After you have upgraded your Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 PC to Windows 10, you might want to check if your copy has been activated.In this post, we will see how to check activation status of Windows 10 OS, activate Windows 10, change product key in Windows 10, and fix error code or is not working issues.
Activation is the initial process by which a Windows running on a PC is determined to be properly licensed and genuine, and it’s really quick and easy. It is different from Registration, in the sense that, Activation is the process of ensuring that your copy of Windows is used according to the Microsoft Software License Terms, whereas registration is the process of entering information to sign up for product support, tools and tips, and other product benefits.
Method #5: Change Product Key using CHANGEPK To use this command, we will use the following keys WIN + R and execute “ changepk.exe ” and the following will be displayed: Like the previous processes, we must enter the product key and click Next to continue. See also: Generic Keys for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1. How to Change Product Key in Windows 10. Although, there are lots of ways to change Windows 10 product key after installation on Windows PC. But here, we are explaining only the simplest method. How to Upgrade to Windows 10 Using Windows 8.1 Pro MAK key using Pen Drive? I tried to Install Windows 10 using Pen Drive I was asked to enter the Product Key, I used my windows 8.1 MAK key but it says please try another key. Windows 10: Change Product Key in Windows 10. You can now close System if you like. OPTION THREE To Change Product Key by Running changepk.exe Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type changepk.exe, and click/tap on OK. If prompted by, click/tap on Yes. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type SLUI 3, and click/tap on OK. If you upgraded to Windows 10 for free from an activated copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you should have a digital license instead of a product key. A Windows product key is a 25-character code used to activate Windows.
Read:Digital Entitlement and Product Key Activation methods in Windows 10.
If you upgrade to Windows 10, the new OS will take the product key and activation details from your earlier OS. These are then saved on Microsoft servers, along with your PC details. If you clean install Windows the first time, you may face activation problems. If you performed an upgrade the first time, activated Windows 10, and then clean installed Windows 10 on the same PC, then there will be no activation issues, as the OS will pull activation details from Microsoft servers.
Check Windows 10 activation status
To check Windows 10 activation status, do the following:
Open Start > Settings app > Update and Security.
Select Activation, in the left panel. Here you will see the activation status.
If all has gone smoothly, Windows 10 should have taken your Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 product key and activated itself automatically.
Close it completely. 3- Go to crack folder and copy/paste “IDMan.exe” to installation directory and replace the original file. Serial key idm 6.25.
Activate Windows 10
But, if your Windows 10 is not activated, then this post will show you how to activate Windows. Also important are additional links at the end of this post. You can activate Windows online or by phone.
Change Windows 10 product key
If you wish to change the product key of your activated Windows 10, click on the Change product key button. In the panel which opens, enter a product key.
If the license is genuine, Windows 10 will register it and attempt to activate it online automatically.
If you face receive This copy of Windows is not genuine or Windows Activation Fails message, or face some issues, see this post which will show you how to troubleshoot Windows 10 Activation errors.
Read our Windows 10 review and become a ninja with these Windows 10 tips and tricks.
TIP: Download this tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically
Windows 10 Serial Key Change
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Microsoft allows anyone to download Windows 10 for free and install it without a product key. It’ll keep working for the foreseeable future, with only a few small cosmetic restrictions. And you can even pay to upgrade to a licensed copy of Windows 10 after you install it.
Whether you want to install Windows 10 in Boot Camp, put it on an old computer that isn’t eligible for a free upgrade, or create one or more virtual machines, you don’t actually need to pay a cent.
How to Download Windows 10 and Install it Without a Key
RELATED:Where to Download Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 ISOs Legally
First, you’ll need to download Windows 10. You can download it directly from Microsoft, and you don’t even need a product key to download a copy.
There’s a Windows 10 download tool that runs on Windows systems, which will help you create a USB drive to install Windows 10. If you aren’t on Windows, you can visit the Windows 10 ISO download page to download an ISO directly (say, if you’re installing Windows 10 in Boot Camp on a Mac). If you visit that page on a Windows machine, it’ll redirect you to the download tool page instead.
