Your Microsoft Office activation requires a unique product key that acts like the key to unlock your Office suite. This product key is specific to your license, and without proper activation, you won't be able to fully access your Office features. One crucial requirement during the activation process is enabling TLS 1.2 (Transport Layer Security), a secure communication protocol that ensures your connection to Microsoft’s servers is safe.
While the name TLS 1.2 may sound technical and intimidating, it’s actually a simple process to enable. Failing to activate this protocol can lead to frustrating activation issues. In this article, I’ll explain how to enable TLS 1.2 for Microsoft Office Activation, why is it essential, and why it may or may not be worth the effort.
Why do we Need to Enable TLS 1.2 for Microsoft Office Activation?
When activating Microsoft Office or Office 365, a unique product key is required to verify your license. However, the process involves more than just entering the key; it relies on a secure connection to Microsoft’s servers to authenticate and activate your software. This is where TLS 1.2 (Transport Layer Security) becomes essential.
TLS 1.2 ensures that the communication between your computer and Microsoft's servers is encrypted and protected from potential threats. As older versions of TLS (1.0 and 1.1) are now considered insecure and have been deprecated, Microsoft mandates the use of TLS 1.2 for Office activation. Without it, you risk encountering errors such as “Network Error” during the activation process, as your system won't be able to establish a secure connection to Microsoft's activation servers.
The importance of enabling TLS 1.2 lies in the secure connection it establishes between your system and Microsoft’s servers. Without TLS 1.2:
Activation May Fail: Microsoft servers won’t accept connections from older or insecure versions of TLS, leading to activation errors or the inability to verify your Office license.
Increased Security: Using TLS 1.2 protects sensitive data exchanged during the activation process, ensuring that your product key and licensing information remain secure.
Prerequisites for Enabling TLS 1.2 for Microsoft Office Activation
To enable TLS 1.2, make sure your Windows system is fully updated, as older versions of Windows may not have TLS 1.2 enabled by default. You’ll need to edit specific registry keys to activate TLS 1.2, ensuring that both client and server components are properly configured. The registry settings can be adjusted as follows:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.2\Client
Set DisabledByDefault to 0.
Set Enabled to 1.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.2\Server
Set DisabledByDefault to 0.
Set Enabled to 1.
After making these changes, restart your computer to ensure the settings take effect. It's also important to verify that your security tools or firewalls are compatible with TLS 1.2 and not blocking communication with Microsoft's activation servers.
How to Enable TLS 1.2 for Microsoft Office Activation
Activating TLS 1.2 (Transport Layer Security) is essential for safeguarding the communication between your computer and Microsoft’s servers during the activation process. However, enabling TLS 1.2 can be a bit technical as it involves making changes to the registry. But don’t worry—I'll break it down into clear, step-by-step instructions in this guide on how do I manually enable TLS 1.2, so you can follow along without any hassle.
As I go through the steps for How do I enable TLS 1.2 in Office 365 activation, it's helpful to keep track of my progress. Below is a checklist that I use to ensure I complete each task without missing any important steps:
Steps | Tasks | Completed |
|---|---|---|
1 | I will enable Strong Cryptography in .NET Framework | ☐ |
2 | I will modify the Strong Cryptography Setting | ☐ |
3 | I will disable SSL 2.0 | ☐ |
4 | I will disable SSL 3.0 | ☐ |
5 | I will disable TLS 1.0 | ☐ |
6 | I will disable TLS 1.1 | ☐ |
7 | I will ensure TLS 1.2 is enabled | ☐ |
8 | I will restart my server | ☐ |
This checklist serves as a quick overview of the key steps involved in enabling TLS 1.2. I can simply check off each task as I complete it, making the process more organized and easier to follow.
Step 1: Enable Strong Cryptography in .NET Framework
First, we need to enable Strong Cryptography in .NET Framework by making a few changes to the registry.
Press the "Windows + R" keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog.
Type "regedit" in the search box and press "Enter".
Use the search tab to navigate to the .NET Framework path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework\v4.0.30319
Check if there is a key named SchUseStrongCrypto. If not, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it SchUseStrongCrypto.
Step 2: Modify Strong Cryptography Setting
To enable Strong Cryptography and enhance security, follow these steps:
Double-click on SchUseStrongCrypto.
Set its value to 1 to enable strong cryptography and then press "Enter" to save the changes.
Step 3: Disable Earlier Versions of SSL
After enabling strong cryptography, the next step is to disable earlier versions of SSL and TLS, as they may cause compatibility issues.
Navigate to the SSL 2.0 path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\SSL 2.0\Client
If this key doesn’t exist, create it by right-clicking on Protocols, selecting New > Key, and naming it SSL 2.0.
Within SSL 2.0, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named DisabledByDefault and set its value to 1.
Create another DWORD (32-bit) Value named Enabled and set its value to 0.
Repeat these steps under the Server key within the SSL 2.0 folder.
Once SSL 2.0 has been disabled, you will need to disable SSL 3.0.
Navigate to the SSL 3.0 path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\SSL 3.0\Client
If this key doesn’t exist, create it similarly to the steps above.
Within SSL 3.0, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named DisabledByDefault and set its value to 1.
Create another DWORD (32-bit) Value named Enabled and set its value to 0.
Repeat these steps under the Server key within the SSL 3.0 folder.
