VBScript Deprecation May Break Windows Activation for Businesses

Microsoft has issued a warning to organizations that rely on VBScript for Windows activation. The company is deprecating VBScript, which will make it impossible for companies to use the Slmgr.vbs tool to manage Windows activation after a future release. This could cause significant problems for businesses that depend on this feature.

VBScript has been part of Windows for almost 30 years and was used as a powerful automation technology for programmers and users. However, Microsoft announced in 2023 that it would be deprecating the language, and now organizations are being told to switch to PowerShell. The company recommends using the OSLicense module, which provides similar functionality to Slmgr.vbs but requires Windows PowerShell 5.1.

However, there is a catch: the OSLicense module is only available in client versions of Windows 11 after installing the August 2026 Preview update (KB5120998) or later. This could be a problem for organizations that use older versions of Windows or have not yet upgraded to Windows 11.