Just begin the installation process and install Windows 10 like you normally would. One of the first screens you’ll see will ask you to enter your product key so you can “Activate Windows.” However, you can just click the “I don’t have a product key” link at the bottom of the window and Windows will allow you to continue the installation process. You may be asked to enter a product key later in the process, too–if you are, just look for a similar small link to skip that screen.
If you don’t see this option, you can also provide a KMS client setup key to continue. These keys won’t give you an activated copy of Windows unless you’re in an organization with a Key Management Service, but they will allow you to get through the Windows installation process.
When you select this option, you’ll be able to install either “Windows 10 Home” or “Windows 10 Pro.” Bear in mind that, if you plan to pay to upgrade to the paid version later, it’ll be cheaper to upgrade to Windows 10 Home, so you may want to install the Home version. Whatever version you choose, Windows 10 will install normally.
The Cosmetic Limitations
RELATED:How Does Windows Activation Work?
Windows 10 Pro Serial Key
After you’ve installed Windows 10 without a key, it won’t actually be activated. However, an unactivated version of Windows 10 doesn’t have many restrictions. With Windows XP, Microsoft actually used Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) to disable access to your computer. These days, Windows just complains at you in a few minor, cosmetic ways.
Initially, you won’t notice a difference. Eventually, Windows will start nagging you a tiny bit. First, you’ll notice a watermark in the bottom-right corner of your screen. You’ll also see a “Windows isn’t activated. Activate Windows now.” link at the bottom of the Settings app. This is the only form of nag you’ll see–there are no pop-up windows, for example.
Second, you’ll be unable to change your desktop wallpaper and from the Personalization > Background screen in the Settings app. You’ll see a “You need to activate Windows before you can personalize your PC” message at the top of this window, and the options for changing your wallpaper will be grayed out.
You can still change your wallpaper in other ways, however. For example, you can right-click an image in File Explorer and select “Set as desktop background.” You could also open an image in the Photos app, click the menu button, click “Set as,” and click “Set as background.” Windows 7 eventually switched you back to a black background, but Windows 10 doesn’t seem to do this.
You’ll find Windows 10’s included wallpapers under the C:WindowsWeb folder in File Explorer.
Aside from these basic limitations, your Windows 10 system will continue to work forever. There are no nag prompts aside from the watermark, you’ll get all the system updates, and everything else is completely functional. The only thing that could change this is a Windows 10 update, but Microsoft has become increasingly lenient since Windows 7.
Change Windows 10 Serial Key
How to Upgrade Windows 10 to an Activated Version
With Windows 10, you can now pay to upgrade a “non-genuine” copy of Windows to a licensed one. Open the Settings app and head to Update & Security > Activation. You’ll see a “Go to Store” button that will take you to the Windows Store if Windows isn’t licensed.
In the Store, you can purchase an official Windows license that will activate your PC. The Home version of Windows 10 costs $120, while the Pro version costs $200. This is a digital purchase, and it will immediately cause your current Windows installation to become activated. You don’t need to purchase a physical license.
We installed Windows 10 Professional as an example here, so the Windows Store will only let us purchase the $200 Windows 10 Pro license.
This option may not be available in all countries. The prices here are for the US version of the Windows Store. Microsoft charges different prices in different countries and currencies.
Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 worked about the same way. Microsoft just didn’t officially allow you to download Windows without a product key, and there was no way to fully upgrade to a licensed system from within Windows. That makes this all the more tempting with Windows 10–for example, you can install Windows 10 in Boot Camp on your Mac for free and, if you find yourself using it frequently, you can quickly pay to remove the watermark if that’s worth it for you. It’s like a free demo, and you can use it to make all the virtual machines you like for testing purposes.
Sure, the license agreement may say you’re not supposed to use it without a key, but Microsoft’s license agreements say all sorts of confusing things. Microsoft’s license agreement still forbids using the popular “OEM” copies of Windows 10 on PCs you build yourself. If Microsoft doesn’t want people using unactivated copies of Windows 10 for extended periods of time, it can release a system update that disables this.
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