Fix: Windows Activation Error 0XC004F009 (Grace Period Expired)

Wondering how to fix Windows Activation error 0XC004F009 (Grace Period Expired) on your PC?

When you install Windows on your PC, it will enter the grace period or activation period, which grants you access to Windows and its features without regard to any limitations. 

Recently, several users reported that their screens display activation error 0XC004F009 which states that the grace period has expired, even before they activate their operating system. We had a look into this issue, and discovered that it can be caused by a number of reasons, including a missing Windows update, expired grace period, and corruption errors. 

If you are facing a similar issue, you are in the right place because in this guide, we will walk you through the relevant troubleshooting steps in detail. 

Let’s get started! 

1. Use Command Prompt.

If your grace period has expired and you want to activate Windows on your PC, then the easiest way of doing so is via Command Prompt. 

Command Prompt is a command-line interpreter that is used to execute the entered commands. In this method, we will use this tool to install a new product key or replace the existing one. 

Make sure to obtain your MAK key before proceeding with this method. 

Here is what you need to do:

  1. Type cmd in the search bar and click on Run as administrator to launch elevated Command Prompt.
  2. Type the command mentioned below in the Command Prompt window and hit Enter to execute it.
Slmgr.vbs –ipk <your mak key>
  1. Once this command is executed, execute the command mentioned below. 
slmgr.vbs –ato

That’s it. 

Once you are connected to the Microsoft servers, you should be able to activate Windows successfully by following the steps mentioned above. You can also try installing the latest Windows updates to fix the issue.

2. Use your Phone.

You can activate your Windows using your phone in two cases; when the Windows key bought by the user is for their personal use and the second when it’s a MAK key. 

Several users managed to resolve the issue using this method, which is why we encourage you to give it a shot. 

Here is what you need to do:

  1. Open a Run dialogue box by pressing Windows + R keys simultaneously on your PC. 
  2. Inside the text field of the dialogue box, type ‘ms-settings:activation‘ if you are using Windows 10 and hit Enter. In case you are using an older version of Windows, type ‘slui‘ and press Enter. This will take you to the Windows activation menu.
Windows Activation Error 0XC004F009 (Grace Period Expired)

Note: If you cannot locate the Phone Activation option, open a Run dialogue box by pressing Windows + R keys together and type ‘SLUI 4‘. Hit Enter and then choose your country from the dropdown menu in the next window. Finally, click on Phone Activation to proceed. 

  1. Your screen will now display some toll-free numbers that you can call. Select a number from there to call and then follow the instructions to proceed. 
Windows Activation Error 0XC004F009 (Grace Period Expired)
  1. Provide your own installation ID and once the process is complete, your Windows will be activated. 

Hopefully, this will resolve the Windows Activation error 0XC004F009 (Grace Period Expired). However, if this scenario wasn’t applicable, proceed to the next method below. 

3. Try Using CleanMyPC.

It is also possible for errors such as the one at hand to be caused by viruses or malicious software within your system. This is why it’s crucial to identify and remove the corrupt files in order for your system to remain safe.

In order to identify and remove corrupt files, the best way is to use a reliable PC cleaner since doing so will save you time and effort. In case you do not already have a PC cleaner on your PC, we recommend that you try CleanMyPC.

Install CleanMyPC on your PC

CleanMyPC will scan through your PC’s system files, identify corrupt ones, and clean up your PC within a few minutes. It comes with a wide range of system maintenance tools that can take care of almost all your PC-related issues, that too by utilizing minimum resources. 

Install CleanMyPC now to give your PC a much-needed performance boost! 


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4. Increase the Grace Period for MAK Key.

If you did not activate your MAK key right after purchasing it, then there is a high chance that this is causing the issue under consideration. There is, however, a limit for the number of activations each MAK can make. 

Moreover, these keys are not recycled, which means that the number of activations on this key might have exceeded their limit already. 

If this scenario is applicable, then you can increase the grace period of your MAK key to activate the license key. However, keep in mind that you can only reset the activation period 4 times and if that limit has reached already, you might need to get a new license key. 

Here is how you can increase the grace period for your MAK key:

  1. Open a Run dialogue box by pressing Windows + R keys simultaneously. 
  2. In the text field of the dialogue box, type ‘regedit’ and hit Enter to launch Windows Registry. 
  3. Inside Windows Registry, navigate to the location mentioned below. 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\OOBE\mediabootinstall
  1. In the right pane, locate MediaBootInstall and double-click on it.
Windows Activation Error 0XC004F009 (Grace Period Expired)
  1. Now set the base to Hexadecimal and the value to 0
  2. Hit Enter to save the changes and restart your PC. 
  3. Upon reboot, type cmd in the search bar and click on Run as administrator to launch elevated Command Prompt.
  4. Type the command mentioned below in Command Prompt window and hit Enter to execute it
slmgr -rearm

That’s it. 

You can now repeat your activation process and hopefully, the error code 0XC004F009 will not show up again.

This brings us to the end of our guide on fixing the Windows Activation error 0XC004F009 (Grace Period Expired). We hope that one of the methods mentioned above helped you fix the error. If you still have any questions regarding the troubleshooting steps, feel free to let us know in the comment section below.

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • Zainab Falak

    Zainab Falak is a staff writer for Saint and an expert in Microsoft Windows, having authored more than 200 posts. She has a Bachelors in Actuarial Sciences and her passion for computers extends to exploring various aspects, from UI customization to the Windows registry and exploring error codes. Twitter LinkedIn

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