Activate Windows 11: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

For Windows 11 users, one of the things, which is necessary is activating Windows 11. Some users do not know how to do it, so they may ask how to activate Windows 11. Here, we presented all the ways that you need to activate Windows 11.

How to Activate Windows 11 with Product Key?

Follow the steps below to activate Windows 11 with product key, but the first thing that you need to do is finding out if your Windows 11 is activated and linked to your Microsoft account or not.

1. Hit Start.
2. Hold Windows + I to open Windows Settings.
3. Navigate to System.
4. Scroll down.
5. Click on Activation on the right side.
6. Now, you will see an error, which says Windows is Not Activated.
7. Hit the Change button.
8. You can see a prompt to enter the product key.

Note: The product key is a 25-character code.

• Hit Next.
• You can see Activate Windows prompt here with a message, which says By Activating Windows, You Get the Best Experience, Free from Interruptions.
• Click on Activate to proceed.
• A prompt which says Windows is Activate will be appeared.
• Hit Close to see that the Activation state is Active.

Note: You can confirm that your Windows 11 has been activated.

You can see possible messages that may be shown on the Activation page below:

How to Activate Windows 11 with Free KMS Client Key?

In this method, you can activate Windows through 3 ways that we mentioned them below:

Manual Activation

To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Start Menu.
2. Search for cmd.
3. Run it with admin rights.
4. Use the command below to install a license key:

slmgr /ipk kmsclientkey

Note: KMS client key is the activation key, which is compatible with your Windows edition.

The list below is the Windows 11 Volume License Keys list:

Home: TX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99
Home N: 3KHY7-WNT83-DGQKR-F7HPR-844BM
Home Single Language: 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH
Home Country Specific: PVMJN-6DFY6-9CCP6-7BKTT-D3WVR
Pro: W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX
Pro N: MH37W-N47XK-V7XM9-C7227-GCQG9
Education: NW6C2-QMPVW-D7KKK-3GKT6-VCFB2
Education N: 2WH4N-8QGBV-H22JP-CT43Q-MDWWJ
Enterprise: NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43
Enterprise N: DPH2V-TTNVB-4X9Q3-TJR4H-KHJW4

• Use the command below to connect to my KMS server.

slmgr /skms kms8.msguides.com

• Use the command below to activate your Windows.

slmgr /ato

• You may see the error of 0x80070005. It means that the server is busy. So, try the command of ato again to reach your goal.

Batch File Activation

Although this method is not recommended due to the new Microsoft updates.

1. In a new text document, copy the code below:

@echo off

title Activate Windows 11 (ALL versions) for FREE – MSGuides.com&cls&echo =====================================================================================&echo #Project: Activating Microsoft software products for FREE without additional software&echo =====================================================================================&echo.&echo #Supported products:&echo – Windows 11 Home&echo – Windows 11 Professional&echo – Windows 11 Education&echo – Windows 11 Enterprise&echo.&echo.&echo ============================================================================&echo Activating your Windows…&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ckms >nul&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /upk >nul&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /cpky >nul&set i=1&wmic os | findstr /I “enterprise” >nul

if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk DPH2V-TTNVB-4X9Q3-TJR4H-KHJW4 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk YYVX9-NTFWV-6MDM3-9PT4T-4M68B >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 44RPN-FTY23-9VTTB-MP9BX-T84FV >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk WNMTR-4C88C-JK8YV-HQ7T2-76DF9 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 2F77B-TNFGY-69QQF-B8YKP-D69TJ >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk DCPHK-NFMTC-H88MJ-PFHPY-QJ4BJ >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk QFFDN-GRT3P-VKWWX-X7T3R-8B639 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk M7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 92NFX-8DJQP-P6BBQ-THF9C-7CG2H >nul&goto skms) else wmic os | findstr /I “home” >nul

if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk TX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 3KHY7-WNT83-DGQKR-F7HPR-844BM >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk PVMJN-6DFY6-9CCP6-7BKTT-D3WVR >nul&goto skms) else wmic os | findstr /I “education” >nul

if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk NW6C2-QMPVW-D7KKK-3GKT6-VCFB2 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 2WH4N-8QGBV-H22JP-CT43Q-MDWWJ >nul&goto skms) else wmic os | findstr /I “11 pro” >nul

if %errorlevel% EQU 0 (cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk MH37W-N47XK-V7XM9-C7227-GCQG9 >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk NRG8B-VKK3Q-CXVCJ-9G2XF-6Q84J >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 9FNHH-K3HBT-3W4TD-6383H-6XYWF >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk 6TP4R-GNPTD-KYYHQ-7B7DP-J447Y >nul||cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk YVWGF-BXNMC-HTQYQ-CPQ99-66QFC >nul&goto skms) else (goto notsupported)

:skms

if %i% GTR 10 goto busy

if %i% EQU 1 set KMS=kms7.MSGuides.com

if %i% EQU 2 set KMS=kms8.MSGuides.com

if %i% EQU 3 set KMS=kms9.MSGuides.com

if %i% GTR 3 goto ato

cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /skms %KMS%:1688 >nul

:ato

echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo.&cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ato | find /i “successfully” && (echo.&echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo #My official blog: MSGuides.com&echo.&echo #How it works: bit.ly/kms-server&echo.&echo #Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.&echo.&echo #Please consider supporting this project: donate.msguides.com&echo #Your support is helping me keep my servers running 24/7!&echo.&echo ============================================================================&choice /n /c YN /m “Would you like to visit my blog [Y,N]?” & if errorlevel 2 exit) || (echo The connection to my KMS server failed! Trying to connect to another one… & echo Please wait… & echo. & echo. & set /a i+=1 & goto skms)

explorer “http://MSGuides.com”&goto halt

:notsupported

echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo Sorry, your version is not supported.&echo.&goto halt

:busy

echo ============================================================================&echo.&echo Sorry, the server is busy and can’t respond to your request. Please try again.&echo.

