Online service activation for Open programs (volume licensing)

Microsoft Open Value and Open Value Subscription offer the ability to add online services subscriptions purchased per seat and available as digitally distributed online service activation (OSA) keys. An OSA key is a 25-character alphanumeric code that can be used to extend the expiration date of an existing subscription, or to add more licenses to your subscription.

Before you begin

• You must have a volume licensing (VL) role to access the VL pages in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• You must have Global Administrator or Billing Admin role on the organization's online services tenant to activate online service activation (OSA) keys.

Online service activation email

After you order online services through an Open program, the Primary Contact and the Notices Contact listed on the licensing contract receives an email titled "Sign in and activate your online services" that contains instructions on how to activate your services.

The primary / notices contact can choose to complete the service activation themselves or, if the organizations already uses online services, they can forward the email to the Global / Billing admin to do so. Note, however, that Global / Billing admin will need to have, or be assigned, a VL role to be able to view the OSA key in the volume licensing section of Microsoft 365 admin center

If the user activating OSA keys has Global / Billing admin role on the tenant, they are taken to the key redemption page (in a new browser tab) with the key auto copied, where they can redeem the OSA keys with the Microsoft 365 admin center.

If the user do not have the Global / Billing admin role, they will be prompted to Sign Up for a new tenant.

Activate services in the Microsoft 365 admin center

For customers intending to apply OSA keys to an existing subscription or to create a new subscription in the same Tenant used to sign into admin center volume licensing.

You can activate your online services directly in the admin center.

1. In the Microsoft 365 admin center go to the Billing > Your products page, then select the Volume licensing tab.

2. In the Contracts section, select View contracts, then select the License ID you want to manage.

3. Select the S****tart activation link.

4. A product activation window opens, where you should validate the prepopulated OSA product key, product name and quantity. You can also add another product key to apply at the same time. Select Continue.

5. The number and end date of your existing subscriptions is displayed, and you're prompted to apply your OSA product key by choosing one of the following options:

   • Extend the expiration date of an existing subscription by another 12 months

   • Add more licenses to an existing subscription and keep the subscription existing end date.

   • Create a new subscription

6. If you selected create a new subscription, when prompted to select a payment method, you may chose to "skip this step" as your OSA key is pre-paid. Next, on the Review your prepaid product key redemption page, select Place your order. The following message is displayed "You redeemed your prepaid product key, click Done".

7. If you selected Extend the expiration date or add more licenses, click Finish on Next page. You will be taken to the existing subscription page in Microsoft 365 admin center. On the Redeem Your Product key page, input your OSA key (if not already pre-populated) and click Validate. You are prompted to review your subscription information. Select Redeem to complete the process.

Activate services on a new online services Tenant

To redeem OSA keys on a different tenant than you sign in to Microsoft 365 admin center you first need to find and copy your OSA product keys in the admin center and then sign out (or open an In Private browsing session) before redeeming the keys when signed in using a different ID.

1. Go to https://www.office.com/setup365.
2. On the Let's Redeem Your Product Key page, enter your OSA product key, then select Next.
3. Enter your name, work email address, business phone number, company name, and country/region, then select Next.
4. Enter a phone number to receive either a text or call to verify your identity.
5. You can use a domain name you already own, get a new domain, or add a domain later. The steps can vary, depending on which option you choose.
6. When you're finished, go to the admin center to manage your subscription.

Activate Azure prepayment credits in the Microsoft 365 admin center

Azure prepayment credits bought via an Open Licensing program are also activated by using OSA product keys in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

To view the Azure in Open OSA keys, use the following steps:

1. In the admin center, go to the Billing > Your products page, then select the Volume licensing tab.
2. In the Product and services section, select View downloads and keys.
3. On the Products and services page, select the Azure product name.
4. In the details panel, select the Keys tab.
5. Find the License ID you want to activate, then select Start activations.
6. A new page opens where you can use the Azure OSA key to either Activate a New Subscription or Add more Azure credits to an existing subscription.

The credits can be used against any pay-as-you-go (PAYG) Azure service for 12 months from the OSA activation date. Azure pricing is specific to the services consumed.

For information about activating Microsoft Azure, see Get Started with Azure in Open Licensing.

Contact volume licensing support

For help locating or activating OSA keys, submit a case in the admin center > Help & Support.

If you can't access the admin center, see Contact volume licensing support.

For help with Azure OSA, sign in to the Microsoft Azure portal and submit a support case online.