Activating With a "Digital License"

BulldogX · Jul 29, 2023

I upgraded to Windows 10 for free from Windows 8.1 during the free upgrade period, so my copy of Windows 10 is "activated with a digital license."

Does my 'digital license' for Windows 10 entitle me to activate Windows 11 on a new computer that I'm planning to build?

My instinct is to answer 'No.' However, I was able to activate a clean install of Windows 11 in a virtual machine with a Windows 8 OEM license!

Ghot · Jul 29, 2023

BulldogX said:
I upgraded to Windows 10 for free from Windows 8.1 during the free upgrade period, so my copy of Windows 10 is "activated with a digital license."

Does my 'digital license' for Windows 10 entitle me to activate Windows 11 on a new computer that I'm planning to build?

My instinct is to answer 'No.' However, I was able to activate a clean install of Windows 11 in a virtual machine with a Windows 8 OEM license!

Hello @BulldogX and Welcome to ElevenForum.

Quickie Eleven Forum Setup Guide for new Members

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Yes... you can go (free) from Win 10 digital license to Win 11 digital license.
You can either do update or upgrade, from Win 10 to Win 11

From Win 7 or 8 or 8.1 you can only go free to Win 10, in one hop.
You can then go free from Win 10 to Win 11 though.

I went from Win 7 to Win 10 for free, then did an In-Place Upgrade from Win 10 to Win 11, also for free.

The jump from Win 10 to Win 11, depends on your hardware. Win 11 has hardware requirements.
BUT... even if you don't meet the hardware requirements, there are free work-arounds.

antspants · Jul 29, 2023

Ghot said:

Goodonya mate

BulldogX · Jul 30, 2023

Ghot said:
Hello @BulldogX and Welcome to ElevenForum.

Yes... you can go (free) from Win 10 digital license to Win 11 digital license.
You can either do update or upgrade, from Win 10 to Win 11

Thanks for the welcome.

I probably didn't explain myself well.

"Does my 'digital license' for Windows 10 entitle me to activate Windows 11 on a new computer that I'm planning to build?"

I wouldn't think so, since a new computer was not previously activated.

But it seems that Microsoft often looks the other way when it comes to activation because, at the end of the day, they want Windows 11 users. How else was I able to activate a clean install of Windows 11 in Hyper-V with a Windows 8 OEM license? And, according to Windows 10 ...

... I have a RETAIL license. As you know, a RETAIL license can be moved to a different computer.

Ghot · Jul 30, 2023

BulldogX said:
Thanks for the welcome.

I probably didn't explain myself well.

"Does my 'digital license' for Windows 10 entitle me to activate Windows 11 on a new computer that I'm planning to build?"

I wouldn't think so, since a new computer was not previously activated.

But it seems that Microsoft often looks the other way when it comes to activation because, at the end of the day, they want Windows 11 users. How else was I able to activate a clean install of Windows 11 in Hyper-V with a Windows 8 OEM license? And, according to Windows 10 ...

View attachment 66160

... I have a RETAIL license. As you know, a RETAIL license can be moved to a different computer.

Ok, that's showing a generic Windows 10 retail license.
You're getting into weird and strange areas...

You might want to read through some of these...

Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

List of Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

www.tenforums.com

@Try3 <---- knowledgeable about licensing

Probably the easiest way to get Win 11 on a "new" machine for free, is to install Win 10 on the "new" machine using
a Win 7, 8 or 8.1 key, then update or upgrade the "new" machine to Win 11.

If things get weird... just run the Activation Troubleshooter, once you're on Win 11.
It will solve most problems.

More info...

Activate Windows 11

This tutorial will show you available options to legally activate your Windows 11 PC. Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. When you purchase an OEM PC that comes with Windows 11...

www.elevenforum.com

If your "new" machine is also compatible with Win 11 (Secure Boot and TPM 2.0), you'll be able to avoid messing with the hardware work-arounds.

Supported Intel CPUs
Supported AMD CPUs

Last but not least... MS is also starting to roll out the "anti" BlackLotus UEFI bootkit stuff, which may mean you have to install Win 11 with Secure Boot enabled, but may have to turn it off temporarily to mess around with... "revocations".

Additional guidance for devices using Secure Boot to address CVE-2023-24932

Microsoft Support: UPDATE 7/11: Second Deployment This phase starts with updates released on July 11, 2023, which adds additionally support mitigating the issue. Security updates released May 9, 2023 and later contain security hardening changes to protect against vulnerabilities tracked by...

www.elevenforum.com

And just so you know where to find it...

Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials section. Make sure to read the "notes" in the various tutorials. At the bottom of the first post in all the "tutorials", there are...

www.elevenforum.com

antspants · Jul 30, 2023

BulldogX said:
"Does my 'digital license' for Windows 10 entitle me to activate Windows 11 on a new computer that I'm planning to build?"

