- After expiration, warnings, visual limits, and periodic shutdowns appear every hour.
- With slmgr you can check the status, days remaining, and available rearms of the evaluation.
- The rearmament legally extends the test, but its scope and number vary by version and connectivity.
- Offline, the evaluation may be limited to short periods; in production, it is essential to activate it.
If you work with evaluation versions of Windows Server, sooner or later the big question appears: What exactly happens when the 180 days pass and you don't activate the system? Beyond rumors, forum posts, and vague answers, it's important to understand what Microsoft limits, what's still working, and how to manage these deadlines without any problems.
In this article, we gather, organize, and compare all the key information circulating between administrators and technical documentation, so you can have a practical and realistic overview. You'll see what restrictions arise, how to check the expiration date, how to legally extend the trial period with slmgr, what are the differences between versions (2012, 2016/2019/2022 and the new features that some report in 2025) and what happens in scenarios without internet connection. I'll also give you some tips and best practices to ensure your lab doesn't play tricks on you.
What happens when the evaluation expires and you don't activate Windows Server?
The first thing you will notice is persistent activation reminders and a watermark on the desktop. This is the typical visual sign that the system isn't activated, something that goes largely unnoticed on servers until it starts bothering remote session users or the administrator of the machine.
La system customization is quite limited (themes, backgrounds, and cosmetic settings), and some options in the configuration panel are blocked. These restrictions don't prevent you from managing the server, but they are a clear warning that the license status is incorrect.
The important consequence at the operational level is that, once the evaluation period is exceeded, the system enters a notification mode and the equipment shuts down periodicallyIn current environments, it is widely assumed that shutdowns occur "every hour," which disrupts services and batch jobs and makes the server unreliable for sustained loads.
There are administrators who describe this shutdown as "every x time" because the cadence can be perceived as irregular depending on the load or version, but the practical effect is the same: it is not viable for productionBetween restarts, roles and services typically continue to function, but you'll experience recurring outages that impact users and processes.
Is it suitable for lab or development? Yes, as long as you accept the limitations and keep a close eye on the dates. Even with reminders and cosmetic limits, the basic functionality is maintained (roles, features, and services), but the periodic shutdown after expiration makes serious use unfeasible beyond brief tests between reboots.
How to check license status and expiration date
Windows includes a script classic to manage activation: slmgr.vbs (Software Licensing Manager). You can launch it from a console (CMD o PowerShell) with administrator permissions and allows you to check the status, expiration date and number of rearms available.
Commandos essential to check the evaluation status:
- Expiration date:
slmgr /xprOn activated retail or OEM versions, you'll see "Permanently Activated." If you're using KMS, the message will show that the activation is being renewed. every 180 days.
- License in use (summary):
slmgr /dliReturns the license type and, on evaluation, a look at the time remaining.
- License in detail:
slmgr /dlvIt includes detailed information and, very importantly, the Rearm Count (rearmaments available).
The reading of slmgr / xpr It will tell you if you can forget about the issue (permanent license), if you rely on KMS (semi-annual renewal), or if you're facing an evaluation with an end date. It's a quick command to diagnose the server's "vitality."
With slmgr / dlv You will see how many period resets you have left. In many Windows Server 2016/2019/2022 installations, up to 6 rearms, while some build/channel combinations report lower limits. This figure is key for planning how far you can legally stretch your lab.
There are administrators who, when evaluating the new generation of Windows Server, indicate that after running slmgr /dlv, appears only 1 reset available (for example, they've observed this when upgrading to recent installations). It's worth noting: Microsoft officially maintains a 180-day evaluation period, but the number of available rearms seems to vary depending on the version and build.
Legally extend the evaluation period (rearm) and nuances by version and connectivity
As long as the grace period has not expired, you can reset the counter from the evaluation with rearmament. The procedure is simple and fully supported for test scenarios:
- Open CMD or PowerShell as administrator.
- Check remaining days and rearms with:
slmgr /dlv - Execute the reset:
slmgr -rearm - Restart the server to apply the changes.
After a reboot, the counter returns to displaying in most evaluation editions of Windows Server 180 days and the number of rearms decreases by one. Repeat the process before using the grace period if you need to continue testing without interruptions and always within the allowed limits.
