Microsoft has introduced a new feature in Windows 10 that allows you to link Microsoft Accounts to the digital license of the operating system, so that can use the linked Microsoft Account for reactivating Windows 10 device if you run into Activation issues caused by hardware change. Here this post we discuss how to link windows 10 license to Microsoft account, and reactivate windows 10 after Hardware change using “windows 10 activation troubleshooter”.
How do I find my windows 10 digital license?
The Windows 10 Settings app has a page for displaying your activation information, including whether you have a digital license, it’s linked with your Microsoft account through your key isn’t shown here:
- Press Windows + I to open Settings
- Click on Update & Security then click Activation on the left-hand side.
If you have a digital license, you should see “Windows is activated with a digital license” or If Windows 10 digital license is lined with a Microsoft account you see “Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account.”
Link Windows 10 to Microsoft account
Note: If you are planning Windows 10 device for a hardware change, you must “link your Microsoft account with the digital license” by following the steps below.
You must sign in as an administrator to be able to add a Microsoft account to link to the digital license.
How to link your Microsoft account with the digital license
- Press Windows + I to open windows settings,
- Select Update & security then Click on Activation on the left side
- Now click on Add an account under Add a Microsoft account.
- Enter your Microsoft account and password click Sign in.
- If the local account isn’t connected to a Microsoft account, you’ll also need to enter the password for the local account, then click Next.
- Once you completed the process, you will see the Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account message on the Activation page.
Re-activate Windows 10 after a hardware change
If you previously linked your Microsoft account to your digital license, you can use the Activation troubleshooter to help reactivate Windows after a significant hardware change.
- Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
- Click Update & security.
- Click Activation.
- If you see the activation status message: Windows is not activated, then you can click Troubleshoot to continue. (Your account must have administrator privileges to complete this process.)
- Click the “I changed hardware on this device recently”
- Enter your Microsoft account credentials, and click Sign in.
- You’ll need to enter your local account password if a Microsoft account hasn’t been added to your computer. Click Next to continue.
- A list of devices associated with your Microsoft account will populate. Select the device you want to re-activate.
- Check the “This is the device I’m using right now”option, and click the Activate
- From the list of devices that are linked to your Microsoft account, select the device that you’re currently using. Then select the check box next to This is the device I’m using right now, then select Activate.
If you don’t see the device you’re using in the list of results, make sure that you signed in using the same Microsoft account you linked to the Windows 10 digital license on your device. here are some additional reasons why you can’t reactivate Windows:
- The edition of Windows on your device doesn’t match the edition of Windows you linked to your digital license.
- The type of device you’re activating doesn’t match the type of device you linked to your digital license.
- Windows was never activated on your device.
- You reached the limit on the number of times you can reactivate Windows on your device. For more info, see Terms of Use.
- Your device has more than one administrator, and a different administrator already reactivated Windows on your device.
- Your device is managed by your organization and the option to reactivate Windows isn’t available. For help with reactivation, contact your organization’s support person.
If you are looking to transfer windows 10 license to another computer check this post.
Also, read How to find windows 10 product key using command prompt.