Immediately after the installation of Windows 10, one of the first operations to carry out is the activation of the product key, i.e. the user license to be able to continue using Windows without limits and without warning messages (which will appear after 30 days of use without a license). This code is present in the original Windows 10 packaging or is provided by email when purchasing your digital copy on the Microsoft Store, so it should already be in our possession at the time of purchase. If we do not know how to insert the user license on Windows 10 or run into some product key errors, in this guide we have collected all the valid and approved methods by Microsoft to genuinely activate Windows 10, so that we can use it without any limit. The methods described allow you to activate Windows only with the original license, so we will not talk in any way about the crack or activators available on the network (in most cases they are viruses).
How to activate Windows 10
Below we will find all the methods and tips to follow in order to activate your copy of Windows 10, using both online activation.Note : all activations must be carried out with the Internet connection up and running (both Ethernet and Wi-Fi are fine, as long as you can browse the Web).
Activate Windows with digital license
If we already had an active copy of Windows 10 on our computer, but we proceeded with a clean new installation, we can activate Windows 10 without product key, through the digital license linked to the Microsoft account used so far on the computer. To quickly restore the digital license already in our possession, simply log in with our personal Microsoft account, opening the Start menu at the bottom left, opening the Settings app, taking us to the Account path -> Email and account and finally clicking on Add a Microsoft account .
Alternatively we can go to the Update and security -> Activation path and add the Microsoft account from there. Once the account is added, the system will synchronize the user license on the PC, so as to restore it quickly without having to enter the data manually . To verify the correct activation of the license linked to the Microsoft account, simply open the Settings app, take us to the path Update and security -> Activation and check, under Activation, if the source of the license in use is indicated ( Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account ).
If instead we notice the word Windows is activated with a digital license, it means that we have not yet tied the license to our Microsoft account (we are using a local account): we proceed immediately as seen previously so that, the next reinstallation of Windows, the license activates itself without having to enter any data.
Activate Windows with the product key
If it is the first time that we turn on the PC, we have personally installed Windows 10 on our assembled computer or we have purchased a license from a Microsoft dealer, we will have to insert the Product Key in order to activate our copy of Windows. The Product Key is a 25-character code to be used to activate our personal license on the copy of Windows; normally it is requested at the time of Windows installation, but we can also insert it at a later time by opening the Start menu at the bottom left, selecting the Settings app, going to the path Update and security> Activation> Update Product Key and finally by clicking Change Product Key .
A window will open in the foreground where you can enter the Product Key in our possession and click on Next ; if the license is valid, we will be immediately informed and the activation will be completed in a few seconds. We don't have a Producy Key "> Microsoft official site.
Activate Windows 10 after changing motherboard or computer
Windows 10 is supplied on many preassembled desktop PCs and on all laptops with an OEM type license, that is linked to the motherboard mounted on the computer . If for an upgrade we decide to change the motherboard, Windows 10 will no longer be able to manage the previous license and will show the "Activate Windows" warning, even after years of purchase!In this case, we can solve the problem with two different methods: in the first method, it plans to modify the OEM license linked to the Microsoft account (as seen in the previous chapters of the guide); if it is our scenario, let's go to the path Settings> Update and security> Activation> Troubleshooting and, when the system shows that it is not possible to activate Windows, we select the item I have changed the hardware of this device recently .
After selecting this item, click on Next and enter our credentials to the Microsoft account to which we had tied this license; the list of licenses related to our account will appear, we will only have to select the one that we have used so far on the computer and press Activate . Not all OEM licenses can be transferred with this method, but it is worth a try.
In the second method it includes all the cases in which we had used a local account on Windows 10 or we had manually entered the license at the first activation: in this case it is sufficient to go to the path Settings> Update and security> Activation> Change Product Key and enter the product key in our possession. We don't have a Producy Key "> Microsoft official site.
In case you want to change PC, in another article the guide to transfer a Windows 10 license to a new computer
Common problems with the license or product key
If the activation does not work, go to Settings> Update and security> Activation and click on the item Troubleshooting, so as to allow Microsoft to solve the problem automatically. Below, we have collected any errors that can happen with Windows digital licenses and product keys.- The Microsoft server may be busy or clogged, so you are invited to try again later. Disabling antivirus can help during this process.
- A network problem prevents the activation of the copy of Windows (Error code: 0xC004FC03 ). This activation error occurs when the PC is not connected to the Internet or if there is a program such as antivirus or firewall preventing the online activation process from completing. So make sure you are connected to the Internet, disable the firewall and if after a few days of attempts this problem still occurs, try activating Windows by phone. Another network problem is that of DNS (error 0x8007232B) which indicates the same a limited or absent connection.
- If you get an error saying " this specified product key can only be used for updating, not for new installations " (Error code: 0xC004F061 ), it means that a clean installation was made before updating . To solve, you will need to reinstall Windows 7 or 8.1, activate it with the code in our possession, update and then reinstall from scratch.
- The server reported that the product key has exceeded the activation limit (Error code: 0xC004C008 and 0xC004C020 ): the error occurs if the code you are trying to use has already been used on several PCs or if it has been used on more than one PC. Keep in mind that a product key only applies to a PC unless a different type of license has been purchased.
- Product key not working (Error code: 0xC004C003 ): this is the activation error that appears if the product key is not valid.
- Security error ( Error code: 0x80072F8F ): this error is solved by changing the date and time of the PC so that they are correct. Go to Settings> Time and language> Date and time.
- Unspecified error ( Error code: 0x80004005 ) The unspecified error can be solved with manual activation, going to Settings> Update and security> Activation If nothing of the above works, it will be necessary to reset the PC.
Conclusions
The procedure to activate Windows 10 has been facilitated to the maximum, so as to minimize the risk of error or loss of the license (since they are linked to the Microsoft account that we use). If it is the first time that we start Windows, just enter the Product Key on the package of the physical copy, on the label positioned under the body of the notebook, on the side on the case of the fixed PC or provided via email after purchase from the Microsoft Store .Recall that it is possible, from stores such as Amazon, to buy the Windows 10 Pro and Home license for a few Euros
If we have a PC already active and we want to recover its Product Key (for future reinstallations), just follow the steps described in our guide on How to Find the Windows Product Key and validate the authentic copy . To remove the watermark that will appear every time Windows is detected as not activated, just read the guide on How to remove "Activate Windows" in Windows 10 .
