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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-06-17T07:42:16+00:00

I have been using VS Express 2012 for almost a month and now it

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I have been using VS Express 2012 for almost a month and now it states that I must enter a product key to continue using it. To get that product key I am asked to register. Only after creating a Microsoft account (great, another account to keep track of) does it inform me that I must enter details about my company, its address, its employees, and my role in it.
Is there a way for individuals or hobbyists to use Express or is it intended for businesses only? Is there any way to get a product key without entering fake business information (or is fake information the standard response to frustrating forms)?

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  1. Editorial Team

    Visual Studio 2012 Express for Desktop (or any other flavor) is distributed free of charge. It is not intended for businesses only. Go ahead and register it and use it.

    Now as for what to enter, I try to be as truthful as possible on forms that ask questions that there isn’t a good answer for. In general:

    • Business Name: My name (or sometimes N/A)
    • Business Address: My home address
    • Employees: 1
    • My role: Sole Employee
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