Microsoft no longer allows you to activate Windows or its other products over the phone.
A decade-old activation service is now gone
Microsoft requires you to activate Windows and its other products using the product key that comes with your purchase. Activation allows Microsoft to ensure that the software copy you are using is genuine and eligible to receive support. Over the years, there have been a few ways to activate Microsoft products, one of which involved calling the activation hotline.
You simply had to call the regional activation number, provide your installation ID, and receive a confirmation ID in return. And just like that, your copy of Windows was successfully licensed.
However, there are multiple reports claiming that Microsoft has stopped supporting this activation method. The change was first spotted by a Reddit user almost a month ago, who noted that calling the activation number now states that the activation process has moved online. Another user later shared a video on YouTube illustrating the same experience. Below is the exact response you hear when you call the activation number.
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Support for product activation has moved online. For the fastest and most convenient way to activate your product, please visit our online product activation portal at aka.ms/aoh. The ability to activate Windows using a phone has been available since the Windows XP days. The main reason for its popularity is that it allows activation of the OS without an internet connection.
There were no issues activating Windows using this method until a couple of months ago, as I still remember activating a Windows 10 copy on one of my virtual machines using this procedure in September last year. That said, Microsoft interestingly still lists phone activation as one of the ways to activate a Windows copy on its support page and mentions the exact steps you need to follow.
No more anonymous activation
Activation page in Windows 11 Settings menu. | Image by PhoneArena
Since very few people activate their Windows copy through their phones these days, you may think that it is actually a good move by Microsoft. While someone like me with a Microsoft account might agree with you, others who prefer anonymity will not.
You see, the main drawback with the online activation portal is that you must sign in with a Microsoft account to complete the activation process. The phone activation process, on the other hand, was completely anonymous and didn't require a Microsoft account for activation. That's why it was quite popular among users running legacy system. It was a quite popular activation method in enterprise environments as well, such as manufacturing plants that cannot afford to connect systems to the network, as it could pose a security risk.
The online activation portal reportedly also allows users to activate older Windows versions, such as Windows XP and Windows 7. However, you need an internet connection and a Microsoft account to do so, which ultimately defeats the purpose of why people used to rely on the phone activation method.
Which OS would you switch to if you were given the choice to ditch Windows?
ChromeOS.
14.08%
macOS.
22.54%
Linux.
63.38%
Your privacy is taking a hit too
I also think there is a privacy concern with this move that you need to be aware of. Once your Windows or any other Microsoft product license is linked to your Microsoft account, the company could start tracking your online usage and other diagnostic data from different Microsoft products.
That said, this is not the only move related to the Windows OS that has received mixed reactions from its users. The Redmond giant recently blocked workarounds such as using commands like "bypassnro," so you are now required to have an internet connection and a Microsoft account during the Out of Box Experience (OOBE), which basically refers to the setup process you go through while installing a new copy of Windows.
Furthermore, the company also blocked a quite popular KMS38 activation method that many users relied on to activate their Windows copy without an internet connection. All these recent moves strongly indicate that Microsoft wants its users to stop relying on offline capabilities and shift to an always‑online ecosystem.
Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.
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