Windows is activated with a digital license The activation status message will tell you if your account is linked. To find out, select the Start button, then select Settings > System and then select Activation. In Windows 11, it is essential that you link your Microsoft account with the Windows 11 digital license on your device. Linking your Microsoft account with your digital license allows you to reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter whenever you make a significant hardware change.įirst, you'll need to find out if your Microsoft account ( What is a Microsoft account?) is linked to your Windows 11 digital license.

Once you've confirmed that Windows 11 is activated, follow these steps: If you're not activated, complete the activation process with the steps you see on the Activation page. If you experience an error while activating, see Get help with Windows activation errors. Select the Start button, then select Settings > System > Activation. Prepare your Windows 11 device for a hardware changeįirst, follow these steps to find out if Windows 11 is already activated. Then, use the following info to help you successfully prepare for a hardware change and reactivate Windows. To find out which you need, see 'What activation method do I use, product key or digital license?' in Activate Windows. To activate Windows, you'll need either a digital license or a product key. If you make significant hardware changes on your device, such as replacing your motherboard, Windows will no longer find a license that matches your device, and you’ll need to reactivate Windows to get it up and running. When installing Windows 11, the digital license associates itself with your device's hardware. Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow.

Windows 10 home digital key