Windows Server 2022/2025 Trial Period – Duration, Extension & Licensing Guide
Windows Server 2022/2025 Trial Period – Duration, Extension & Licensing Guide
After installing your Windows Server 2022/2025 operating system on your menkiSys dedicated root server, you can use the system with a 180-day trial license. Shortly before this period expires (typically 1–7 days prior), you can easily extend the trial for another 180 days using a simple PowerShell command.
If the trial license is not extended in time, the server will automatically shut down as part of Microsoft’s licensing mechanism. In such a case, you can restart your server at any time via your IPMI interface (KVM console) and extend the trial license with a single command.
Detailed instructions are provided below in this guide.
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You can check when your Windows Server 2022/2025 trial license expires directly on your desktop (bottom right corner). If the expiration date is not displayed, you can verify it at any time using the following PowerShell command:
slmgr -dlv
This command provides detailed licensing information, including the remaining trial period. The key advantage: you can extend the trial period multiple times – up to a total duration of 3 years.
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You can check the status of your trial license at any time using the command above.
After approximately 177 days (shortly before expiration), you must execute the following PowerShell command:
slmgr /rearm
Important: After running this command, you must restart your server to activate the extension.
This extension command can be executed up to 6 times (each time adding 180 days), resulting in a maximum trial usage period of approximately 36 months.
At any time, you can purchase a valid Windows Server license and activate it on your system. Alternatively, you can reinstall your server, which resets the trial period, allowing you to start a new evaluation cycle.
