Windows 10: Windows 10/11 Home - activation issues with retail Microsoft Store licence

Hi all. I have a valid and unused Windows 10/11 Home licence in my Microsoft account it is visible in my account. It was purchased from the Microsoft Store in December 2020. I have used it before on 2-3 machines but always removed the installation before using the licence on another machine as per Microsoft's licence. I tried yesterday to activate a new Windows 11 Home installation but it refuses to activate. I have had three different Microsoft support agents try to help with escalations. They have tried installing default keys, run through the troubleshooter many times, asked me

:)

 

Windows 11 licence

Hi ssebado,

I am Dave, I will help you with this.

Where did you get your Windows 10 licence, was that pre-installed on your PC, or did you purchase a retail Windows 10 licence from Microsoft or from a 3rd party retailer?

If Windows 10 was pre-installed or you purchased Windows 10 from Microsoft, then when you re-install Windows 11, it will automatically re-activate.

During the installation process skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 11 on this PC', and activation will not be an issue

 

Cannot activate Win10 Pro after Microsoft Store app purchase

You sir, are a star. Thank you so much!

As a final attempt, I followed the last article you sent where downgrading Enterprise to Pro simply meant re-entering the Generic Pro Key again. And it worked! +reps for you <3

In summary, here was the rundown of events in case someone else can find this useful:

1. Buy Win Pro 10/11 digital licence from Microsoft Store app (no product key, licence bound to MS account)
2. 'Buy' button becomes 'Install' in MS Store, click Install (this will result to an error code, do not panic)
3. Reboot device (let Windows updates finish during reboot)
4. Windows magically reboots to a de-activated Win 10 Enterprise (do not panic)
5. Change product key into generic Win 10 Pro key: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T (this effectively downgrades the 'stray' Enterprise to Pro)

Voila!

Thread marked solved. Cheers!

 

Windows 11 and Activation

Hi #Techie

I am Dave, I will help you with this.

Where did you get your Windows 10 licence?

1

If that was a pre-installed OEM licence, or if you purchased a retail licence from Microsoft, then when you clean install Windows 11 from a bootable USB, it will activate automatically, when you connect to the Internet and sign into Windows 11 with your Microsoft Account.

2

If you purchased a retail licence to Windows 10 from a 3rd party retailer, you will need to use your product key to activate Windows 11.