Before You Begin

Make sure you have the following ready before starting the activation process:

Your Windows product key (received via email and in your account)
A stable internet connection (required for online activation)
Windows 10 or Windows 11 already installed on your PC

Tip: If you don’t have Windows installed yet, skip to the “How to Download & Install Windows” section below first.

Step 1 — Open Activation Settings

Press Windows key + I to open Settings. Then navigate to:

Windows 11: System → Activation
Windows 10: Update & Security → Activation

You should see a message saying “Windows is not activated” or “Activate Windows.”

Step 2 — Change Product Key

Click on “Change product key” (or “Change” next to the product key section).

A dialog box will appear asking you to enter your product key.

Step 3 — Enter Your Product Key

Type or paste your 25-character product key in the format XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. Then click “Next”.

Tip: Use the Copy button on your order page to copy the key without typos, then paste it with Ctrl+V.

Step 4 — Activate Windows

Click “Activate” and wait a few seconds. Windows will verify your key online with Microsoft servers.

Once complete, you’ll see “Windows is activated” with a green checkmark.

OEM vs. Retail — What’s the difference?

OEM Key: Your activation is tied to the device (motherboard). If you change your PC, you’ll need a new key. You cannot transfer it.

Retail Key: Your activation is tied to your Microsoft account. You can transfer it to a different PC by deactivating the old one first — just sign in with your Microsoft account on the new device and reactivate.

Either way, your activation is permanent and you’re all set.

How to Download & Install Windows

If you need to install Windows from scratch, follow these steps:

Visit the official Microsoft Media Creation Tool page:
- Windows 10: microsoft.com/software-download/windows10
- Windows 11: microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
Download the Media Creation Tool and run it
Select “Create installation media” and choose your language, edition, and architecture (64-bit recommended)
Choose USB flash drive (you’ll need a blank 8GB+ USB) and follow the steps to create the bootable drive
Restart your computer and boot from the USB drive (press F12, F2, or Del during startup to access the boot menu)
Follow the Windows Setup wizard — when asked for a product key, you can enter it now or click “I don’t have a product key” and enter it after installation
Complete the installation and then follow the activation steps above

Troubleshooting

“The product key you entered didn’t work”

Double-check that you copied the key correctly. Make sure there are no extra spaces before or after the key. If you have an OEM key, ensure it matches your Windows edition (Home or Pro).

“Windows can’t activate right now”

This usually means a temporary issue with Microsoft’s activation servers. Wait 15-30 minutes and try again. Make sure your internet connection is working.

Activation via Command Prompt

If the Settings method doesn’t work, you can activate via Command Prompt:

Right-click the Start button and select “Terminal (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin)”
Type: slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (replace with your key) and press Enter
Then type: slmgr /ato and press Enter to activate
You should see a confirmation message that Windows was activated successfully

Still having issues?

Contact our support team — we’re available 24/7 and will help you get activated.