Windows 10: Can I turn a physical product key into a digital product key linked to my Microsoft account?

I have bought a physical windows key, I was wondering if I can turn it into a digital product key. Or is it already a digital key linked to my Microsoft account when I activated windows?

:)

 

How to unlink a product key from the Microsoft account?

It is dead easy to remove the digital link from MS account. Simply change login to a local licence. Then use your product key on new pc. If Windows complains key has already been used, use telephone activation and at step where it asks about licence, state it will only be used on new pc.

 

Windows won't activate a digital license but will with a product key?

If you plan on "transferring" a digital license from one computer to another using the activation troubleshooter and your Microsoft Account, then yes, start with the generic product key on the new computer. Actually, on a new install, you select the option for "I don't have a product key" and then after the install use the Activation Troubleshooter. Otherwise, if you are using a unique product key, either purchased or embedded in the firmware of the computer by the factory - let Windows 10/11 activate for the first time from that product key. AFTER it is activated, change the product key to the generic. One advantage to doing this is that if the original product key was OEM, changing it to the generic retail product key will also change the digital license type to retail and make it transferrable to another computer.

 

Product key without Microsoft account?


I read that the Windows 10 product key from the free upgrade is automatically linked to your Microsoft account. Since I do not want to use a Microsoft account to sign into Windows, will this be a problem when I reinstall in the future?