Windows 10: Unable to activate Windows 11 Pro after hardware change

In April I purchased an official Windows 11 Pro activation key from the Microsoft Store to activate Windows on my laptop. The license is tied to my Microsoft account. I still have the Product Key.In May, I've upgraded my laptop to a new one and with to activate Windows 11 Pro on this new laptop. However, I get the error:Windows reported that the hardware of your device has changed. Error code: 0xC004F211Changing the Product Key did not workRunning the Troubleshoot did not work: clicking on "I changed hardware on this device recently leads to: We can’t find any devices linked to your Microsoft

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Activating Windows 11 after a hardware change

Thanks for reaching out! I'm an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft user like you.

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you reactivate your Windows 11:

1. Check Activation Status:
   
   • Open Settings.
     
   • Go to System > Activation.
     
   • Ensure that your Windows is listed as activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account.
     
2. Link Microsoft Account:
   
   • If your Microsoft account is not linked, you need to link it first.
     
   • In Settings, go to Accounts and ensure your Microsoft account is linked to your Windows.
     
3. Run Activation Troubleshooter:
   
   • Go to Settings > System > Activation.
     
   • Click on Troubleshoot.
     
   • The troubleshooter will detect that Windows can't be activated on your device.
     
4. Select Hardware Change Option:
   
   • In the troubleshooter, select I changed hardware on this device recently.
     
5. Sign In to Microsoft Account:
   
   • Enter your Microsoft account credentials.
     
   • From the list of devices linked to your Microsoft account, select the checkbox next to This is the device I’m using right now.
     
   • If you don’t see your device, ensure you are signed in with the correct Microsoft account.
     
6. Activate Windows:
   
   • Click Activate.
     

If you encounter issues where the edition does not match, it is likely because the digital license linked to your account is for Windows 10 Home, and you are now running Windows 11 Home. This mismatch can sometimes cause activation issues.

• Edition Mismatch: If the troubleshooter indicates an edition mismatch, ensure that you are using the same edition of Windows that was originally linked to your digital license. In your case, both should be Home editions, so this should not be an issue.
  
• Correct Microsoft Account: Double-check that you are using the same Microsoft account that was linked to your digital license.
  

Please do let me know if the method I suggested works for you or if you need further assistance.

 

Unable to activate Windows after hardware change

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Usually the error code 0xC004F213 comes when there is a hardware change done on the computer (like Motherboard or Hard drive). The Windows license is associated with the device hardware. If there is any significant hardware changes, such as replacing
motherboard or hard drive, Windows won’t be able to recognize the license.

I suggest you to try the troubleshooting steps from the article
Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change and see if Windows gets activated.

If you are using an OEM computer that came with Windows 7, and the motherboard has not been changed, then you can follow the steps to retrieve the product key that came with your OEM computer. To retrieve the product key follow the steps mentioned
below:

1. Type Command prompt in the search bar, that is on the taskbar.
   
2. Right click on Command prompt icon and select Run as administrator.
   
3. Type the command and press on Enter: wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
   
4. You will find the product key.
   

Hope it helps.

Please reply with the status of the issue, we will be glad to help you further.

Nikhar Khare

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

Windows 11 Pro will not reactivate after a hardware change.

I recently changed motherboard, processor, and RAM, but kept my old SSDs and GPU. As expected, my license was kicked due to the difference in hardware ID, but it is now refusing to reactivate.

It is a legitimate digital license purchased from the Microsoft Store on my Microsoft account, which I use to sign into Windows on both the old hardware and the new. I have attempted the activation troubleshooter and the "I recently changed hardware" link multiple times. I was given a list of machines I own, selected the correct, one, and received a failure message stating:

"Unable to activate Windows

We can't reactivate Windows on this device. Try again later."

I called Microsoft support and they told me this was a global issue and to try again in 24-48 hours. Well, now it's been four days, and I tried again, and now my old PC name isn't showing up in the list anymore...

I'm getting pretty frustrated. This is a legitimate copy of Windows 11 Pro and I just want it activated again. Is there an activation team I can call?