VM Import License Type and License Manager BYOL Conversion

Checo7/3/26About 2 min

VM Import License Type and License Manager BYOL Conversion

A Windows instance imported via VM Import/Export without specifying --license-type BYOL defaults to Amazon-provided Windows licensing (incurring extra license fees). Can it be converted to BYOL afterwards? Yes, via License Manager.

Core Concepts

Conversion Eligibility

Instance Source	Can Convert to BYOL
Own VM imported via VM Import/Export	Yes
Launched from an AWS-provided AMI	No

Usage Operation Mapping

Platform Details	Usage Operation	Meaning
Windows	RunInstances:0002	Amazon-provided Windows license (charged)
Windows BYOL	RunInstances:0800	Bring-your-own-license (no license fee)

Prerequisites

The instance must be a VM Import (your media), not launched from an AWS-provided AMI
The instance must be associated with SSM Inventory
You must have your own KMS server for Windows activation

Steps

1. Confirm the current license type

aws ec2 describe-instances \
  --instance-ids <instance-id> \
  --query "Reservations[*].Instances[*].{PlatformDetails:PlatformDetails,UsageOperation:UsageOperation}"

Confirm UsageOperation is RunInstances:0002 (license included).

2. Switch the KMS address to your own KMS server

The conversion path requires modifying the Windows KMS configuration to point to your own KMS first:

slmgr.vbs /skms <your-kms-address>

3. Stop the instance

aws ec2 stop-instances --instance-ids <instance-id>

4. Initiate the license type conversion

aws license-manager create-license-conversion-task-for-resource \
  --resource-arn arn:aws-cn:ec2:cn-northwest-1:<account-id>:instance/<instance-id> \
  --source-license-context UsageOperation=RunInstances:0002 \
  --destination-license-context UsageOperation=RunInstances:0800

5. Monitor conversion status

aws license-manager get-license-conversion-task \
  --license-conversion-task-id <task-id> \
  --query "{Status:Status,StatusMessage:StatusMessage}"

Status: IN_PROGRESS -> SUCCEEDED (usually 1-2 minutes).

6. Start the instance and activate Windows

aws ec2 start-instances --instance-ids <instance-id>

RDP in and activate:

slmgr.vbs /ato

7. Verify

aws ec2 describe-instances \
  --instance-ids <instance-id> \
  --query "Reservations[*].Instances[*].{PlatformDetails:PlatformDetails,UsageOperation:UsageOperation}"

Expected: PlatformDetails = "Windows BYOL", UsageOperation = "RunInstances:0800".

Console Path

License Manager -> License type conversion -> Create -> Source OS "Windows with included license" -> Select instance -> Select target license type -> Start conversion.

Bonus: Specify BYOL at VM Import time

To avoid post-hoc conversion, specify BYOL on the next import:

aws ec2 import-image \
  --license-type BYOL \
  --disk-containers "Format=VMDK,UserBucket={S3Bucket=<bucket>,S3Key=<file.vmdk>}"

Without --license-type, Windows Server defaults to --license-type AWS (license included).

Notes

Do not start/stop the instance while conversion is in progress
"Windows Server BYOL + SQL Server license included" is not a supported combination
After conversion, the AMI billing-product field does not change; use DescribeInstances for accurate billing
The instance must be stopped and associated with SSM Inventory for License Manager console to display it