Can I transfer my Windows upgrade license from an old PC to a new one? (2024)

FAQs

Can I transfer my Windows upgrade license from an old PC to a new one? ›

4 answers. If you've a retail license, you can easily transfer it via product key. Just use the same product key to activate Windows 11, it will activate Windows 11 and deactivate Windows 10 at the same time. If you've OEM license, you can't transfer it.

Download and install the version of Office onto the new computer. Enter the key during the install process, and activate Office. Sign in with your Microsoft account after activation. Transfer files and settings (optional) with external storage devices or cloud services.

Transferring a Windows 11/10 license key will require two steps. Firstly, you will need to find out which type of license you currently have installed and then will deactivate the license on this computer. Once that is completed, you will need to install the program on your PC device.

Yes, you can transfer a retail key to a new PC or an existing PC with the new hardware. If your Windows License is already connected to your Microsoft Account, you can use the Windows Activation troubleshooter and choose the "I changed hardware on this device recently" option.

Sign in to your Microsoft account that you used to purchase the Windows 10 license. Go to the Manage my devices page. Select the device you want to transfer the license to, and then select Remove. Install Windows 10 on the new computer.

You can always use the product license on the same computer. However you can not set up a second virtual copy/second boot partition with the same key. The key can only be used on one active Windows 10 at a time.

One license = one device. If the Windows 10 license is used on your laptop you need a second license for the "other pc".

You can install a one-time purchase of Office such as Office Home & Business, Office Home & Student, or Office Professional Office on only 1 PC or Mac.

With Microsoft 365, you can install Office on all your devices and sign in to Office on five devices at the same time. This includes any combination of PCs, Macs, tablets, and phones.

No, you will not lose your activation code. Windows 11 license is linked to your Microsoft account. After the clean install, if you login with your Microsoft account, Windows 11 will be activated automatically.

Will I lose my activation license if I upgrade to Windows 11? ›

Yes, it will remain activated if you have genuine Windows 10 license. Upgrading to Windows 11 is just like a feature update of Windows 10. So, your Windows 10 license will work fine.

When installing Windows 11, the digital license associates itself with your device's hardware. 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.

Microsoft allows transferring a Windows 10 Pro license if it's a retail version, also known as a retail channel license. Retail licenses are designed to be more flexible in terms of transferring to different computers.

Fortunately it is easy to tell if your new license is transferrable by typing Winver in the Start/Search box. Read the bottom of the license that appears. If the license is granted to the user, it is transferable. If the license is granted to a manufacturer, it is not.

If your key is transferrable and you want to transfer it, you now need to know whether you have a "digital license" or a regular one. With a regular license, you can transfer the product key from one computer to another by deactivating it on the old PC before entering it on the new one.

Yes, you can transfer software, files, settings, and even licenses to a new computer. However, moving software to another PC manually is not simple.

Can the OEM key be transferred? No, it cannot. The OEM key, the Window license, is registered or tied to the computer's motherboard on which it was first activated. Therefore, it cannot be transferred.

Yes you can do this (OEM or Retail Key - it does not matter). The key is maintained in the Microsoft Licensing System and the license provides for reinstalling on the same drive or replacing the drive.

If you bought a full retail license for Windows 10 Pro then yes you can. If you got Windows 10 Pro already installed on a new computer (or if you upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from an original pre-installed version of Windows) then no you can't.