Checking the License Status for Windows 10 or 11 (2024)

FAQs

Checking the License Status for Windows 10 or 11? ›

To find out, select the Start button, and then select Settings > System > Activation . You'll be able to confirm that your Windows 11 has been activated and that your Microsoft account is associated with your digital license.

To find out, select the Start button, and then select Settings > System > Activation . You'll be able to confirm that your Windows 11 has been activated and that your Microsoft account is associated with your digital license.

Your Windows 10 Pro licenses will work as Windows 11 Pro licenses.

Enter "cmd" in the search box on the taskbar and open Command Prompt. Enter the command wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey and press Enter. The text displayed in the format of "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX" is the product key.

To check the activation status within Windows 10, click on the Start menu and go to “Settings.” Select “Update & Security” and navigate to “Activation.” Verify whether Windows 10 is activated.

On the My account page, choose Subscriptions. You'll see the services that you're licensed to use, such as the latest desktop version of Microsoft 365, SharePoint in Microsoft 365 or OneDrive for work or school, and Exchange Online. You'll also see the version of the service you're using, such as Plan 1 or Plan 2.

Windows 11: App updates. Windows 10 offers plenty of compatible apps to use on your computer, but Windows 11 takes app usage to the next level. Most notably, Windows 11 now provides a selection of Android apps that you can easily add to your device.

How do I check if my computer can run Windows 11? ›

If you are unsure if your device meets the Windows 11 minimum system requirements and have Windows 10 already installed, you can download the PC Health Check app, which will assess eligibility and identify components of your device that don't meet the minimum requirements.

License keys are edition-specific, meaning a Windows 10 Pro key is only valid for activating Windows 10 Pro (or possibly upgrading to Windows 11 Pro, but not Home). If you want to install Windows 11 Home, you would need a separate license key for the Home edition.

If you've a retail license, you can easily transfer it via product key. Just use the same product key to activate Windows 11, it will activate Windows 11 and deactivate Windows 10 at the same time. If you've OEM license, you can't transfer it.

Microsoft's activation servers recognize your motherboard ID and other hardware components, so reinstalling Windows on the same PC hardware should not affect your license key activation.

Use PowerShell in Windows 11

Open the Windows 11 search tool and type “powershell.” Find PowerShell in the search results and click the Run As Administrator link. The command will reveal your original Windows 11 product key right there on the PowerShell prompt screen.

You can check if your digital license is linked to your Microsoft account by going to Start > Settings > System > About, and then selecting the “Activation” tab. Under “Activation,” it should say “Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account.”