Ohook Explained: How Offline Office Activation Actually Works

Ohook is the only MAS method that activates Office permanently without touching a server. This is what it does under the hood and when you should use something else instead.

What Ohook actually does

Office checks its licensing state through a local library. Ohook places a small hook alongside that library so the check returns a licensed result locally. There is no key installed, no KMS host contacted, no scheduled task created, and nothing that expires.

That design is why Ohook is the recommended path for Office: it is the least invasive option in terms of network behaviour and the most durable in terms of time.

What it supports

  • Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 (retail and volume)
  • Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and business
  • Project and Visio, standalone or bundled
  • 32-bit and 64-bit installs, Click-to-Run and MSI

What it does not support: the Microsoft Store version of Office, and web-only 365 subscriptions — neither uses the licensing path Ohook hooks into.

Where it breaks

Smart App Control. On clean Windows 11 installs with SAC enabled, the hook file is blocked outright. SAC cannot be re-enabled once turned off without a reinstall, so decide deliberately — or use Online KMS for Office instead, which touches nothing on disk.

Code Integrity Guard / HVCI in strict mode. Same outcome, different mechanism: unsigned modules alongside a signed process are refused.

Antivirus quarantine. Defender flags the hook. If it disappears an hour after you activate, Office silently returns to unlicensed. Exclude the Office program folder if you want it to persist.

Office reinstalls and major upgrades. The hook lives next to the installation, so replacing the installation removes it. Re-run Ohook — it takes seconds.

Installing it

Run MAS as administrator and choose Ohook Activation → Install. The script detects your Office build automatically. If you have both Office and standalone Project installed, one run covers both.

Verifying

Open any Office app → File → Account. You should see "Product Activated" with no subscription banner. From the command line, in the Office install directory:

cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus

A LICENSE STATUS: ---LICENSED--- line confirms it. If you instead see ---NOTIFICATIONS---, the hook is not loading — check quarantine first, SAC second.

Ohook vs Online KMS for Office

OhookOnline KMS
DurationPermanent180 days, auto-renewed
InternetNeverEvery renewal
Files on diskOne small hookNone
Works with Smart App ControlNoYes
Survives Office reinstallNoNo

Use Ohook by default. Switch to Online KMS only when a security feature blocks it.


Get the script

Open Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) and run:

irm https://get.activated.win | iex

Prefer offline? Grab the archive from the download page and run MAS_AIO.cmd as administrator. More help: troubleshooting guide · error decoder · all guides.

Download Microsoft Activation Scripts (MAS) v3.11

Run Microsoft-Activation-Scripts.zip directly, or download the ZIP archive if your browser blocks the script.

PowerShell one-liner (recommended):

irm https://get.activated.win | iex

If the download or the script doesn't work, please temporarily disable your antivirus (including Windows Defender real-time protection) and try again. Activation tools are commonly flagged as false positives.