Windows 10: I changed computers and I am not able to activate the product key from my previous PC on my...

I bought a new computer and wanted to reuse my product key. I haven't been able to activate it for some reason and even though I am using the same account as I did on my old pc, it doesn't detect the key. I made sure to log out and wipe my old computer so I can use the product key on my new one. Any idea why that is a problem?

:)

 

Windows 10 product keys and activation - and the KMS angle

Changing the product key to the generic Windows 10 product key will reset activation to the standard retail channel for activation. It might just activate (if there was a previous digital license for Windows 10 for that computer established with Microsoft). Once Windows 10 is back on the retail activation channel, then more than likely changing the product key to the Windows 8 product key using the same method may work.

 

My previous computer stop functioning and I bought a new one. I want to use my previous product key but activation fails

I have a digital license for Windows Pro that was bought a couple months ago.

Now I want to use that digital license and product key in a new computer, as the previous one where that key was activated no longer exists.

I followed all step by step guides but activation keeps saying my product key was used in a previous device.

I do not want to buy a new license. What can I do?

 

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.