With the latest release of Windows, Windows 10, you can now worry less about tracking down that pesky little product key that’s always so important when activating Windows. You usually never need it, but there are times when you need to reinstall Windows or replace some hardware on your computer and Windows suddenly won’t activate.
I recently had to transfer a copy of Windows 10 from an old PC to a new one, and I had no idea where my product key was. I didn’t have it on my computer, or in the certificate, or even in my email, so I kind of got stuck. After talking to Microsoft about this issue, they told me that I can simply link my product key to my Microsoft account, which effectively turns it into a digital license.
In this article, I will show you how to link a Windows license to a Microsoft backup and storage account. You won’t use it often, but when you need it, you’ll be glad to have it.
Link your Windows license to your Microsoft account
Obviously, you need a Microsoft account already set up to use this feature. If necessary, you can register here. Once you have an account, log in to Windows as usual (with a Microsoft account or local account) and go to Start and then Settings.
Then click on Update & Security.
Finally, click on “Activate” in the left menu.
At the top you will find information about which version of Windows you have installed and activated or not.
If the product key / license can be saved to your Microsoft account, you will see an Add Microsoft account option at the very bottom. Click “Add Account” and you will be prompted to sign in.
If your product key does not support digital licensing, you will only see two other lines: Product ID and Product Key listed, but without the option to add a Microsoft account. In such cases, it is very important not to lose this product key, because you can only activate Windows with this key.
Once you’ve linked your account, you should see a message that Windows is activated with a digital license associated with your Microsoft account.
In one of the following posts, I will show you how to reactivate Windows using the digital license that is stored in your Microsoft account. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to comment. Enjoy!
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