Step by Step Automatic Virtual Machine Activation (AVMA)

Automatic Virtual Machine Activation was added into Windows Server 2012 R2. It allows you to activate your VM’s without using a KMS Server or using MAK Keys and you do not require an internet connection either! The VM’s activate against the host Hyper-V server. Using this method the Guests activation only lasts for 7 days before it renews the activation against the host again.

To use AVMA you need your Hyper-V host server to be running Microsoft Server 2012 R2 Datacentre or above. The guests have to also be Microsoft Server 2012 R2 or above, but they can be Datacentre, Standard, or Essentials.

Each edition of Microsoft Server has its own AVMA key and you need to enter this on the guest when you are installing the Server OS or when you are activating it. This only needs to be done once.

Windows server 2012 R2

Windows Server 2016

For AVMA to work successfully the guest VM needs to have Integration Services installed and the Data Exchange option ticked. To check this open up the settings for the Guest VM and go to Integration Services.

If you have entered a key already in your guest VM but now you want to use an AVMA key, you can do this easily using a Command window with elevated credentials.

Open CMD with elevated credentials.

Type the following cmdlet. Replacing with the AVMA Key that relates to the installed version of the OS.

That’s it. Not really a step by step as its just so easy!

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