How to activate Windows 11 or Windows 10 with a product key (Settings or CMD)
Activating Windows takes about a minute: open Settings, enter your 25-character product key and Windows checks it online with Microsoft.
Updated 7 October 202601Before you start
- Your 25-character product key (it's in your key email and in your account).
- An internet connection, so Windows can check the key with Microsoft.
- The matching edition installed: a Pro key activates Windows Pro, a Home key activates Windows Home. To go from Home to Pro, see how to upgrade Home to Pro.
02Activate Windows 11
- Open Settings (press Windows + I) and go to System → Activation.
- Next to Change product key, click Change. (On some versions it's under Upgrade your edition of Windows.)
- Type your 25-character key and click Next, then Activate.
- When the page shows Active, you're done.
03Activate Windows 10
- Open Settings → Update & Security → Activation.
- Click Change product key.
- Enter your key, click Next and then Activate.
Microsoft ended regular support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. A Windows 10 Pro key also activates Windows 11 Pro, so if your PC meets the Windows 11 requirements, install Windows 11 and activate it with the same key.
04Activate from the command line
Useful if the Settings page won't accept the key. Open Command Prompt as administrator (search "cmd", right-click, Run as administrator) and run:
slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX slmgr /ato
Replace the X's with your key. The first command installs the key, the second activates it. To check the result, run slmgr /xpr.
05Entering the key during a fresh install
When Windows Setup asks for a product key you can enter it right away, or click I don't have a product key and activate later from Settings. If you skip it, make sure you pick the right edition (for example Windows 11 Pro) on the next screen. Our clean install guide walks through the whole process.
06Keep your activation after a hardware change
Sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account (Settings → Accounts → Your info). Your activation is then linked to your account, which makes it easy to reactivate with the Activation troubleshooter after replacing a motherboard.
07If activation fails
Note the error code shown on the Activation page and check our Windows activation error guide. If the key itself is the problem, contact us and we'll send a replacement.
