Does an activated Windows machine mean it is properly licensed?

No. Microsoft’s documentation states that volume activation is strictly a tool for activation and is not tied to license invoicing or billing. Compliance comes from contracts and License IDs; activation is just the technical step of installing a key from a volume agreement (Microsoft Learn).

What are the KMS activation thresholds?

The KMS host does not process client activation requests until at least 25 computers have contacted it, and Windows Server activation requires a minimum of 5 machines. Below the threshold, clients see an activation-count error even when configuration is correct (Microsoft Learn).

Can VAMT activate retail keys?

Yes. VAMT is documented as managing retail activation as well as volume activation for Windows, Office, and select other Microsoft products. Note that the tool itself ships only as an EN-US (x86) package (Microsoft Learn).

What happens when a MAK runs out of activations?

Further activations fail until the pool is extended. The remaining count is visible in the Microsoft 365 admin center and in VAMT, and more activations can be requested through volume licensing support with a business justification (Microsoft Learn).

VAMT, KMS and MAK: Enterprise Windows Activation (2026)