Managing software licenses is a crucial aspect of maintaining compliance and ensuring that your software is legally used. In the Windows environment, there are several tools and commands that can help you manage and verify software licenses. This article will guide you through the process of managing software licenses on Windows using various methods, including the Command Prompt (CMD) and PowerShell.

Examples:

Example 1: Checking Windows Activation Status via CMD

To check the activation status of your Windows operating system, you can use the slmgr (Software Licensing Management Tool) command.

1. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   slmgr /xpr

   This command will display a window showing the activation status of your Windows installation.

Example 2: Viewing Detailed License Information via CMD

For more detailed information about your Windows license, you can use the following command:

1. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   slmgr /dlv

   This will open a window with detailed information about your Windows license, including the activation ID, installation ID, and license status.

Example 3: Managing Office 365 Licenses via PowerShell

If you need to manage Office 365 licenses, you can use PowerShell to do so. Here’s how:

1. Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
2. Install the Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant if you haven't already:

   Install-Module MSOnline

3. Connect to your Office 365 account:

   $UserCredential = Get-Credential
   Connect-MsolService -Credential $UserCredential

4. List all users and their assigned licenses:

   Get-MsolUser | Select-Object UserPrincipalName, DisplayName, Licenses

5. Assign a license to a user:

   Set-MsolUserLicense -UserPrincipalName user@example.com -AddLicenses "yourtenant:ENTERPRISEPACK"

Example 4: Removing a Windows Product Key via CMD

If you need to remove a product key from a Windows installation, you can use the following command:

1. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   slmgr /upk

   This will uninstall the product key from your Windows installation.

Example 5: Checking Software Licenses via PowerShell

To check the licenses of installed software, you can use PowerShell to query the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service.

1. Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
2. Use the following command to list software licenses:

   Get-WmiObject -Query "SELECT * FROM SoftwareLicensingProduct WHERE LicenseStatus=1"

   This command will list all licensed software products on your Windows system.

By following these examples, you can effectively manage and verify software licenses on your Windows system, ensuring compliance and proper usage of your software assets.