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MSLicenseHub
Microsoft licensing reference

Genuine Microsoft licensing,
explained without the noise.

Independent guidance for Windows, Office, Server, SQL and the wider Microsoft stack — editions, CALs, Volume Licensing, CSP and the differences that matter at purchase time.

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LICENSING MADE CLEAR
Always current

Updated as Microsoft ships SE, LTSC and Dynamics changes — covering 2024 and 2025 editions in depth.

Product references
13
Windows, Office, Server, SQL, Exchange, SharePoint, Dynamics and more.
Buying channels
3
Retail, Volume Licensing and CSP — never standalone OEM.
Latest editions
2025
Including SQL 2025, Server 2025, Office 2024, M365 Copilot.
Vendor agenda
0
Independent reference based on Microsoft's own Product Terms.
Buying channels

Three legitimate ways to license Microsoft

Each channel suits a different size of organisation. Pick the one that matches how you'll use, manage and renew.

Retail / FPPIndividuals & small teams

Boxed or ESD keys, transferable, registered to a Microsoft account.

Volume LicensingMid-market & enterprise

MAK / KMS activation, centralized VLSC, optional Software Assurance.

CSP / Microsoft 365Subscription, per user

Monthly / annual seats, managed through partner or admin center.

OEM is not a buying channel for end users. OEM keys are supplied pre-installed by hardware manufacturers and are not sold standalone — choose Retail, Volume or CSP instead.
Product reference

Editions, CAL math and the right channel

Detailed guidance for every major Microsoft product. Click through for editions, activation models, audit notes and FAQs.

🪟
windows
Windows 11 Pro

Windows 11 Pro — editions, hardware floor, activation models, and the right licensing channel for business and power users.

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🖥️
server
Windows Server 2025

Windows Server 2025 — Standard vs Datacenter, per-core licensing, CALs, virtualisation rights and Azure Hybrid Benefit.

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📊
office
Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 — current Personal, Family, Business and Enterprise plans, how the SKUs differ, and the CSP buying path.

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📝
office
Office 2024 & Office LTSC 2024

Office 2024 — the latest perpetual Office for retail, with LTSC 2024 as its volume-licensed sibling for regulated environments.

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🗄️
database
SQL Server 2025

SQL Server 2025 — editions, per-core vs Server+CAL, Azure-connected features and Software Assurance benefits.

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✉️
collaboration
Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE)

Exchange Server SE — the new subscription-licensed on-premises Exchange, replacing the perpetual 2019 line.

Read reference →
📂
collaboration
SharePoint Server Subscription Edition (SE)

SharePoint Server SE — the current on-premises SharePoint, with rolling feature updates and Server + CAL licensing.

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🖧
server
Remote Desktop Services (Windows Server 2025)

RDS on Windows Server 2025 — per-user vs per-device CALs, the RD Licensing role, and AVD as the cloud alternative.

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🧑‍💻
developer
Visual Studio 2022

Visual Studio 2022 — Community, Professional, Enterprise; subscription vs perpetual; Azure DevOps and GitHub benefits.

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📅
office
Microsoft Project 2024 & Project Online

Project 2024 — desktop Standard / Professional, and the cloud Plan 1 / 3 / 5 for portfolio management.

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📐
office
Microsoft Visio 2024 & Visio Plan 1 / 2

Visio 2024 — Standard and Professional desktop, plus the cloud Plan 1 and Plan 2 subscriptions.

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💼
cloud
Microsoft Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 — modular cloud ERP and CRM, licensed per user per app with base + attach pricing.

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⚙️
server
System Center 2025

System Center 2025 — SCOM, SCCM/MECM, SCVMM, DPM and Orchestrator for on-prem infrastructure management.

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🪟
windows
Windows 11 Home

Windows 11 Home — the consumer edition of Windows 11: features, limitations, hardware floor, and when you should upgrade to Pro.

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🛡️
windows
Windows 11 Enterprise

Windows 11 Enterprise — the volume-only edition: Credential Guard, Application Guard, LTSC option, Autopatch and the Microsoft 365 E3/E5 bundle.

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🎓
windows
Windows 11 Education

Windows 11 Education and Pro Education — feature-equivalent to Enterprise/Pro with education defaults, sold through academic Volume Licensing.

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🧠
windows
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations

Windows 11 Pro for Workstations — the high-end desktop SKU: ReFS, persistent memory, SMB Direct, up to 6 TB RAM and four-socket hardware support.

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🪟
windows
Windows 10 Pro

Windows 10 Pro — still in production estates, now on Extended Security Updates: feature set, end-of-life timeline, and the path forward.

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🏠
windows
Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 Home — consumer edition, end-of-support timeline, consumer ESU, and how it differs from Pro.

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🛡️
windows
Windows 10 Enterprise

Windows 10 Enterprise — Volume Licensing, Microsoft 365 E3/E5 entitlement, LTSC 2021, and the commercial ESU path through 2028.

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🎓
windows
Windows 10 Education

Windows 10 Education and Pro Education — academic Volume Licensing for institutions still on Windows 10, with the same end-of-support timeline.

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🧠
windows
Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

Windows 10 Pro for Workstations — the legacy high-end desktop SKU: ReFS, persistent memory, SMB Direct, four-socket support.

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🖥️
server
Windows Server 2022

Windows Server 2022 — secured-core server, SMB over QUIC, hotpatching, Azure Arc integration: still the right choice for many on-prem refreshes.

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📊
office
Office LTSC 2021

Office 2021 perpetual — Home & Business, Pro Plus, Mac editions, and LTSC under Volume Licensing: feature scope and support timeline.

