Managing Microsoft Office installations can be a headache, especially when the trial period expires. That is where tools such as OSPPREARM.EXE come in. Being fully aware of how to extend your trial legally can save you a lot of hassle. I will share in this article ways through which OSPPREARM.EXE can be used to extend trials of the said tool and why one should consider simpler alternatives in the name of office suites such as WPS Office.
What is OSPPREARM.EXE?
OSPPREARM.EXE is a utility provided by Microsoft to help enterprise users rearm the activation of volume-licensed Microsoft Office installations. It allows system administrators to reset the activation period, ensuring that Office will remain usable without being required to reinstate it every so often.
Common Usage Scenarios for OSPPREARM.EXE
1.Volume Licensing Management: Allows organizations to stay compliant with licensing by performing an activation reset on multiple machines.
2. Software Testing: This will be helpful for IT teams to extend the Office trial period to test new software releases.
3. System Migrations: Migrating systems from old operating systems or hardware can delay activation until all of the systems and hardware are up and operational.
4. Shared Environments: Extends usability on devices with many users, such as in labs or libraries.
5. Troubleshooting: Assists administrators in troubleshooting issues with the activation of items by resetting the activated state of items.
In both these scenarios, OSPPREARM.EXE helps organizations work effectively and handle their installations of Microsoft Office easily.
Understanding MS Trial Periods
A trial version of Microsoft Office would typically fully enable the use of Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for a period of time, usually 30 days. In such a trial, users will be able to enjoy the most recent features of Microsoft 365 without any financial obligation. In turn, the company or individual is provided hands-on experience with the software to determine if it meets their needs before committing to a subscription purchase.
Why Microsoft Offers Trials
1. Customer Feel: Trial will let the customer get a feel of the software before purchase.
2. Market Exposure: Free trials will help Microsoft reach more people who may not otherwise purchase Office.
3. Feedback: Trials will also help Microsoft learn more about customer experiences, which can be useful for product development.
4. Conversion to Paid Plans: Essentially, trials aim to convert users to paying customers once they perceive the value of the software.
How to Get a Microsoft Office Trial
To start a trial for Microsoft Office, follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to the Microsoft Website: Visit the official Microsoft 365 page.
Step 2: Choose Your Plan: Look for the "Try for free" or "Free trial" button, then select the plan you want to try, such as Microsoft 365 Personal or Family.
Step 3: Sign In or Create Account: If you already have a Microsoft account, then sign in. If not, create a new account following the prompts.
Step 4: Payment Information: You will be required to fill in the details of your payment method. You will not be charged before the expiration of your trial period. This is just an auto-renewal mechanism.
Step 5: Download and Installation: Once you have signed up, you will be provided with a download link for Microsoft Office. Just run it, then follow the installation steps to install it on your system.
How can you extend the Microsoft Office trial period?
Extending the trial period of Microsoft Office can be useful when you want to spend more time evaluating the software. Here's how you can officially extend the trial period using OSPPREARM.EXE.
Official Methods to Extend its Usage
Using OSPPREARM.EXE: OSPPREARM.EXE is a command-line utility and is supplied by Microsoft. While OSPPREARM.EXE is primarily intended for corporate implementations, it can sometimes reset your trial period. Here's how you can take advantage of it in the right situations:
Step 1: Open the Command Prompt
Press Win + R, then open Run.
In the Run dialog, enter 'cmd' and click OK to open the Command Prompt.
Step 2: Switch to the Office Installation Folder
Execute the command cd "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\OfficeXX, replacing "XX" with your version number.
Step 3: Run OSPPREARM.EXE.
Type 'OSPPREARM.EXE' and press Enter.
This command will reset the trial period.
Step 4: Check the status.
To confirm whether it has reset itself successfully, after typing cscript OSPP.VBS /dstatus, and then press Enter.
Check the "Remaining Grace Period" to see if it has been extended.
Notes:
Ensure you are running the Command Prompt as an administrator.
Only run the utility if you understand its intended purpose and are authorized to use it.
Follow these steps to continue the trial mode and explore the capabilities of Microsoft Office.
WPS Office: The Best Alternative to Microsoft 365
If you're looking for a friendlier alternative to Microsoft 365, then WPS Office is quite brilliant. Take a closer look at its pros and how you are able to use it without technical hitches.
Advantages of WPS Office
1. Free Direct Use: Contrasting with how cumbersome it would be to extend trial periods using methods like OSPPREARM.EXE, WPS Office allows users to directly use the free features of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. In this manner, you get a real feeling of being able to apply your document, spreadsheet, and presentation knowledge without anything technical getting in your way.
2. Full-featured Tool Suite: WPS Office contains a whole tool suite that provides:
Writer: word processor, compatible with DOC, DOCX, PDF,.END.
Spreadsheet: a tool used for data management and analysis, compatible with XLS and XLSX files.
Presentation: a tool to create awesome slideshows in PPT and PPTX formats.
3. Extensive File Format Support: WPS supports a wide array of file formats, ensuring that you can open and save documents in various formats, which makes collaboration easy with others who might use different office suites.
4. Cross-system operation: No matter you use Windows system, macOS or Linux and mobile devices, WPS office enables you to have the same experience on every device. You can seamlessly switch between devices and keep your creations in a continuous creation environment.
5. WPS AI: Integrating WPS AI, the software increases your productivity by smartly suggesting words to be used, grammar checkers, layout recommendations for documents, making the creation process much easier and more effective.
How to Use Free Word/Excel/PPT in WPS Office
Basic usage of WPS Office is pretty straightforward. Let's take a quick tour on how to use it.
Step 1: Download WPS Office. Go to the WPS Office website and click on the download option, where you will be required to select your operating system.
Step 2: Installing the Software. Follow the installation wizard. The setup is friendly and takes only a few minutes.
Step 3: Create or Open a Document. Launch WPS Office and select the application you want to use: Writer, Spreadsheet, or Presentation.
You can create a new document or open any file from your device.
Step 4: Features to Avail:
Try all different features, from templates to formatting to enhancements using AI. Use 'SmartArt' in Writer to beautify your document, or use formulas in Spreadsheet to do difficult calculations.
Step 5: Save and Share
Save your work in your preferred format, such as WPS, DOCX, PDF, or even other file formats, and easily share it using email or via cloud services.
WPS Office offers you a complete office suite without the headache of having to reset trial periods, hence ideal for anyone in need of an advanced yet user-friendly office application.
FAQs
Q1 Is there a free lifetime version of Microsoft 365?
No, Microsoft 365 requires either a yearly or monthly paid subscription to avail yourself of the latest version of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, among other Office applications. There is no free lifetime license for this.
Q2 What happens when the Microsoft 365 trial ends?
Once the trial expires, access to the Microsoft 365 applications and services subject to the subscription is denied. Everything, from documents to email, will be deleted should the subscription not be renewed. This stage is irreversible.
Summary
In this post, I have shown you how to extend the trial period of Microsoft Office using the utility OSPPREARM.EXE and why it is time to move over to WPS Office. While OSPPREARM.EXE and similar tools have been useful in specific scenarios, with WPS Office, you work hassle-free with Office-like features and avoid going into technical details.
WPS Office would prove to be a great replacement for those who seek a fully featured, free suite. With seamless compatibility, cross-platform support, and a host of powerful features, it is the leading contender in the office suite market.
