Overview
Microsoft Toolkit has been around long enough to have become the reference point that other tools in this category are compared against. It is a two module application, one for Windows and one for Office, each with its own tab set covering the licensing state, the product keys installed, the channel the product is on, and the tools for changing any of them.
It offers more than the one click tools do, which is either its strength or its complication depending on what you want. Beyond applying the licensing state, it can install and remove product keys directly, switch a product between channels, back up and restore the licensing store, and, in the Office module, customise an installation before it is deployed. For anyone servicing several machines that additional capability is the reason to reach for this one.
The two modules
The Windows module reports the edition, the channel, the installed keys and the current state, and can apply the licensing either as a one time operation or through a renewal service that reapplies it periodically. Keys can be installed, removed or listed directly, and the licensing store can be backed up before any change and restored afterwards if something goes wrong, which is a courtesy the simpler tools do not extend.
The Office module does the same for the suites and adds a customiser that can strip components from an installation, change the installation path, and set the interface options before deployment. On a machine build where the full suite is not wanted, removing the unneeded applications before installing is cleaner than installing everything and uninstalling afterwards.
Both modules report their work in a log pane that stays visible, listing exactly what was attempted and what the result was. Reading that log is the difference between knowing what happened and assuming.
One time application or a renewal service
The one time route applies the state and finishes. Nothing is installed and nothing remains. This is the right choice for a machine being handed over or one where you would rather nothing extra existed.
The renewal route installs a small service that reapplies the state periodically. It is visible in the services list under a clearly named entry and can be removed from the same tab that installed it, which is the important detail: the tool that created it will also take it away, cleanly, without leaving fragments in the registry.
For most single machines, one time is sufficient and simpler. The renewal route earns its place on a machine that will run for years without being looked at, where nobody will notice a lapse until something stops working.
Working with it safely
Back up the licensing store before making changes. The tool offers this and it takes seconds, and it converts a mistake from a rebuild into an undo. This applies particularly if you are changing channels or removing keys rather than simply applying a state.
Suspend real time protection before running it, since scanners flag this class of tool universally and will quarantine components mid operation, which leaves the machine in a half changed state that is more annoying than either the before or the after. Run it as administrator, and if you use the renewal service, keep the exclusion permanent so the service is not blocked later.
Read the log before closing the window. A failure printed there and ignored is the usual reason somebody believes the tool did not work when in fact it reported precisely why.
What you get
- Separate Windows and Office modules in one application
- One time application or a removable renewal service
- Direct product key installation, removal and listing
- Channel switching between retail and volume where supported
- Licensing store backup and restore before any change
- Office installation customiser for stripping components and setting paths
- Detailed log pane reporting every action and result
- Clean removal of the renewal service from the tab that installed it
- Supports Windows client and server editions from 7 forward
- Runs on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems
Inside the archive
- Microsoft Toolkit application, single executable
- Windows and Office modules
- Office installation customiser
- Readme covering the module tabs and the renewal service
- Notes on backing up the licensing store
System requirements
| Operating system | Windows 7 or later, or Windows Server 2008 R2 or later |
|---|---|
| Runtime | The framework runtime the application requires, present on current systems |
| Privileges | Administrator, the tool cannot work otherwise |
| Storage | 100 MB free |
| Antivirus | Real time protection suspended, permanently excluded if using renewal |
| Network | Not required, everything happens locally |
Installing it
- Unpack the archive to a folder outside a protected system directory.
- Add the folder as a scanner exclusion, permanently if you intend to use the renewal service.
- Run the executable as administrator.
- Choose the Windows or Office module from the icon in the corner of the window.
- Back up the licensing store from the tools tab before making any change.
- Apply the licensing, then read the log pane before closing the window.
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 at this size | Online |
Release history
- Office module updated for the current volume channel builds
- Renewal service removal now clears its registry entries completely
- Log pane output reworked with clearer failure messages
- Licensing store backup extended to cover additional product families
- Customiser handles the newer suite component layout
- Channel switching added for another client edition
- Fixed key listing truncating on systems with many installed keys
Questions about this release
One time or renewal, which should I choose?
One time for a machine you are handing over or want left clean. Renewal for a machine that will run for years without being checked.
Can I remove the renewal service later?
Yes, from the same tab that installed it, and it clears its registry entries completely in this version.
Should I back up the licensing store?
Yes, always, and especially before changing channels or removing keys. It takes seconds and converts a mistake into an undo.
What does the Office customiser do?
It strips unwanted components from an installation and sets the path and interface options before deployment, which is cleaner than installing everything and removing afterwards.
Why does my scanner delete it?
Because manipulating licensing state matches its definitions. Suspend protection or exclude the folder, permanently if you use the renewal service.
Comments
Backed up the licensing store before switching channels, needed it once. Cannot recommend that habit enough.
Renewal service removal actually leaves nothing behind now. Used to have to clean registry entries by hand.
Comments are read before they appear. If a build stops working, say so here and it gets rebuilt rather than quietly left up.
Customiser saves me a step on every machine build. Strip what the customer will not use before it ever installs.