Microsoft Licensing
The latest Microsoft Licensing coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
VLCM Is Now Read-Only: How to Move Your Microsoft Volume Licensing Workflows Before It's Too Late
Microsoft’s Volume Licensing Contract Management portal stopped accepting new agreements, renewals, and extensions on July 10, 2026. That cutover means partners still relying on eAgreements for...
You Can Now Pay for Windows Server 2025 by the Hour—But Watch Out for These 3 Costly Surprises
Microsoft quietly flipped the switch on a licensing model that can slash upfront server costs or silently drain your Azure budget: pay-as-you-go Windows Server 2025 through Azure Arc. The new...
Microsoft Must Face UK Trial Over Blocking Resale of Pre-Owned Windows and Office Licenses
The UK Court of Appeal has unanimously ruled that Microsoft must face a full trial over allegations it abused its market dominance to block the resale of pre-owned perpetual licenses for Windows and...
Microsoft treats AI agents as billable seats in new enterprise licensing model
Microsoft's positioning of AI agents as "seats" in enterprise licensing represents a fundamental shift in how software companies monetize automation technology. Rather than treating AI as a feature...
NHS England Spends £46K on Microsoft Licensing Benchmarking Ahead of Major Deal Negotiation
NHS England has allocated £46,000 for software licensing benchmarking services, signaling preparation for a significant Microsoft contract negotiation. This relatively modest expenditure represents...
Microsoft Kills Phone Activation After 25 Years, Forces Web Portal for All Windows License Validation
Microsoft has officially discontinued phone-based Windows activation, forcing all users to migrate to the Product Activation Portal for license validation. This fundamental change to Windows...
UK CMA Targets Microsoft's Azure Licensing Practices in New SMS Probe
Microsoft faces another regulatory challenge in the UK, this time with a more focused investigation into its software licensing practices for Azure cloud services. The Competition and Markets...
UK's CMA Launches Investigation Into Microsoft's Windows, Office, Teams, and Copilot Licensing Practices
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially opened an investigation into Microsoft's licensing practices for Windows, Word, Excel, Teams, and Copilot. This marks a significant...
UK CMA Launches Formal Probe Into Microsoft Cloud Licensing Practices
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has escalated its scrutiny of Microsoft's cloud business from preliminary market study to a formal investigation. This move represents the most significant...
Microsoft COA Label Trafficking: Florida Woman Sentenced in Multi-Million Dollar Software Fraud Case
A federal jury and U.S. district court have delivered a decisive legal blow to a sophisticated software piracy operation that transformed genuine Microsoft \"Certificate of Authenticity\" (COA)...
AI Bot Wars & Corporate Reputation: How Shell vs Donovan Feud Enters Digital Age
The long-running legal and public relations battle between Shell plc and former consultant John Donovan has entered a new, technologically sophisticated phase that raises critical questions about AI...
Wiresoft’s Saudi Launch Pits Cost Savings Against Compliance and Legal Risks
The announcement by European secondary-market software retailer Wiresoft that it is expanding into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represents a significant development in the global software licensing...