Windows 10: Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"

Discus and support Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License" in Windows 10 Updates and Activation to solve the problem; I've gotten the impression this is normal and simply means your system info is stored on MS servers so you can install Win10 again in the future... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Updates and Activation' started by alphanumeric, Aug 7, 2016.

  1. Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"


    Yes that's essentially correct. However, before the anniversary edition was released, systems with Windows 10 installed with a retail product code would show as activated with a product code. Only systems that did the free upgrade got a digital entitlement. Now, it looks like just about any PC activated running the anniversary edition gets a digital entitlement. Retail key or not. My activation toggled from activated with a product key to activated with a digital license. A subtle but important change. I don't have to enter key when I install the education version on this PC now. Up until I did the upgrade I had to every time or it would not activate.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 8, 2016
    #31
  2. cereberus Win User

    I am sort of repeating myself here a bit but just to clarify for people.

    The digital licence (formerly entitlement) is stored on MS servers, and this has not changed at all. It is irrelevant whether you use a local account or an MS account if you reinstall OS. There is NO CHANGE to the current activation process with a digital licence as we have seen over the last year.

    There is a common misconception that the new linking of the digital licence to an MS account enables you to AUTOMATICALLY activate a new clean install.

    This not the case at all. All the new activation tool does is enable Windows activation to find your digital licence on the activation server in the event that normal digital licence activation FAILS due to a hardware change (meaning the digital licence could not be found).


    Now here's where things get interesting.

    I have tested this whole area quite a lot, and I can categorically tell you if you login with an MS account, your windows install shows the device as being linked to the MSA and the PC shows as a device in the MSA.

    Equally, If you change the account to a local account, the windows activation message changes to saying digital licence only and no mention of link to MSA. More significantly, the device is removed from the MS account.

    I did a simple test in a VM1 with an activated version of windows 10 with a digital licence.

    I created a second unactivated VM2 and tried to see if it would let me do a transfer (without actually following through) if

    a) VM1 was using initially an MSA - here the activation tool could see VM1 (and it was shown as a device in MSA)

    b) I changed VM1 to using a local account - here the activation tool could NOT see VM1 (and it was NOT shown as a device in MSA)

    c) I changed VM1 back to an MSA - here the activation tool could again see VM1 (and it was again shown as a device in MSA).

    In another post, we tried to change the install to a local account whilst not connected to the internet (so the device would not be removed from MSA), and for a short period, this worked but eventually, the device got removed any way from the MSA - no idea why.

    So the obvious conclusion is you have to remain with your install as an MS account to guarantee to use the activation tool. You can of course flip flop as above but if your mobo failed whilst on a local account, you would not be able to reactivate using the tool.
     
    cereberus, Aug 8, 2016
    #32
  3. Saltgrass Win User
    This is on the listing of changes in the Anniversary upgrade.

    And this is the link opened when you click on the Learn More option on the Activation page in the Activation area.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...-10-activation
     
    Saltgrass, Aug 8, 2016
    #33
  4. Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"

    I might have mis-read post# 23 ... I thought you were saying that you see information about multiple editions for one machine. You were probably just enumerating the digital licenses that have been on the machine at one time or another.

    Bill
    .
     
    Slartybart, Aug 8, 2016
    #34
  5. elbmek Win User
    What are MS trying to do, make a totally monopolised OS. They are saying in quite a few apps, log in with your microsoft log in - even when installing it asks you for your microsoft log in and password. NO! I select the sign in without ............

    I do have a MS log in via outlook but I do not use it as default and do not require password log ins. Default mail in windows took me quite a while to get it to accept gmail!! They dont make it easy. Leave us alone MS, its my pc, not yours.
     
    elbmek, Aug 8, 2016
    #35
  6. Barman58 Win User
    There are supposedly various advantages tied to loging in with a Microsoft ID, The main one is the ability to move the digital licence between hardware or hardware changed that much that it would fail activation and need you to contact Microsoft and go through hoops to get the OS working.

    Yes it helps Microsoft to have their IDs in use but, as the OS is licensed not owned, they could if they wished make the use of a Microsoft ID for login Compulsary
     
    Barman58, Aug 8, 2016
    #36
  7. Yes, I was just listing the entitlements each PC has based on installation history for that PC. Right now you would never know this PC has entitlements for Home or Pro. Other than the fact that I know it does from past experience. Info for the Device listed under my Microsoft Account online just shows the currently installed OS. Apologies if that was confusing.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 8, 2016
    #37
  8. Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"

    I like the changes. For me, it's one less OS that I have to keep track of what key was used on what PC. And I always use a Microsoft ID anyway.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 8, 2016
    #38
  9. elbmek Win User
    Many thanks. As I understand it, use of a MS ID makes a password to open pc compulsory, am I correct? Like when installing it insists on a password when installing with MS ID?

    edit: I just saw a sign in with mS Account, so to see what happens I entered my email and password, it said to do password again, then I would be prompted to sign in when I use pc - no thanks, I do not want password opening, I want to open pc and go to desktop.
     
    elbmek, Aug 8, 2016
    #39
  10. elbmek Win User
    I have 3 users on my pc - I have digital too

    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. Depending on how you got your copy of Windows 10, activation will use either a digital license or a 25-character product key.


