Microsoft’s second-hand licensing appeal gets the brush-off

Microsoft's bid to appeal a recent ruling in ValueLicensing's favor has been denied by the UK Court of Appeal. The US tech giant was challenging the November 2025 judgment that allowed VL to resell pre-owned software licenses. Microsoft's request for permission to appeal was rejected without any reasons provided. However, the door isn't entirely closed—Microsoft could still file a direct appeal to the UK Supreme Court within 28 days if it can demonstrate a strong reason why the Court of Appeal made an error in refusing the appeal.

The dispute began in 2021 when ValueLicensing sued Microsoft for £270 million, claiming the software maker restricted the supply of surplus Office licenses. Microsoft denied any wrongdoing and framed the case as a copyright dispute. The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal dismissed Microsoft's arguments and subsequent appeal. Recently published documents, including an internal deck titled 'Second-Hand Software Presentation,' add more pressure to the case.

The Consent Order, which demands documents from past and present Microsoft executives, also questions why Microsoft only disclosed the file's existence recently. Alexander Wolfson, the proposed class representative in a separate claim, has been granted intervener status in the appeal refusal. The next step involves Microsoft submitting a Witness Statement detailing who knew what and when, followed by further disclosure.