:halt

pause >nul

• Right-click on the Desktop screen.
• Create a new text document.
• Paste the code into the text file.
• Save it as a batch file with cmd extension, and choose a name for it.
• Right click on the batch file.
• Run as administrator.
• Wait a minute.
• Now, you can see Product Activated Successfully, which means that the activation procedure is completed.
• Check the activation status again.

How to Activate Windows 11 from Settings?

Follow the steps below to activate Windows 11 from Settings:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select System.
3. Hit the Activation tab.
4. Choose the Activation State Settings if applicable.
5. Select Change in the Change Product key settings.
6. For the edition of Windows 11, type the 25-digit activation product key.
7. Hit Next.
8. Select the Open Store to open the Microsoft Store. (optional)
9. Hit the Buy button to purchase an activation key.
10. Follow the on-screen direction to complete the license purchase and activate Windows 11.

How to Activate Windows 11 from Installation Setup?

Follow the steps below to activate Windows 11 from installation setup:

1. Start your system with the Windows 11 USB flash drive.
2. Press any key to move on.
3. Select Next.
4. Choose Install Now.
5. Enter the current 25-digit product key for the edition of Windows 11 on the Activate Windows page.
6. Hit Next to verify the license.
7. Move on with the on-screen instruction to complete the installation.

How to Activate Windows 11 After Hardware Change?

When you make significant changes to your computer, the activation may lose because of the installation process since it considers it as a new computer. But, you can use the activation troubleshooter to reactivate for free. To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings on Windows 11.
2. Select System.
3. Hit the Activation tab.
4. Choose the Activation State Setting.
5. Next to the Windows Reported That No Product Key Was Found on Your Device.Error code: 0xC004F213., select the Troubleshoot.
6. Choose the option of I Changed Hardware on This Device Recently.
7. Use your Microsoft Account Credential to sign in.
8. Choose the computer from the list to reactivate Windows 11.
9. Select Activate button.

After completing the steps, Windows 11 will reactivate permanently for free without needing additional steps.

How to Purchase a New License?

To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Open Windows Settings.
2. Select System.
3. Choose Activation.
4. Select Get a New License in the Microsoft Store App.
5. Select Buy and move on with the procedure of purchasing. Windows will be automatically activated for a successful purchase.

How to Activate with Existing License?

To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Windows Settings.
2. Select System.
3. Choose Activation.
4. Select Troubleshoot.
5. On the appeared dialog, select I Changed Hardware on This Device Recently.
6. Sign in to your Microsoft Account.
7. When asked for the existing Windows password, press Enter.
8. Check the option of This is the Device I’m Using Right Now.
9. Select Activate.
10. Now, your Windows is activated now.

How to Check Windows Activation Status?

In the case that you want to check whether your Windows is activated or not, you should follow a simple process. To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Start Menu.
2. Select Settings.
3. Enter Update and Security.
4. Under the menu of Update and Security, select Activation.
5. Now, you can see your Windows activation status.

Is It Possible to Use Windows without Activation?

The answer is yes, but if you use your Windows without activation, it will be risky. Below, we mentioned some of the pros and cons of using an operating system without activation.

Pros of Using Windows without Activation

• The performance of your system is not affected if you don’t activate your operating system. Some people think that if they do not activate their Windows on their computer, it will affect on their system’s performance, but it isn’t true at all.

There are many advantages to activate your operating system that the most important one is accessing to all latest updates and features. Moreover, you can personalize the copy of your Windows with custom themes and settings, but activating your Windows is up to you.

• You can try a certain Windows operating system. It means that when you want to try Windows 11, you can install it without activating it. You can use a Windows operating system without activation for some days, but it will give you an idea of the overall features of the operating system, and if you want to continue with that version, you should activate it.

Cons of Using Windows without Activation

• You will get reminders: You can see a watermark on your desktop if you don’t activate Windows. This the trick that Microsoft chose to remind you need to pay the copy of Windows that you use. Also, when you see the water mark you should know that Windows is not activated.
• Personalization will be limited: Another drawbacks of Windows is that you cannot personalize your PC as much as the time it is activated. For instance, you cannot change lock screen and wallpaper. On your personalization settings page, you will see a message, which says Some Settings Are Managed by Your Organization.

Conclusion

Activating Windows 11 is very essential since it provides different features that they are not available when you do not activate it. In this article, we presented all the ways that help you activating your Windows 11. Do you use Windows 11? Did you activate it? How did you do that? Share your ideas with us.