Moving Your Windows License to a New Computer

When you can move your Windows license and when you cannot

Whether you can transfer your Windows license depends on which version you own and how you bought it. A retail license — the kind you buy as a standalone product — can move to a new PC. A OEM license — the kind that came pre-installed on your old computer — is locked to that machine and cannot move. A volume license through a business stays with your organization's account, not with individual machines.

The transfer process itself is straightforward: you remove the license from the old PC, then sign into the new one with the same Microsoft account. Windows will recognize your license and activate automatically. The catch is that you need to know which type you own before you start, because the steps differ slightly and the outcome depends on it.

If you bought Windows 10 or Windows 11 directly from Microsoft or a retailer as a standalone product, you own a retail license and can transfer it. If it came with your computer when you bought it, or if you bought a pre-built system, it is almost certainly an OEM license and cannot move. You can check which one you have by looking at your original receipt or by checking Windows itself.

Key Takeaways

Retail Windows licenses can move to a new PC; OEM licenses (the kind pre-installed on computers) cannot.
You transfer a license by signing out on the old PC, then signing into the new one with the same Microsoft account.
Windows will activate automatically on the new machine if your license is transferable and your account is recognized.
If activation fails, you may need to contact Microsoft support with your product key or proof of purchase.
If you own an OEM license, you cannot transfer it, but you can buy a new retail license for the new PC.

Check which type of license you own

Open Settings on your current PC and go to System > About. Scroll down to the "Windows specifications" section. Look for the line that says "Windows edition" — it will show "Windows 10 Home" or "Windows 11 Pro" or similar. Below that, look for a line that says "System type" or scroll further to find licensing information.

The easiest way is to search for "Activation" in the Windows search bar and open "Activation settings." This page shows your activation status. If it says "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account," you own a retail license and can transfer it. If it says "Windows is activated with a digital license tied to this device," it is an OEM license and cannot move.

If you still have your original receipt or product key card from when you bought Windows, that is the clearest proof. Retail licenses come with a 25-character product key printed on the packaging or in a confirmation email. OEM licenses are not sold separately — they only exist as part of a pre-built computer purchase.

Deactivate Windows on your old PC

Before you move to the new machine, you need to remove the license from the old one. This tells Microsoft's servers that the license is no longer in use on that device. Open Settings > System > About and scroll to "Windows specifications." Click on "Activation settings" or search for "Activation" directly.

Look for a button or link that says "Manage" or "Change product key." Click it. You will see options to either enter a new product key or unlink your Microsoft account from this PC. Choose the option to unlink or remove the license. Windows will ask you to confirm — this step is important because it frees up your license to use on the new machine.

If you cannot find the deactivation option, you can also simply sign out of your Microsoft account on the old PC. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and click "Sign out." This disconnects your license from that machine, though it is cleaner to use the activation settings if they are available.

Sign into the new PC with your Microsoft account

When you set up your new computer, Windows will ask you to sign in. Use the same Microsoft account email address that you used on the old PC — this is the account your license is linked to. If you do not have a Microsoft account yet, create one using the same email address you used before, or the one associated with your old Windows installation.

During setup, Windows will connect to Microsoft's servers and check whether a valid license is linked to your account. If it finds one, it will activate automatically. You should see a message saying "Windows is activated" within a few minutes. If activation does not happen immediately, restart the computer — sometimes it takes a restart for the activation to complete.

Do not create a new local account or a different Microsoft account on the new PC. The license is tied to the specific account you used on the old machine, so using a different account will not work.

What to do if activation fails on the new PC

If Windows does not activate automatically after you sign in with your Microsoft account, first check your internet connection — activation requires a live connection to Microsoft's servers. Restart the computer and wait a few minutes, then check activation status again by going to Settings > System > About > Activation settings.

If it still shows as not activated, try entering your product key manually. Go to Activation settings and look for an option to "Change product key" or "Activate Windows." Enter the 25-character key from your original purchase. If you no longer have the key, you can try to find it on your old PC by searching online for "find Windows product key" — there are free tools that can retrieve it from your old machine if it is still accessible.

If manual entry does not work, contact Microsoft support directly. Go to Settings > System > About > Activation settings and look for a "Troubleshoot" button or link. This will open a support wizard that can help you reactivate, or it will give you a phone number to call Microsoft's activation support team. Have your product key or proof of purchase ready when you contact them.

Transferring a license between two PCs you own

If you are keeping both computers and want to move the license from one to the other, the process is the same: deactivate on the old machine, then activate on the new one using the same Microsoft account. You cannot use the same license on both machines at the same time — Windows will detect this and deactivate one of them automatically.

If you want to keep Windows on both computers, you will need to buy a second license for the machine that loses activation. Retail licenses are one-per-machine, so two machines require two licenses. You can purchase a new retail license from Microsoft, Amazon, Best Buy, or other retailers for around $100 to $200 depending on the edition.

If your old PC had an OEM license and you are moving to a new PC, you cannot transfer the old license at all. The old PC keeps its OEM license (it is tied to that hardware permanently), and you will need to buy a new retail license for the new machine if you want Windows activated on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my Windows license if I built my own PC?

Yes, if you bought Windows as a retail license. If you bought a pre-built computer from a manufacturer, the license is OEM and cannot transfer. Check your original receipt — if you purchased Windows separately from the hardware, it is a retail license and can move.

What if I forgot my Microsoft account password?

Go to account.microsoft.com and click "Can't access your account." Follow the recovery steps to regain access. You will need access to the email address or phone number associated with the account. Once you regain access, you can sign into the new PC normally and activation should work.

Do I need to uninstall Windows from the old PC before transferring the license?

No. You only need to deactivate the license in Windows settings. The old PC can keep Windows installed — it simply will not be activated. You can use an unactivated Windows PC, though you will see a watermark on the desktop and some personalization features will be limited.

Can I transfer my license if I upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11?

Yes. The upgrade process keeps your license type the same. If you had a transferable retail license on Windows 10, you still have one after upgrading to Windows 11. The license moves with you to a new PC using the same process.

What if my old PC is broken and I cannot deactivate Windows on it?

You can still activate on the new PC using your Microsoft account. Sign in with the same account on the new machine, and Windows will recognize your license. If activation does not work automatically, contact Microsoft support with your product key — they can manually deactivate the old machine on their end so you can activate the new one.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.