Microsoft Product Activation is designed to reduce casual copying. Microsoft Product Activation requires users of Microsoft software to follow a simple and anonymous process in order to activate their installation of Microsoft software.
Users have the option to activate their software via the Internet or by telephone.
When consumers activate via the Internet, they provide a product ID code, and an automatically generated installation ID number is sent to confirm activation. Customers are not required to provide any personally identifiable information. Before activation is required, customers have a grace period of 50 startups for application software products, such as Office and Visio, and 30 days from the first boot for the Windows operating system. Customers will need to activate their software before the end of the grace period in order for it to operate. Some PC manufacturers, however, will activate the Microsoft software in the factory so the end user does not have to do so.