Windows 10: Can I reinstall Windows and not lose my license?

Can I reinstall Windows and not lose my license?So im on Windows 11 and if i reinstall the os to Windows 10 will my Windows license get removed?Because im planing to reinstall to remove bloat, clean up space, and also Windows 11 runs worse than Windows 10 for me also i updated to 11 about 3 months ago.:Edit im on Windows 11 home its what it says in my winver:

:)

 

Wìndows 10 full format without losing license

Unless you change to new hardware (motherboard), you should not need to do anything. You should be able to clean/reformat your harddisks and reinstall without an explicit windows 10 key (leave the windows key field empty during the install).

To be safe, I would recommend that you link your windows 10 product key with a Microsoft account. This should allow you to login with that account to re-verify your Windows 10, even if you have new hardware.

Step 1. Make sure you are using a Microsoft account:

Keep in mind that if you did not already have a Microsoft account, that your new login information will change to the email address/password associated with the Microsoft account.

1. Open "Settings"
   
2. Select "Accounts"
   
3. Select "Your info"
   
4. Select "Sign in with your Microsoft account instead" link.
   
5. Fill the information required
   
6. "Sign in" and follow the remaining instructions.
   

The next step is to verify that your microsoft account is associated with the windows key.

1. Once again, open "Settings".
   
2. Select "Update & security".
   
3. Select "Activation" on the left bar.
   

If everything is good, it should say next to Activation: "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account".

When you now reformat your machine, simply login with your Microsoft account.

Step 2. Hardware Change

As the others have mentioned, if you have changed motherboard you would lose the "windows key" associated with it. That is why you will need to notify Microsoft about "Hardware change".

1. Select "Settings"
   
2. Select "Update & security"
   
3. Select "Activation" on the left side.
   
4. Select "Troubleshoot". It should say something about it failing to be activated on your device.
   
5. Select "I changed hardware on this device recently".
   
6. Login with your Microsoft account (if you haven't already).
   
7. Select the device you are using now, and select Activate
   

Sidenote: I have recently changed my own hardware (motherboard, CPU, GPU), and followed the steps above in order to keep using my same Windows 10 key.
If for some reasons you had to take additional steps; please comment and let me know so I can update the step-by-step answer

 

Back up a licensed software?

Have you looked in the program to see if the key is listed? Some programs will list the key in the About Program or in Settings. Also some programs will make you deactivate before you can reinstall.

 

Windows Updated(16299.309).KB4088776 Restart is required to complete.

Hi dalchina. Good news, I followed your suggestion and reinstalled the update and now it appears as "installed correctly" *Biggrin Maybe it was not necessary to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter or maybe if necessary. But using it I do not think it could have worsened something. The installation was very fast, unlike the first time it showed step 1 and step 2 completed.

Thanks for the suggestions and for the time to respond Best regards.


And thanks for the tip of that program, I'll have it on my list.