Step 4: Disable Earlier Versions of TLS
After disabling both versions of SSL, the next step is to disable older versions of TLS, specifically TLS 1.0 and 1.1.
To begin with TLS 1.0, navigate to the TLS 1.0 path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.0\Client
If this key doesn’t exist, create it as mentioned earlier.
Within TLS 1.0, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named DisabledByDefault and set its value to 1.
Create another DWORD (32-bit) Value named Enabled and set its value to 0.
Repeat these steps under the Server key within the TLS 1.0 folder.
Once done, proceed to disable TLS 1.1.
Navigate to the TLS 1.1 path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.1\Client
If this key doesn’t exist, create it similarly to the previous steps.
Within TLS 1.1, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named DisabledByDefault and set its value to 1.
Create another DWORD (32-bit) Value named Enabled and set its value to 0.
Repeat these steps under the Server key within the TLS 1.1 folder.
Step 5: Ensure TLS 1.2 is Enabled
After disabling all the older versions, it's important to ensure that TLS 1.2 is enabled. But how do I make sure TLS 1.2 is enabled?—it's simple! Just follow the steps below to verify and enable TLS 1.2 in your system.
Navigate to the TLS 1.2 path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.2\Client
If this key doesn’t exist, create it just as in the previous steps.
Within TLS 1.2, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named DisabledByDefault and set its value to 1.
Create another DWORD (32-bit) Value named Enabled and set its value to 0.
Repeat these steps under the Server key within the TLS 1.2 folder.
Step 6: Restart Your Server:
After making all the changes, close the Registry Editor.
Restart your server to apply the changes.
This might be an elaborate guide on enabling TLS 1.2, and while the steps are clear, they can still feel quite complex and time-consuming, especially for those not familiar with registry editing. After going through this process, I couldn’t help but think how complex and time-consuming this process was. If you're looking for a smoother, more intuitive office suite, WPS Office offers an easier installation and activation process—no technical steps like this needed. It’s user-friendly, installs with just a few clicks, and comes ready to use right away!
The Advantages of Using WPS Office: A Free and Powerful Alternative
While Microsoft Office activation comes at a starting price of $69.99, with complementary frustration and confusion, WPS Office presents a far more user-friendly and hassle-free alternative. Unlike Microsoft Office, WPS Office doesn’t demand tedious activation protocols or require you to enable specific security features just to get it running. It's lightweight, free, and offers the same core features—word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations—without any activation drama.
Other major reasons for why WPS Office is the number 1 strongest competitor of Microsoft Office is because:
Simple Installation & No Activation Hassles
With WPS Office, you don’t have to worry about complicated processes like enabling TLS 1.2 or troubleshooting activation errors. Download, install, and start using the software instantly—no product keys, no activation steps.
Free & Cost-Effective
WPS Office offers a free version that covers all the essential tools you need for daily productivity—whether it's creating documents, managing spreadsheets, or crafting presentations. If you're looking for premium features, their pricing is incredibly affordable compared to Microsoft's subscription model.
Cross-Platform & Multilingual Support
WPS Office is available on all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, making it easy to switch between devices. Plus, its multilingual support helps users across different regions work seamlessly in their preferred language.
Lightweight & Fast
One of the key advantages of WPS Office is its lightweight nature. It requires significantly less storage space than Microsoft Office, making it ideal for systems with limited resources. Despite its smaller size, it’s highly efficient and fast.
Full Compatibility with Microsoft Office Formats
WPS Office fully supports Microsoft Office formats like .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx, so you can easily open, edit, and save documents without any conversion issues.
Integrated PDF Tools
WPS Office comes with built-in PDF editing tools, allowing you to edit, convert, and even digitally sign PDFs, features that typically require separate, paid software in the Microsoft ecosystem.
To get WPS Office, simply follow the steps below for an easy download and installation process:
Step 1: Open your browser and go to WPS Office website.
Step 2: On the center of the homepage locate and click on the "Free Download" to begin the download.
Step 3: Once the download is complete, find the "wps_wid.cid" file in your downloads folder and right-click to run it as an administrator, which will open the installation wizard.
Step 4: Follow the prompts to install the software, agreeing to the terms and conditions by clicking "Install Now."
Step 5: After installation, open the app and enjoy access to all its features without any activation hassle.
FAQs
1. Which versions of Windows support TLS 1.2?
TLS 1.2 is compatible with Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, and newer releases. For older Windows versions, you will need to upgrade to a supported version to use TLS 1.2.
2. What should I do if I encounter errors after enabling TLS 1.2?
If you run into problems, start by verifying that your system has the most recent security updates installed. Should the issue remain unresolved, attempt to restore the TLS settings to their original state and then reactivate TLS 1.2. If you continue to experience difficulties, reach out to Microsoft Support for additional help.
Simplify Office Suite Installation
Enabling TLS 1.2 is essential for the successful activation of Microsoft Office, as Microsoft has phased out support for older TLS versions (1.0 and 1.1) due to security concerns. However, if you're tired of the complicated processes of learning how to enable TLS 1.2 for Microsoft Office Activation, WPS Office offers a much simpler, activation-free alternative. With easy installation, no product keys, and no need for special configurations like TLS 1.2, WPS Office is a hassle-free, lightweight suite that delivers all the essential office tools you need.
