What if My Windows 10 Is Not Activated?
If your installation of Windows is not activated, you won’t be able to use Windows Defender Security Center, which keeps your computer safe from viruses and other malware. If you installed a fresh copy of Windows on your PC, you’d likely need to activate it with a product key or a digital license. If you recently reinstalled Windows, you can use the same product key to reactivate it or use the same digital license if it’s linked to your Microsoft account.
How Do You Tell if Windows 10 Is Activated?
To see if your Windows 10 installation is activated, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security, then select the Activation tab. Look in the Activation section under Windows.
How to Activate Windows 10 With a Product Key
If you purchased a copy of Windows 10 from a retailer, it should come with a 25-character product key. If you didn’t enter it when you first installed Windows, you could activate Windows with a product key by following these steps:
Select the Windows Start Menu, then select Settings. Select Update & Security. Select Activation in the left sidebar, then select Change product key or Update product key. Enter the product key and select Next. The product key might be in the box or your order information if you purchased it online.
How to Activate Windows 10 With a Digital License
Your Windows 10 digital license is tied to your computer, and it will activate as soon as you connect to the internet and log in to your Microsoft account as an administrator. If you’re reinstalling Windows, select I don’t have a product key during setup.
If Windows doesn’t activate automatically, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation and select Troubleshoot under the Windows section (not the Troubleshoot option in the left sidebar). The troubleshooter will walk you through the process of logging into the Microsoft account, and you’ll be asked to choose the computer linked to your digital license. Check the This is the device I’m using right now box and select Activate.
Add Microsoft Account to Windows 10
You should link your activated copy of Windows 10 to a Microsoft account if you decide to reinstall Windows. That way, you can reactivate your operating system by just signing in. If you skipped this step during setup, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation and select Add an account.
To make sure your Microsoft account is linked, log in to Windows as the administrator, go to Start > Settings > Accounts, and select Your info in the left sidebar. If you see an email address under User, your copy of Windows 10 is connected to the Microsoft account associated with that email.
How Can I Activate Windows 10 for Free?
To activate Windows 10, you need either a digital license or a product key. Some websites offer free product keys and licenses, but using such services is considered piracy and technically illegal. However, if you’re running an older version of Windows, you may be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.
