In this basic post, I will show you how to activate Windows 11 using multiple methods. We will look at Windows 11 activation methods, find the activation status of Windows 11 and much more.
What does Windows 11 activation mean? 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.
You might have heard about genuine windows. Genuine Windows is delivered by Microsoft and trusted partners, with the assurance of reliable, continued support and the latest updates.
Microsoft recommends linking Windows 11 to your Microsoft account. Linking your Microsoft account with your digital license enables you to reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter whenever you make a significant hardware change.
Windows 11 has been released, and you can deploy Windows 11 using SCCM now. Take a look at different methods to upgrade to Windows 11.
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Top reasons why your Windows 11 shows non-genuine
- Someone put counterfeit Windows on your device.
- Changes were made to your hardware, such as replacing the motherboard.
- If your device was repaired recently, the correct product key or license was not used after the repair.
- Your work device hasn’t been connected to your company network recently.
How to Check Activation Status of Windows 11
To check the activation status of Windows 11 PC.
- Log in to your Windows 11 computer.
- Click the Start button, and then select Settings > System.
- Select Activation option.
- The Windows 11 activation status will be listed next to Activation state.
The activation state in this case in set to Not active. This means that Windows 11 is not activated, and you must enter a product key to activate Windows 11.
Get Windows 11 License Information using Command Prompt
You can use the following steps to get the Windows 11 license information using command prompt
- Log in to your Windows 11 PC, click Start and type CMD.
- Select the Command Prompt and click Run as administrator.
- Run the command slmgr /dli to get the license information for Windows 11.
There is another command using which you can get a detailed license information for Windows 11. Run the command slmgr /dlv, and it displays detailed Windows 11 license information.
What is Windows 11 Activation Error Code 0xC004F213?
On Windows 11, the error code 0xc004f213 indicates that no product key was found on your computer. You see Windows reported that no product key was found on your device error code 0xC004F213.
To resolve the issue, you must enter a valid product key and that should instantly resolve error 0xc004f213. If your license key is expired, use the change product key option and enter a new product key.
List of Windows 11 Activation Status Messages
The activation state in Windows 11 determines if the Windows 11 is activated or not. After you active Windows 11 computer, you should see one of these status messages.
| Windows 11 Activation Status Message | Description |
| Windows is activated | This means your Windows 11 copy is activated |
| Windows is activated with a digital license | Windows 11 is activated |
| Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account | You are activated. Your Microsoft account is already linked to your digital license. |
| Windows is not activated / Not Active | This means your Windows 11 PC is not activated. You will see an error message explaining the failure. You might need to purchase Windows 11 to activate. |
Windows 11 Activation Methods
There are two ways to activate your Windows 11 computer.
- Digital License – A digital license is a method of activation in Windows 11 that doesn’t require you to enter a product key. Digital licenses are associated with your hardware. They are linked to your Microsoft account. You don’t need to remember any product key. You’re all set once your PC is connected to the internet, and you log in to your Microsoft account.
- Product key – A product key is a 25-character code used to activate Windows 11. What you’ll see is PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. Either you must enter the product key while installing Windows 11 or when you log in to Windows 11. When you have a product key, go to activation settings and use the change product key option. Enter the product key and activate Windows 11.
When you have activated your Windows 11, you must remember how you activated it. With Digital license, you just need to sign-in your Microsoft account and the activation is taken care.
If you activate Windows 11 with product key, make a note of it and save it in a secure location. The next time you format your computer and install Windows 11, use the same product key to activate Windows 11.
Refer the following guide to locate your Windows 11 product key.
Buy Windows 11 License from Microsoft Store (Insider Release)
Suppose that you have installed Windows 11 and you don’t have a product key to activate it. Windows 11 provides a new way to buy genuine license for Windows 11 from Microsoft Store.
This new feature is applicable only for Windows 11 insider release.
Go to Settings > System > Activation. Next to Get a new license in the Microsoft Store app and click Open Store.
This loads the new Microsoft store on your Windows 11 and you can buy genuine copy of Windows 11. Currently, it seems like the store isn’t updated and hence it still shows Windows 10 Pro. Microsoft will update it, and you should see the Windows 11 entry.
How to Activate Windows 11 with Product Key
Let’s look at the steps to activate Windows 11 using product key. I am running Windows 11 Pro and I will activate it using a 25-character code product key. Go to System > Activation and next to Change Product Key, click Change button.
Enter the product key for Windows 11 and click Next.
On Activate Windows box, click Activate.
Windows 11 is now activated. Click Close.
After you successfully activate Windows 11 with a product key, the Activation State is now changed from Not Active to Active. You can now continue using Windows 11 without any worry. I hope this post helps.
Steps to Uninstall Windows 11 Product Key using Slmgr
The slmgr /upk [Activation ID] command uninstalls the product key of the current Windows edition. If you want to uninstall the previous Windows 11 product key, you can do that through command prompt.
On your Windows 11 PC, launch the command prompt as administrator. Run the command slmgr /upk to uninstall the old Windows 11 product key.
You don’t need to specify any product key to uninstall, any key that was supplied earlier will be removed.
After you run the above command, restart your computer. After a restart, the system will be in an Unlicensed state unless a new product key is installed. Optionally, you can use the [Activation ID] parameter to specify a different installed product.
How to Activate Windows 11 using Command Line
If you want to activate Windows 11 using command line, you can try the following steps.
- On your Windows 11 PC, click Start and type CMD.
- Select the Command Prompt and click Run as administrator.
- Type the command slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (25 Char Product Key).
- Press enter key and if the product key is valid, Windows 11 activation completes successfully.
Ensure you supply the correct product key. Installed product key successfully confirms the Windows 11 activation is done.
Check Windows 11 Activation Status using Command Line
After you activate Windows 11 PC, you can check the activation status from command prompt. Launch the command prompt as administrator and run the command slmgr -xpr.
The slmgr /xpr [Activation ID] displays the activation expiration date for the product. It shows the machine is permanently activated.
