Windows KMS keeps overriding Office KMS

When both Windows and Office are configured for KMS Authentication, they may sometimes switch over. This generally doesn’t happen, but occasionally, the authentication switch takes place, and as a result, we encounter an error stating that authentication has failed. In this post, we will talk about this issue and see what you can do if Windows KMS keeps overriding Office KMS.

Fix Windows KMS keeps overriding Office KMS

If Windows KMS keeps overriding Office KMS, and authentication fails, you can follow the solutions mentioned below.

1. Delete residual KMS Settings
2. Configure Office to use MAK Activation
3. Check Group Policy Settings
4. Block KMS Server Communication via DNS or Hosts file
5. Repair Office

Let us discuss them in detail.

1] Delete residual KMS settings

KMS settings stored in the registry can cause Office to default to attempting KMS activation, even if you intend to use a MAK (Multiple Activation Key).

Office software activation depends on configuration data in the Windows Registry. If you’ve previously used KMS (Key Management Service) activation, entries like KeyManagementServiceName and KeyManagementServicePort may remain, instructing Office to connect to a KMS server. This can conflict with new MAK (Multiple Activation Key) settings, leading to activation issues. To avoid this, we are going to delete any KMS entries from the registry. To do so, open the Registry Editor and take a backup.

Now, in the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform

Delete KeyManagementServiceName and KeyManagementServicePort.

We need to check for KMS Traces in Office Licensing Keys. For that, navigate to the path with your Office version (e.g., for Office 2016, it might be):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office16\Common\Licensing

Delete any configuration details that reference KMS activation.

Now, go to the following location.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\sppsvc

Look for any residual KMS configuration that might be storing old activation settings. Remove or modify them appropriately, if present.

2] Configure Office to use MAK Activation

After deleting KMS traces from the registry, we will go ahead and configure Office to always use MAK Activation. To do so, open the Command Prompt as an administrator and then navigate to your Office activation folder; for Office 2016, it would be C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\.

So, you can run cd C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\.

Now, run the command to input your MAK key.

cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:<YOUR_MAK_KEY>

Now, to activate Office, run the following command.

cscript ospp.vbs /act

Finally, reboot your computer and see if the issue is resolved.

Read: Microsoft Office Activation Troubleshooters for Office 365 and Microsoft Office

3] Check Group Policy Settings

If Windows KMS still overrides Office KMS, you need to check if there are any Group Policies configured. We need to check if there is a policy in place that points Office to use Windows KMS, which will override your local MAK settings. To do so, open the Group Policy Editor by searching for it from the Start Menu and then navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Office (or Office Software Protection Platform, if available).

Look for any policies that specify activation methods or KMS server settings. Now, set these policies to Not Configured or adjust them to reflect the use of MAK activation.

Finally, run gpupdate /force to force the Group Policy.

4] Block KMS Server Communication via DNS or Hosts File

One reason Office may default to KMS authentication is that it is resolving the KMS Server through DNS. Therefore, we will need to block access to the known KMS server names or IP addresses, so that your Office cannot connect to them and defaults to KMS activation.

Now, open File Explorer and go to the following location.

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

Add an entry that redirects the KMS server’s hostname to localhost. For example:

127.0.0.1 kms.servername.com

Save the file and then run the following command in the Command Prompt (in elevated mode) to flush the DNS cache.

ipconfig /flushdns

Office will be unable to contact the KMS server, thus preventing any automatic override of MAK activation and reducing unexpected activation errors.

5] Repair Office

If nothing works, our last resort is to repair Office and make sure that there are no corrupted components. After repairing Office, you need to go ahead and configure Office to use MAC Activation (Check the 2nd solution). This should do the job for you.

Hopefully, with the help of these solutions, you will be able to resolve the issue.

Read: Fix MAK Activation errors and issues in Windows.

How to remove KMS Office activation?

To remove KMS activation from Microsoft Office, first uninstall any unauthorized KMS activator tools or scripts from your system. Then, open Command Prompt as administrator and run cd /d “%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\Office16” (adjust “Office16” to your version), followed by cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus to identify the KMS license key, and finally execute cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey:ABCDE (replace “ABCDE” with the last five digits of your KMS key). After removal, install a genuine Microsoft Office license or subscription to activate legally.

Read: Troubleshoot and Fix Office Activation problems and errors

What is the threshold for KMS?