    Digital license (called a digital entitlement in Windows 10 Version 1511) is a method of activation in Windows 10 that doesn't require you to enter a product key.


    How you got Windows 10 Activation method You upgraded to Windows 10 for free from an eligible device running a genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. Digital license You bought genuine Windows 10 from the Windows Store and successfully activated Windows 10. Digital license You bought a Windows 10 Pro upgrade from the Windows Store and successfully activated Windows 10. Digital license You’re a Windows Insider and upgraded to the newest Windows 10 Insider Preview build on an eligible device that was running an activated previous version of Windows and Windows 10 Preview. Digital license You bought a copy of Windows 10 from an authorized retailer. Product key
    (On a label inside the Windows 10 box. A digital license will be given to your device for Windows 10 based on the valid product key you entered.) You bought a digital copy of Windows 10 from an authorized retailer. Product key
    (In the confirmation email you received after buying Windows 10 or in a digital locker accessible through the retailer’s website. A digital license will be given to your device for Windows 10 based on the valid product key you entered.) You have a Volume Licensing agreement for Windows 10 or MSDN subscription. Product key
    (Available through the web portal for your program.) You bought a new device running Windows 10. Product key
    (Pre–installed on your device, included with the device packaging, or included as a card or on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the device.)
     
    elbmek, Aug 8, 2016
    #40
  11. cereberus Win User
    I believe this is very significant. I have a dual boot home/pro setup with both on RS1 and activated, and each linked to my MSA.

    I had an old netbook with XP gathering dust (I had forgotten about it), and I clean installed windows 10 home on it (worked first time and pretty good performance!).

    I found I could not see 10 Home with the activation tool (it showed the 10 pro but as "others" not valid for use with 10 home install). This was because the MSA only lists the last installed OS as a device (I installed PRO later). I am not sure if I boot main PC back to Home if the device manager will change to showing the Home, or if it is a function of which was the last to be installed.

    The crucial point is that you can only transfer or reactivate a digital licence with the tool, if it can see it.

    The implication here is that if you got a mobo failure with two or more editions of windows, you will only be able to reactivate the last one!

    Thus the system is not clever enough to list the same device with different versions of windows!

    The only way I can see round this is to install Home say with one MSA, and Pro with another MSA. It may also be necessary to ALWAYS login with MSA 1 for Home, and MSA 2 for Pro if logging in with other changes device on MSA (I need to test this further).
     
    cereberus, Aug 8, 2016
    #41
  12. For the casual PC user that's likely not an issue, how many would be using more than one version of Windows 10 on a device? I'm not dismissing what your saying, it is an issue.. For me, I have enough MSDN keys to reinstall whichever OS I want to run. Most of my entitlements were via the free upgrade. The only keys I've had to use are some Education and Enterprise. And Enterprise doesn't count in this scenario anyway. It wouldn't be that big a deal (license wise) if my PC died and I couldn't recover them all. What seems to be very simple can end up being very complicated if you test different version, and or dual boot.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 8, 2016
    #42
  13. Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"

    You set your PC to auto logon with a Microsoft ID, I do it on my desktop PC. Sign in User Account Automatically at Windows 10 Startup
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 8, 2016
    #43
  14. cereberus Win User
    Sure but this means that MS have basically not thought this through or if they have, they have not given clear guidelines so here is mine:

    1) always login with MSA.

    2) If you do change to a local account, be aware the link of digital licence and MSA is lost, and you would need to relogin with MSA to re-establish digital link.

    3) If dual booting with two digital licences (eg one for home and one for pro), make sure you use a different MSA on each version. Do not set up each version with both MSAs to avoid logging into wrong one (in case that changes digital licence linked to that MSA).
     
    cereberus, Aug 8, 2016
    #44
  15. essenbe Win User
    When you log in with a local account, activation says activated with a Digital License. If you log into the same machine with an MS Account it say activated with a Digital License tied to your MSA account.
     
    essenbe, Aug 8, 2016
    #45
Thema:

Activation switched from "with product key" to "with Digital License"

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