applies the licensing state and exits, and a renewal mode that installs a scheduled task to reapply it periodically without any resident process.
The two modes
The one time mode is the simpler of the two and the right choice for a machine you are handing over or one you do not want to think about again. It applies the state, reports what it did, and exits. Nothing is left on the system afterwards. If the state ever lapses, run it again.
Renewal mode registers a scheduled task that reapplies the state on an interval. The task is small, runs briefly and is visible in the task scheduler under a clearly named entry, so it is not hiding. Nothing runs between executions. For a machine that stays in service for years, this is the arrangement that never needs attention.
Both modes report their result in the console window with the product names and the outcome for each, rather than a single opaque success message. When something fails, the reason is printed, which is the difference between fixing it in a minute and guessing for an hour.
What it works on
The Windows side covers the volume channel client editions from 8.1 forward and the corresponding server editions. Retail channel installations are converted to the volume channel first where the edition supports it, which the script handles automatically and reports as it goes.
The Office side covers the volume channel suites, which is the variant posted for the 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024 lines on this site. The subscription channel installations are a different arrangement entirely and are outside what this tool addresses. If you have a subscription channel install and want this to work, replace it with a volume channel one first.
A separate check mode reports the current state of everything installed without changing anything, which is worth running first so you know what you are looking at before you act.
Running it without fighting the scanner
Every scanner flags this and every scanner is right to, by its own definitions, because manipulating licensing state is exactly the behaviour those definitions describe. That is not evidence of anything hidden in the script, which is plain text you can open in a text editor and read line by line before running it.
Suspend real time protection while it runs, or add the folder as an exclusion. If you use renewal mode, the exclusion needs to persist, since the scheduled task will otherwise be blocked the next time it fires. Run the script as administrator, since none of this is possible from a standard user context.
What you get
- Plain readable script with no installer and no resident component
- One time mode that applies the state and exits cleanly
- Renewal mode using a visible scheduled task with nothing running between executions
- Covers volume channel Windows client and server editions from 8.1 forward
- Covers the volume channel Office suites
- Automatic retail to volume channel conversion where supported
- Check mode that reports current state without changing anything
- Per product result reporting with failure reasons printed
- Removal option that undoes the scheduled task and its files
- Works on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems
Inside the archive
- The main script and its supporting batch files
- Check mode script for reporting state without changes
- Removal script for undoing renewal mode
- Readme covering the mode choice and exclusion setup
- Notes on which channel each supported product needs to be
System requirements
| Operating system | Windows 8.1 or later, or Windows Server 2012 R2 or later |
|---|---|
| Privileges | Administrator, the script cannot work from a standard account |
| Products | Volume channel Windows or Office installations |
| Storage | 20 MB free |
| Antivirus | Real time protection suspended or the folder excluded |
| Network | Not required, the script works offline |
Installing it
- Unpack the archive to a folder that is not inside a protected system directory.
- Add that folder as a scanner exclusion, permanently if you plan to use renewal mode.
- Run the check script first to see what is installed and what state it is in.
- Run the main script as administrator and choose the one time or renewal mode.
- Read the per product results in the console before closing it.
- If you chose one time mode, delete the folder afterwards. Nothing remains on the system.
Mirrors
| Route | Region | Note | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct, primary | Europe | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Direct, secondary | North America | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Torrent magnet | Global | Direct is faster, the file is tiny | Online |
Release history
- Support added for the current Office volume channel build numbers
- Scheduled task naming clarified so it is obvious in the task scheduler
- Fixed retail to volume conversion failing on a specific client edition
- Check mode output reworked to list products in a readable table
- Removal script now cleans up its own working folder
- Failure reasons now printed rather than reported as a generic error
- Reduced the number of temporary files written during a run
Questions about this release
Does anything stay running on my machine?
In one time mode, nothing at all. In renewal mode, a scheduled task exists and runs briefly on an interval. Nothing is resident between executions.
Why does my antivirus flag a text script?
Because manipulating licensing state matches the behaviour its definitions describe. The script is plain text, so read it yourself before running it if you want to be sure.
Will it work on a subscription channel Office?
No. That is a different arrangement. Replace it with a volume channel installation first.
Do I need an internet connection?
No, it works entirely offline.
How do I undo it?
Run the removal script. It clears the scheduled task and its files, leaving the machine as it was.
Comments
Renewal task is clearly named in the scheduler now. Used to have to hunt for it when handing a machine over.
Check mode first is good advice. Told me one suite was the wrong channel before I wasted time.
Comments are read before they appear. If a build stops working, say so here and it gets rebuilt rather than quietly left up.
Read the whole script before running it, which is the reason I use this one and not a compiled tool.