How many times can you rearm? It depends on the version and even the build. In many 2016/2019/2022 guides and real-world labs, you'll see that it's allowed. up to 6 times, which at 180 days per cycle adds up to approximately 3 years (1080 days). However, other formative sources speak of a total horizon of 540 days (which would imply fewer rearms). This disparity seems to have to do with changes between versions and distribution channels.
Be careful with one nuance: there is teaching documentation that states that the Reset resets the counter to 90 days in certain scenarios, while in the practice of many Windows Server administrators the operation reverts to 180 days. This detail may vary by edition, build or channel (and does not affect the legality of the reset, which remains valid under evaluation), but it is worth verifying it in your environment with slmgr /xpr y slmgr /dlv.
Very important: You cannot rearm if the grace period has already expired.If you let it expire, the system enters notification mode and periodic shutdowns begin. Schedule internal reminders or monitor the date with slmgr /xpr to carry out rearmament in time and avoid surprises.
What happens without an Internet connection? Here's a trick. Several administrators with Windows Server 2016 Datacenter in isolated environments report that, by not being able to "activate" the evaluation initially against Microsoft, the system remains stuck in a very short grace period (≈10 days) which can only be rearmed up to 6 times, remaining around 60 days of full use. Without that first contact with the activation servers, the complete 180-day cycle does not start of evaluation, so in offline environments the testing window is greatly reduced.
If you need a full evaluation and the server is isolated, consider temporary controlled access to the Internet to allow for initial evaluation activationOnce this is done, you'll be able to use the 180 days (and any supported resets) without constantly relying on an internet connection. If this isn't feasible, consider testing on a bridge VM with temporary access or rethinking your test environment.
Differences with Windows 10/11: on desktop, the evaluations are usually of 90 days and can be expanded in total up to about 270 days, but these images are not converted to standard editions through activation. However, in Windows Server it is possible convert an evaluation to a commercial edition by entering a valid key when the time comes, making it easy to move from the lab to a stable environment without reinstalling.
Key tools from slmgr when you are no longer in evaluation or migrate to commercial license:
- Install key:
slmgr /ipk CLAVE-DE-PRODUCTOAllows you to enter a valid key and, after reboot, use the retail, OEM, or volume channel as appropriate.
- Remove key:
slmgr /upkUninstall the key from the computer (useful if you are reassigning licenses that allow this).
- Force online activation:
slmgr /atoTry activating against Microsoft or your KMS server if you are in bulk; if it fails, see guides for activation errors.
- Offline activation for commercial licenses:
slmgr /dtiObtain the Installation ID. Call the Microsoft Activation Center, obtain an Activation ID, and apply it with:
slmgr /atp CODIGO-DE-ACTIVACIONThis is for valid licenses; does not “activate” the evaluation if you never started the 180-day cycle.
Regarding environments with KMS, remember that activation is automatically renews every 180 days. If you see that in slmgr /xpr This expiration date appears, but you're not in evaluation mode. This is normal behavior for a KMS client. Ensures regular connectivity to the activation host to prevent the device from being notified.
What about recent versions? There are reported cases of tested installations where only 1 reset appears when consulting slmgr /dlv, especially when moving from previous versions thinking about “continuing to rearm” after updating. Microsoft maintains the 180-day framework, but the number of rearms may have adjusted in new builds; plan accordingly and validate in your environment before committing to long lab projects.
Good practices that will save you headaches: plan calendars, monitors the expiration date with scripts and alerts (for example, logging the output of slmgr /xpr), document the rearms consumed, and avoid using evaluations in production. If you need stability, consider converting the evaluation to a validly licensed edition when the lab matures.
One last note: try to “stretch” the period by manipulating the system date or with Tricks undocumented usually causes inconsistencies in the licensing service and can block future resets. Prevention is better than cure: Use the Microsoft-supported methods and, if you reach the deadline, activate or reinstall a new, clean trial.
If you let your Windows Server evaluation expire without activating it, you'll see constant warnings, customization limits, and, above all, periodic shutdowns that make it unworkable for continuous loads; with slmgr you can check the status and legally extend the grace period while there's still room, keeping in mind that number of rearms and the duration after each rearm They vary depending on the version and initial connectivity (especially in offline environments). For labs, this is perfect with good planning; for production, the professional option is to activate with a valid license or convert the evaluation to a commercial edition.
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