Getting a message to renew Microsoft Office? Here's what you need to do.

  • 28 September 2020

If you have been working off campus with a work computer for more than six months, you may see a notice on your computer asking to activate your Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Office license. This occurs because Microsoft’s Key Management Service (KMS), which manages our enterprise license activations, is hosted on the campus network and requires user computers to re-authenticate every six months.

To renew your license, you simply need to connect to the University of Alberta VPN. This will renew your Microsoft license for another 180 days.

How to Connect to the U of A VPN:

  1. Install the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client following the Access the U of A VPN Knowledgebase article
  2. Once installed, open Cisco AnyConnect VPN
    1. Type vpn.ualberta.ca into the dialog box
    2. Enter your CCID & password
    3. You are now connected to the VPN
  3. Remember to disconnect from the VPN once finished

For detailed instructions on how to connect, visit  Access the University of Alberta VPN.