Install Windows Server 2025 in Server Core or Desktop Experience mode and activate the license.
Server Core has a smaller attack surface and lower resource usage but no graphical shell. Desktop Experience includes the full GUI. The mode cannot be changed after installation, so choose deliberately.
| Mode | GUI | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Server Core | No | Infrastructure roles, hypervisors, minimal footprint |
| Desktop Experience | Yes | Application servers, admin-managed workloads |
Instant activation
Server operating system licensed per physical core, permitting two operating system environments per license.
$13one-time
Instant activation
Server operating system for highly virtualised environments, permitting unlimited operating system environments on licensed hardware.
$13one-time
How virtualisation rights and datacenter features decide which Windows Server edition is economical for your workload.