How to Fix Acquisition of End User License failed, Event ID 1014

Event ID 1014 catches our attention while going through the Event Viewer, when Acquisition of End User License has failed. This can occur for a number of reasons that include, but are not limited to, activating new Windows PCs, issues associated with Microsoft 365 deployment, and so on and so forth. In this post, we will take a look at how the problem can be fixed.

The purchase of an end-user license has failed.

Creator: Security-SPP

This is the 1014th event.

Event ID: 1014 - End User License Acquisition Failed

If you are running Windows 11/10 and find Event ID 1014 in Event Viewer, it indicates that purchasing an end user license has failed. Therefore, try implementing the fixes provided below to resolve the issue.

Switch off Identify configurations automatically

Always enable with a stable network.

Switch off all VPN or proxy support.

Timer for Activation Reset

Activation of Key Management Services (KMS) while installing Office or Microsoft 365 on Windows

Now let's discuss them in detail.

1. Disable Automatically Detect Settings

If you want your computer to automatically set up your network settings, such as your IP address and DNS server address, enable the Automatically detect settings function. On the other hand, if your system can't acquire the license, it probably can't find the right settings either. The next time we try to set up Office or Microsoft 365, we will disable it. To do so, just follow the steps given.

Start the application.

Go to the "View" menu and choose "Large icons."

When going onto the Connections tab, hit the LAN settings button.

Then un-check the option "Automatically detect settings"

Click the "Ok" button.

Reconfiguration of Microsoft 365 is possible by doing that. I hope the exact same problem wouldn't be a pain in your head.

2] During activation make your network stable.

The license acquisition fails because of the inconsistent network among other reasons. It is ideal to have a wired one, but if that's not possible, then you have to use a free Internet speed tester to ensure that your network is consistent before attempting to activate it.

3. Stop using a VPN or proxy.

You need to disable the Proxy or VPN network before installing or configuring Microsoft 365. Your system will try to connect to the server in your region, but it will not be successful if you have them on and connected to a proxy network. We recommend ensuring that Automatic detection is on if you haven't configured any Proxy. If you want to do it, just follow these steps.

Head to the Settings menu by pressing the Windows key along with the icon.

Then, click on Proxy from the Network and internet side menu.

Now, move to the Automatic proxy configuration and switch off the Automatically detect settings.

Then, reboot your computer and then continue with the license setup. Hopefully, this will resolve your issue.

4] Wake Up the Timers of the Device

If you receive this error attempting to activate Windows, it is because the grace period has expired. In such a case, the activation timer needs to be reset via the slmgr /rearm command. This step essentially extends Windows' trial period by resetting the activation timer to its original state. When using a trial version of an OS, it is common to delay the question of activation. Once you are logged in as an administrator, execute the following in the Command Prompt window.

/rearm slmgr

Then, power down the computer. Finally, check whether the issue is fixed.

5] KMS activation on Windows machines

In volume licensing scenarios, Microsoft products such as Windows and Office are activated with Key Management Services (KMS). We will be activating the machine to a Key Management Services (KMS) host using the appropriate Generic Volume License Key since the standard activation method is not working. If you would like to do so, just follow these steps.

Find Command Prompt in the Start menu and open it as an administrator.

Run slmgr/ipk now.

Now, run slmgr /ato.

Finally, you may want to reboot your computer and see if this resolves your issue.

6. Repair Microsoft 365 or Office

Once you've disabled the proxy and done the other network adjustments in the previous steps and Office or Microsoft 365 won't still activate, then we're going to want to repair Office or Microsoft 365. You are free to go ahead with that if you feel like it by simply following the procedures below.

Launch the Setting menu.

Go to the Apps menu and then click on the Installed iOS app.

Type in "Microsoft 365" or "Office" in the search menu, click the three dots, and click Modify

Now, click Quick Repair

Click Online Repair if that didn't work.

You can fix the problem by following the steps in the post until the near future.