Microsoft Windows phone activation not working? It seems to have been killed

Microsoft’s decades-old Windows phone activation service seems to have been quietly killed off, and users aren’t happy about it. If you try calling the activation hotline now, you’ll likely be greeted with an automated message directing you to visit aka.ms/aoh instead of speaking to an actual system that could activate your copy of Windows.

The change was first reported on Reddit around ten days ago, and then it was highlighted on X by @TheBobPony yesterday, who posted a video showing the new automated message. “It’s no longer possible to activate Windows and any Microsoft product over the phone anymore,” they noted, adding that the phone line now simply redirects callers to a web portal.

Similarly, another individual posted a detailed video on YouTube explaining what changed. You can watch it here:

This is a bigger deal than it might sound at first.

Phone activation has been a staple of Windows since the Windows XP era, serving as a lifeline for users who needed to activate their OS without an internet connection or those running legacy systems. It was still working perfectly fine just a couple of months ago, according to multiple users who successfully activated Windows 11 via phone as recently as October 2025.

Now, when you call any of Microsoft’s regional activation numbers, the system tells you that “support for product activation” has moved online. The automated voice provides the aka.ms/aoh link and that’s it. No option to proceed with phone activation, no human support, nothing.

Interestingly, the official support documentation still includes steps to activate Windows via the phone:

Here’s where it gets controversial. The new web-based activation portal reportedly requires users to sign in with a Microsoft account. That’s a significant shift from the phone system, which was essentially anonymous and didn’t require any account linking. We’re talking about a method that worked for everything from Windows XP to Windows 11, now suddenly locked behind an online-only, account-required system.

The community response has been mixed but mostly frustrated. Some users pointed out that this kills legitimate activation options for air-gapped systems or enterprise environments that don’t have internet access. Others are worried about activating older, legally purchased copies of Windows that they still use for specific workflows.

Interestingly, the aka.ms/aoh portal does still support activation for older Windows versions including XP, according to users who’ve tested it. But you’ll need internet access and a Microsoft account to make it work, which defeats the purpose for many use cases where phone activation was the only option.

This isn’t Microsoft’s only recent move to tighten activation controls. The company also blocked the popular KMS38 activation method from Massgrave in November 2025, cutting off another workaround that users relied on. Together, these changes signal a clear shift toward forcing all activation through official online channels with account requirements.

For now, if you’re trying to activate an older version of Windows or Office without internet, you’re essentially out of luck through official channels. I’d expect Microsoft to face some pushback on this, especially from enterprise customers still running legacy systems in isolated environments.