Use only Token Activation
Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on September 4, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016 (Machine)\Volume Activation Description
This policy setting allows you to specify Token Activation as the only volume activation method for volume editions of Office. This policy setting only applies if a Token Activation Issuance License has been installed on the computer. If you enable this policy setting, Token Activation is the only method that may be used to activate Office. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Key Management Service (KMS) or Token Activation may be used as methods to activate Office.
Registry
HKLM
none This policy sets several registry values:
tokenactivationonly officesoftwareprotectionplatform Enabled:
tokenactivationonly = 1 Disabled:
tokenactivationonly = 0 vlactivationtype softwareprotectionplatform Enabled:
vlactivationtype = 3 Disabled:
vlactivationtype = 0 Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Use only Token Activation
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\officesoftwareprotectionplatform]
"tokenactivationonly"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\softwareprotectionplatform]
"vlactivationtype"=dword:00000003More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use only Token Activation
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\officesoftwareprotectionplatform'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'tokenactivationonly' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\softwareprotectionplatform'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'vlactivationtype' -Value 3 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use only Token Activation
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\officesoftwareprotectionplatform' -Name 'tokenactivationonly' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\softwareprotectionplatform' -Name 'vlactivationtype' -Expected 3 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use only Token Activation
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\officesoftwareprotectionplatform'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'tokenactivationonly' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\softwareprotectionplatform'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'vlactivationtype' -Value 3 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use only Token Activation
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use only Token Activation
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\officesoftwareprotectionplatform' -Name 'tokenactivationonly' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\softwareprotectionplatform' -Name 'vlactivationtype' -Expected 3 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use only Token Activation
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\officesoftwareprotectionplatform'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'tokenactivationonly' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\softwareprotectionplatform'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'vlactivationtype' -Value 3 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.