Windows 10: Move digital retail license for Windows 10 Pro from old PC to new one

Hi,

I have an old PC with a Windows 10 Pro license. It's a digital license linked to my Microsoft account that I purchased online, separately from the computer, and for which I didn't receive an activation code. It's a retail license, as can be confirmed with the command "slmgr -dli".

I have a new PC with Windows 10 Home Version 1909 not activated that I just bought. I also linked that PC to my Microsoft account.

I want to install Windows 10 Pro on my new PC and transfer the license from my old PC to the new one.

When I go to my microsoft account, I can see both PCs in my "owned devices".


I tried the following: https://win10.guru/windows-10-digital-license-how-to-transfer/

In summary, this consists in going to the Activation Settings, "Troubleshoot" and then "I recently changed hardware on this device". However, this didn't work in my case: Windows tells me that the Windows editions on the two PCs do not match.

I'm not sure why I get this error, since the following help page states that "If your device is running Windows 10 Version 1607 or later, the Activation troubleshooter can help you install the correct edition of Windows on your device" as explained earlier, I have Windows 10 Home Version 1909 installed on the PC I attempt to upgrade.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ivation-errors


I then tried upgrading my new PC to Windows Pro first, by following the advice here: https://www.tenforums.com/installat...ily-pro-license-old-computer.html#post1923264


This worked up to a certain point. At least now, I have Windows 10 Pro on my old and on my new PC, but I still can't transfer the license.


I then deactivated the license on my old PC, while making sure that it was connected to the internet. It now asks for an activation key too, which should be proof enough that my Windows 10 Pro license is no more used by that PC.


When I try again the Activation Settings, "Troubleshoot" and then "I recently changed hardware on this device", I now have a different error when trying to reactivate the license from my old PC:


Unable to activate Windows

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


So I have the feeling that I'm a bit stuck.

Could someone help please?

:)

 

Transferring Windows 10 pro digital license to new system with windows 10 home

Hey Everyone

I was using an old laptop of mine which has a retail license of Windows 10 Pro on it and it is activated and the digital license is linked to my Microsoft account.

I have recently bought a new Microsoft surface Laptop which has a OEM Windows 10 Home on it and as soon as I opened the laptop for the first time and tried to sign in. Now it shows that my windows is activated with Windows 10 Home and digital license linked
to my account.

Now I have 2 laptops with both windows 10 home and pro and their digital licenses linked to my Microsoft account. I wanted to transfer my Windows 10 pro license from my old system to my new laptop as I have its digital license linked to my account. But I am
unable to as I have a digital license of the Home version (OEM) activated on my new Laptop.

Are there any steps that I can follow in order to transfer my Windows 10 Pro ?? I have verified that it is a retail license.

Can someone please assist regarding this ??

Thanks !!

 

Windows 10 Pro digital license transfer

Hi,

I'm trying to transfer my windows 10 pro license to a new pc but it won't work. I've read about every help pages there is on this topic, but none solved my issue, so here I am.

Here's the situation : I just bought a new laptop and I'm trying to transfer my windows 10 pro license from my old laptop to the new one.

The old laptop originally came with Windows 10 Home OEM, which I upgraded to Pro using the Microsoft Store Upgrade earlier this year. I've now gone through the steps of linking my Microsoft Account one my old laptop so that I get the "Windows is activated
with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account" message with my Windows 10 Pro license and I made sure my device appears on my Microsoft account.

On my new laptop, I connected my Microsoft account, but the license shows as Windows 10 Home. I then ran the "slmgr /upk" command to uninstall the license from the old laptop and I also removed the old laptop from my Microsoft account. Still, if I try the
Activation troubleshoot on the new laptop, it always stays on the Windows 10 Home license.

I'm out of ideas, every article I read about transferring a retail Windows 10 Pro digital license said that it was as easy as linking the license to my Microsoft account and then connecting that account on the new PC, but that doesn't work.

Basically, I want my old laptop to revert to its original Windows 10 Home OEM license and I want to upgrade my new laptop from Windows 10 Home to Pro using my digital license bought on the Microsoft Store.

Anybody here knows how to fix this mess?

Thanks

 

Transfer digital license from old PC to New one.

You would have to first ensure the Digital License is linked to your Microsoft Account. See instructions how to do that. You can then use the Troubleshooter on the new computer after installing Windows 10 to restore the license.

• Use a Digital
  License to Manage and Activate Windows 10 Anniversary Update

Please note, if your license was upgraded from a OEM preinstalled Windows 7 or Windows 7 license, it is not transferable.

See:

• How to Transfer your Windows 10 License to a New Computer