Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Windows | To extend a Windows Server evaluation license for another 180 days

To extend a Windows Server evaluation license for another 180 days, you can use the built-in Software Licensing Management Tool via an administrator command line.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator:

    • Click the Start menu, type cmd or PowerShell, right-click the application, and select Run as administrator.

2. Check your current license status (optional):
    • Run the command below to check your remaining trial days and how many rearms you have left:powershell
slmgr -dlv
Use code with caution.

3. Execute the rearm command:
    • Run the reset command to add 180 days to your evaluation period:powershell
slmgr -rearm
Use code with caution.
(Note: You can also use slmgr /rearm).

4. Restart the server:
    • Reboot your computer or virtual machine for the changes to take effect:powershell
Restart-Computer
Use code with caution.
    • Or restart manually through the Windows Start menu.

5. Confirm the extension:
    • After the reboot, open PowerShell as Administrator and run slmgr -dli or slmgr -dlv to verify that the expiration date has reset.