Microsoft has finally removed the option to activate Windows and Office over the phone . While the company still includes this method in its support materials, it no longer works in practice.
Users attempting to activate products without an internet connection will now see an automatic message informing them that the process has been moved to an online platform.
This was confirmed in a new video by tech blogger Ben Kleinberg, who attempted to activate Windows 7 and Office 2010 using an OEM key.
Due to the lack of functioning activation servers for these products, he resorted to his usual method: calling Microsoft. However, instead of the usual voicemail, he received a message directing him to a special website . He then received a text message with a link to the activation portal.
An attempt to activate the products using the Firefox mobile browser was unsuccessful, but switching to Safari on a different device helped complete the process. Windows 7 and Office 2010 were finally activated, but this time online, requiring authorization through a Microsoft account.
This point particularly irritated the video’s author, as the initial need for a phone call arose from the inability to activate the app through the operating system itself. It seems that the previous offline alternative has now been transformed into the same online procedure, but with additional steps and account linking.
Microsoft has thus effectively closed the last remaining option for offline activation of its products . This is particularly painful for owners of older versions of Windows, who could previously operate without an Internet connection or registration.
Without a Microsoft account, it is no longer possible to activate the system, which is in line with the company’s general trend towards the complete digitalization of all stages of working with the software.
This raises the need to understand how to operate in contexts where connectivity is unavailable or not permitted, such as air-gapped networks and high-security environments.
In this scenario, Microsoft’s recent decision represents a significant paradigm shift: the company has eliminated the option to activate Windows and Office over the phone.
Although this method is still mentioned in the official support documentation, it no longer works. Today, anyone attempting to activate a product without an internet connection receives an automatic message informing them that the process has been moved to an online platform.
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