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Error code

0xC004C020

The Multiple Activation Key has exceeded its limit.
WindowsMAKChecked 2026-10-20
Official message
Microsoft original
The activation server reported that the Multiple Activation Key has exceeded its limit.

What this means

This MAK has used every activation it was allowed. The allowance has to be increased, or another licensing method has to be used.

Common causes

  • More devices in the organization were activated than the purchase allows.
  • The same key was reused on devices that are not covered.
Do this first

Ask IT to check how many times this key has been used in the volume licensing service.

What to do next

  1. 1Request a higher limit through the Volume Licensing Service Center.
Continue diagnosis from this code

Take what you know into the KMS diagnosis. It will ask a few more questions to narrow this down.

Start the diagnosis

Sources

Related articles

KMS and organization volume licensing: what it is, and why the internal network matters
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About this data
The meaning and the original message come from the documents listed above. The same error code can have more than one cause. This site gives an order of checks. It does not decide your exact situation from the code alone.
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