SOLVED: What Are Generic Volume License Keys (GVLK)?

Generic Volume License Keys (GVLK) are the codes that are used to activate Windows desktops and servers with a companies internal Key Management Server (KMS).

GVLKs are also referred to as KMS client setup keys. Installation media from Microsoft for Enterprise editions of the Windows operating system may already contain the GVLK. One GVLK is available for each type of installation. The GLVK won’t activate the software against Microsoft activation servers, but rather against a KMS or Active Directory-based activation object. In other words, the GVLK doesn’t work unless a valid KMS host key can be found. GVLKs are the only product keys that don’t need to be kept confidential.

Plan for volume activation – Windows Deployment | Microsoft Learn

If, like most small companies, your firm does not have a KMS server the only time you will probably use a GVLK is if you are converting from an evaluation version of windows to a fully licensed version of Windows.

GVLK keys are public and anyone can use them. This is because they will not activate against Microsoft’s public licensing servers, just internal company KMS servers.

Here are all of the GVLK licenses we could find from the last decade: