Whenever you buy a new Windows computer, you get a pre-loaded copy of Windows 11/10. However, when you choose to build a custom PC, you need to purchase a Windows 11/10 license. But in case if you have an old Windows 11/10 PC and want to transfer Windows 11/10 license to another computer. Then it is possible.
This approach is particularly cost-effective. Plus, if you're selling your old PC or replacing your old system, this approach really saves you from having to buy a new Windows 11/10 license. And in this article, I will talk about how you can deactivate your Windows product key and use it on another computer.
Determine if you can transfer your Windows 11/10 product key to another computer
Before going ahead and transferring your existing computer license to a new one, you must ensure that you are able to do so. You can type the following command to find out the Windows key type.
slmgr /dli
Note that in my case it said MAK, in your case it could be OEM or Retail or something else.
Microsoft uses different channels to distribute Windows 11/10 licenses. As a result, consumers can only obtain two-channel usage licenses, including retail and original equipment manufacturers or OEMs.
So if you have a retail license, you can transfer your product key to another device. If you upgrade to Windows 11/10 from Windows 8.1 or 7, you can transfer retail ownership to another computer.
In addition, there is no limit to the number of times you can transfer a license. Just make sure you're deactivating the license from the previous computer and you're good to go.
However, if your computer comes with Windows 11/10 pre-installed, it means you are using an OEM license.
In this case, the Windows 11/10 product key cannot be transferred and you cannot activate it on another website.
Even if you upgrade to Windows 11/10 Pro from Windows 11/10 Home, purchase the upgrade through the Microsoft Store. You are then allowed to transfer the license to another computer. Your product key will convert to a digital license associated with your Microsoft account by purchasing an upgrade.
How to transfer Windows 11/10 License to another Windows PC?
Once you have determined that you have a retail license of Windows 11/10, you can now proceed to deactivate the Windows 11/10 license on your existing computer. For this you can follow these steps:
Deactivate Windows 11/10 key from old setup
1. Click on the Windows search bar. Type down CMD and right click on it then click Run as administrator option.
2. On CMD, type below command and press enter button.
slmgr /upk
Note: If you don't see the Uninstalled product key successfully message. Then you need to run the command several times until the message shows up.
3. Once the license deactivation is complete, you need to remove the license from the Registry by running the command below:
slmgr /cpky
4. After running both commands, you can now use the license key to activate Windows on some other computer.
Install license using Command Prompt on new Windows PC
Now you need to switch to your new Windows 11/10 computer and install a license key to activate another computer.
1. Click on the Windows 11/10 search bar. Search for CMD and right click on it and select Run as administrator option.
2. Finally, on CMD, you have to type below command and press enter:
slmgr /ipk <windows-key>
3. Here, make sure to replace <windows-key> with the Windows 11/10 product key and you're good to go.
Link Windows Key to Microsoft Account
The easiest way to activate a Windows key is to link it to your Microsoft Account. After you connect your administrator account to your Microsoft account, the license is immediately linked to your account.
So the next time you switch to another computer and choose to activate, Windows will prompt for the hostname of your previous computer and ask if you want to transfer the license to your new machine.
If you install it on the same machine, Windows will activate it in up to a few hours. You can always run the trigger debugger and sort it out.
So that's all the steps you have to follow to deactivate your Windows product key and use it on another computer. Now, go ahead and try the steps and see if they work for you. Also, if you have any problems when you try to transfer your Windows 11/10 license to another computer, comment below.
Can Windows Key sell for less than Microsoft?
It is illegal to buy cheap Windows 11/10 keys from such websites. Microsoft does not confirm this and the company will sue the people behind such websites and deactivate all leaked keys if it discovers these sites are selling such keys.
While they may be sold at a lower price if the retailer makes a bulk purchase from Microsoft using Volume Licensing, make sure the seller is certified by Microsoft.
Are Windows Keys Bought from Third Party Sites Safe?
In short, yes, but only if they are certified by Microsoft to sell licenses. When it comes to Windows keys, some are for distributors and OEMs. The OEM or retailer buys these keys, and because they are cheap, they can be sold for less. These keys may have limitations like one-time activation or need to connect to another server for activation etc.
What happens if you don’t have a product key for Windows 11?
Microsoft allows you to use Windows 11 forever if you install it without a product key. There are, however, a couple of limitations that come along with it, even if they aren’t scary, to be honest:
- In the bottom-right corner of the screen, Windows 11 displays an “Activate Windows” watermark after a while.
- While Windows 11 is not activated, personalization options in the Settings app are unavailable.
- Windows 11 warns you, unobtrusively, inside the Settings app that it’s not activated; it also provides recommendations to purchase a product key.
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