I’ve not personally know of it happening, as you know, as digital licenses are associated with your hardware. Maybe they were more forgiving with Win8?

Steve C · Jul 30, 2023

I just built a new PC and confirm it will work. My old PC started life with a Window 8 retail licence and finished with a Windows 10 digital licence. Here is the procedure.

Ensure you can see your old PC as a device in your Microsoft account
Clean install Windows 11 with a Microsoft account and when asked to enter the product key, click on "Skip this step" or "Do it Later"
Windows probably won't be activated as I experienced. Run the activation trouble shooter and click "I changed hardware on this device recently." Select device being used then activate.

How to Transfer a Windows 10 or 11 License to Another PC

antspants · Jul 30, 2023

Steve C said:
.Run the activation trouble shooter and click "I changed hardware on this device recently." Select device being used then activate.

How to Transfer a Windows 10 or 11 License to Another PC

That’s pretty cool then.

antspants · Jul 30, 2023

Steve C said:
I just built a new PC and confirm it will work.

So all hardware was new? Maybe less the drives?

Steve C · Jul 30, 2023

antspants said:
So all hardware was new? Maybe less the drives?

Yes, all new apart from a couple of drives moved across and the GPU.

Kees · Jul 30, 2023

In my VirtualBox Windows 11 (Home) 22H2 environment, where I always test freeware software before deciding to use it or not, a few month ago I used an old Windows 7 Home key to activate the system. That key had been with an OEM system, where as long as I used that computer, the key of the system builder had been valid, so the key was not used.

And wonder o wonder: the system was activated without problems!
So I assume the step inbetween by updating first to Windows 10, won't be neccesary!
Any free Windows 7, 8 or 10 key would do, as long as it's the same kind of Windows system.
You can't use a Home key for a Pro system and v.v.

antspants · Jul 30, 2023

Kees said:
In my VirtualBox Windows 11 (Home) 22H2 environment, where I always test freeware software before deciding to use it or not, a few month ago I used an old Windows 7 Home key to activate the system. That key had been with an OEM system, where as long as I used that computer, the key of the system builder had been valid, so the key was not used.

And wonder o wonder: the system was activated without problems!
So I assume the step inbetween by updating first to Windows 10, won't be neccesary!
Any free Windows 7, 8 or 10 key would do, as long as it's the same kind of Windows system.
You can't use a Home key for a Pro system and v.v.

Interesting. I have a draw full of OEM disks, or in a box somewhere, everything from vista to 7, 8. I never throw anything out.

BulldogX · Jul 31, 2023

Thanks for everyone's replies, and apologies for taking so long to get back to the conversation.

As I suspected/feared, the answer to my original question seems to be "well ... maybe."

[Limited emojis here.]

I can try the activation troubleshooter, as suggested by Steve C, or try the link in that post; or try activating with the license from one of my OEM Win7 and Win 8 discs; or just go ahead and install Windows from one of those discs - which might fail on all-new hardware but still entitle me to upgrade to Win 11, or use this cool link from Ten Forums to convert my activated VM to physical hardware - which again may fail, but still entitle me to an activated clean install of Windows 11.

My guess is that Microsoft's attitude is "look, do what you want, just don't ask us about it and don't blab it to everyone."

johnlgalt · Jul 31, 2023

FWIW: I have Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 8 keys from my TechNet subscriptions many, many moons ago.

I've still been able to activate brand new Windows 11 installs in Virtual Machines using those (and yes, I even removed all of my existing VM digital licenses to prove I could just this past December).

It's almost overwhelmingly a yes at this point that you, with a valid Win 10 upgrade, can activate your new 11 build.

I don't think the OEM licenses will work, though, unless you activate 11 on the same hardware that those OEM keys were assigned to. I very well may be wrong, but that is what I remember - retail keys (and VLKs and TechNet keys) were working, OEM not.

BulldogX · Jul 31, 2023

johnlgalt said:
It's almost overwhelmingly a yes at this point that you, with a valid Win 10 upgrade, can activate your new 11 build.

And that gives me another idea: I can upgrade my existing Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 - even though the hardware doesn't qualify, but just to get the activation - make sure that activation is in my Microsoft account.

johnlgalt · Jul 31, 2023

I was going to suggest exactly that, but since you're already in the process of building, figured it might be easier to do the transfer.

But, yeah, that should work as well.

NavyLCDR · Aug 1, 2023

There is no need to upgrade the old computer to Windows 11 first if you do not want to.

kamalaggi · Aug 20, 2023

My brand new laptop came with Windows 11 Home. Did a clean install of Windows 11 and used my Windows 8 Pro retail key which I wasn’t using. It activated just fine. I now have Windows 11 Pro on my laptop

johnlgalt · Aug 20, 2023

Yup - I've not found them blocked yet, though stories have been circulating that they are blocked.

Activating With a "Digital License"

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