Windows Server 2016

Windows Server 2016 is Microsoft's server operating system for file sharing, Active Directory, web hosting with IIS, Remote Desktop Services and Hyper-V virtualization. An LTSC release from October 2016. Mainstream support ended in January 2022 and extended support ends in January 2027. Consider a newer release for new deployments and pick 2016 only if your applications require it.

Key features

• Windows containers and Hyper-V containers, the first container support in Windows Server
• Nano Server install option (used only as a container image today)
• Storage Spaces Direct and Storage Replica (Datacenter)
• Shielded virtual machines and the Host Guardian Service
• Credential Guard and Just Enough Administration for identity protection

Standard or Datacenter?

• Standard suits physical or lightly virtualized servers. A fully licensed server gets rights to run two virtual machines (operating system environments).
• Datacenter suits heavily virtualized environments with unlimited virtual machines, plus features found only in this edition such as Storage Spaces Direct, shielded virtual machines and software-defined networking.

Under Microsoft's licensing terms Windows Server is licensed per core, with a minimum of 16 cores counted per server. Every user or device that connects to the server also needs a Client Access License (CAL), and Remote Desktop Services needs RDS CALs on top.

License and delivery

The key activates once on a single server. If you reinstall the server from scratch after activation, the same key cannot be used again, so activate it after setup and drivers are done. Use the key within 24 hours of delivery. Each option shows its delivery type, and prepared delivery usually takes 5 to 60 minutes.

For other releases see Windows Server 2025, Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019 or the Windows Server category. Every Microsoft product is on the brand page.

1. Finish installing Windows Server 2016 from Microsoft's installation media and make sure the edition (Standard or Datacenter) matches the option you bought.
2. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
3. Enter the key from your order with slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.
4. Activate with slmgr /ato. Check the status with slmgr /xpr.
5. If the Evaluation edition is installed, first convert it with DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:KEY /AcceptEula (ServerDatacenter for Datacenter).