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🗄️
database
SQL Server 2022

SQL Server 2022 — Azure-connected hybrid features, per-core and Server+CAL licensing, Standard vs Enterprise vs Developer.

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📨
collaboration
Exchange Server 2019

Exchange Server 2019 — the last cumulative-update version before Exchange Server SE: per-server licensing, CALs, support timeline through October 2025.

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🗂️
collaboration
SharePoint Server 2019

SharePoint Server 2019 — Standard and Enterprise CALs, per-server licensing, SE upgrade path and end-of-mainstream-support reality.

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📅
office
Project 2021

Project 2021 Professional — perpetual desktop scheduler: features, Project Server / Project Online integration, support through 2026.

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🧩
office
Visio 2021

Visio 2021 Standard and Professional — perpetual desktop diagramming: stencils, BPMN, Azure diagrams, and Visio Plan 1/2 alternatives.

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🖧
server
Remote Desktop Services 2019

RDS 2019 — per-user and per-device RDS CALs, role architecture, support through January 2029, and the migration to RDS 2025 / Azure Virtual Desktop.

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🧑‍💻
developer
Visual Studio 2026

Visual Studio 2026 — the next major release of Microsoft's flagship IDE: editions, AI-first tooling, performance, and licensing channels.

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🍎
office
Office for Mac (2024 / 2021 / 2019 / 2016)

Office for Mac — perpetual editions for macOS: feature parity with Windows, App Store delivery, Volume Licensing through CSP.

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📘
office
Office 2019

Office 2019 — the previous-generation perpetual Office suite: editions, support timeline, and migration paths to 2021/2024 or Microsoft 365.

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📕
office
Office 2016

Office 2016 — end-of-life perpetual suite: what to do with deployments still running, and how to migrate cleanly.

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🗄️
database
SQL Server 2019

SQL Server 2019 — Big Data Clusters, intelligent query processing, per-core and Server+CAL licensing.

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🐧
database
SQL Server 2017

SQL Server 2017 — first SQL Server on Linux, adaptive query processing, graph data, Python machine learning services.

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💾
database
SQL Server 2016

SQL Server 2016 — Always Encrypted, Stretch Database, JSON support, R Services. End of extended support July 2026.

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🖥️
server
Windows Server 2019

Windows Server 2019 — Hyper-converged Storage Spaces Direct improvements, System Insights, Linux containers via WSL, hybrid integration.

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🖥️
server
Windows Server 2016

Windows Server 2016 — first release with per-core licensing, Nano Server, Storage Spaces Direct, shielded VMs, native containers.

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🗂️
server
Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2

Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 — end-of-life status, ESU options, and migration paths.

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✉️
collaboration
Exchange Server 2016

Exchange Server 2016 — end-of-life messaging server, Standard vs Enterprise, CAL model, migration to Exchange Server SE or Exchange Online.

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📂
collaboration
SharePoint Server 2016

SharePoint Server 2016 — MinRole topology, hybrid sites with SharePoint Online, end-of-life and migration to SharePoint Subscription Edition.

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🧑‍💻
developer
Visual Studio 2019

Visual Studio 2019 — Live Share, IntelliCode, .NET Core 3 / .NET 5 tooling, end-of-mainstream-support status.

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🧑‍💻
developer
Visual Studio 2017

Visual Studio 2017 — workload-based installer, .NET Core 1.x/2.x tooling, end of support April 2027 for Enterprise LTSC.

Read reference →
📐
office
Visio 2019

Visio 2019 — Standard vs Professional, AWS / Azure stencil libraries, end of extended support October 2025.

Read reference →
📐
office
Visio 2016

Visio 2016 — IEEE-compliant electrical shapes, Office co-authoring on diagrams, end-of-life October 2025.

Read reference →
📊
office
Project 2019

Project 2019 — Standard vs Professional, sprint planning, task-board views, end of extended support October 2025.

Read reference →
📊
office
Project 2016

Project 2016 — multiple timelines, resource engagement workflow, end-of-life October 2025.

Read reference →
🟦
windows
Windows 8 / 8.1

Windows 8 and 8.1 — Start screen, Modern UI, what to do with deployments still running it.

Read reference →
🪟
windows
Windows 7

Windows 7 — end of support January 2020, ESU through January 2023, migration paths to Windows 10/11.

Read reference →
🏭
windows
Windows Embedded / IoT Enterprise

Windows Embedded Industry / IoT Enterprise — long-life kiosk and device editions, 10-year support cycles.

Read reference →
By category

What we cover, at a glance

Coverage across the Microsoft stack — depth measured in editions, CAL combinations and licensing paths explained per category.

Reference depth by category
Windows desktop9
Windows Server + RDS8
Office & Microsoft 3657
SQL Server6
Collaboration (Exchange / SharePoint)6
Developer (Visual Studio)4
Dynamics 365 & System Center5
What you'll find inside
  • Edition matricesSide-by-side feature differences for every shipping SKU.
  • CAL mathUser vs device CALs, External Connector, and audit-safe sizing.
  • Activation modelsMAK, KMS, ADBA, subscription activation explained plainly.
  • Channel comparisonRetail vs Volume vs CSP — with the OEM nuance spelled out.
Keep learning

Knowledge base

Plain-English answers to the questions buyers and IT admins actually ask.

Licensing FAQ

CAL math, KMS vs MAK, OEM clarifications, Microsoft 365 boundaries.

Glossary

Plain-English definitions for CAL, SA, VLSC, MAK, KMS, CSP, OSE.

Magazine

In-depth articles on licensing changes and edition comparisons.