VBScript Is on Its Way Out, and Microsoft Says Admins Should Act Now

VBScript deprecation is moving closer to affecting real Windows administration workflows, and Microsoft is now urging IT administrators to prepare for its eventual removal.

Microsoft announced the deprecation of VBScript in 2023, but the scripting technology will not disappear immediately. It will initially remain available in Windows as a Feature on Demand for organizations that still rely on it.

Microsoft warns about slmgr.vbs activation scripts

One area Microsoft specifically wants administrators to review is Windows activation automation.

Many organizations use slmgr.vbs to automate activation and licensing tasks. However, because the script depends on VBScript, those workflows will eventually stop working once Microsoft removes VBScript from Windows.

Microsoft recommends moving activation automation to PowerShell, particularly its OSLicense PowerShell module.

The company has also published examples showing how commonly used slmgr.vbs commands can translate into PowerShell equivalents.

VBScript will disappear in three phases

Microsoft plans to retire VBScript gradually rather than remove it immediately.

During the first phase, VBScript will remain available as a Feature on Demand and stay enabled by default.

In the second phase, Windows will continue to include the optional component, but Microsoft will disable it by default. Organizations that still depend on VBScript will need to manually enable the feature or their existing scripts will fail.

The third phase will remove VBScript from Windows entirely. At that point, slmgr.vbs and other workflows that depend on the scripting engine will stop working.

Microsoft recommends identifying critical activation processes that still use slmgr.vbs and migrating them to the OSLicense module where possible.

OSLicense availability still depends on Windows version

The OSLicense PowerShell module is not yet available everywhere.

On Windows 11 client devices, administrators need the August 2026 preview update, KB5120998, or a later update.

Windows Server users will have to wait longer. Microsoft plans to introduce OSLicense with the next major Windows Server release.

Organizations therefore have some time to prepare, but Microsoft clearly wants administrators to start auditing VBScript dependencies before Windows begins disabling the feature by default.

In other news, Microsoft is racing to update Windows 11 PCs before a major Secure Boot deadline.