Linking Your Windows Digital Licence to Your Microsoft Account

A digital licence is an activation method tied to your hardware and Microsoft account.

A digital licence, sometimes called a digital entitlement, is an activation method that doesn't use a visible product key. Instead, Microsoft remembers that your device is entitled to an activated Windows installation. This link is created during installation or when you purchase Windows from the Microsoft Store, and it is tied to your PC's hardware.

As long as you don't change key components, Windows reactivates automatically. However, if you replace the motherboard or substantially rebuild the PC, Windows may no longer recognise the device and activation will be lost. By linking your digital licence to your Microsoft account beforehand, you can reactivate in that scenario without entering a key.

You get a digital licence in several ways: when you upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free, when you buy a PC with Windows pre-activated, or when you purchase Windows or an edition upgrade from the Microsoft Store. In all these cases, there is no product key to type in; the activation is invisibly bound to the device. That's the main difference compared to a classic 25-character product key, which you enter manually and can store.

Linking to your account lets you reactivate Windows after a hardware change.

The purpose of linking is clear: to survive a hardware change. Without the link, the digital licence is only tied to the hardware, and that bond breaks as soon as you replace a significant component. With the link, the licence is also associated with your account, so the troubleshooter can find it again.

The motherboard is especially crucial. Windows uses hardware identifiers to recognise your PC, and the motherboard carries the most weight. If you only replace a hard drive, add memory, or upgrade a graphics card, activation usually remains intact. But if you swap the motherboard, Windows generally sees a new PC and reactivation is required. That's exactly the scenario account linking is designed for.

This brings several practical benefits:

• You can reactivate Windows after replacing the motherboard or other core components.
• You don't need to store or re-type a product key.
• During a reinstallation, you can immediately identify your device in the list of linked devices.
• If something goes wrong, you have an extra way to restore activation besides normal automatic activation.

The best time to link is beforehand, before you change any hardware. If you do it only after you've already replaced the motherboard, Windows may no longer see the device as the same one, and reactivation via the troubleshooter won't work. So link as soon as Windows is activated, without waiting until you want to replace components.

If you're not sure which type of licence you have, it's good to know that not every licence can be transferred. Read about the differences between licence types in OEM, retail, and volume licences: what's the difference?. An OEM licence, for example, remains tied to the original motherboard even if you link it.

Check the link in Settings under Activation.

Before you change anything, check whether the licence is already linked to your account. You can see this in the activation settings.

1. Open Settings > System > Activation.
2. Look at the status line next to Activation state.

If it says that Windows is activated with a digital licence linked to your Microsoft account, everything is fine and you don't need to do anything. If it only says that Windows is activated with a digital licence, without mentioning an account, the link hasn't been created yet and you should still do so.

So there are three possible statuses you may encounter. With classic activation, it says Windows is activated with a product key; you aren't using a digital licence. With a digital licence without an account, activation is tied to the hardware. With a digital licence with an account, the licence is linked to both the hardware and your account, which is the safest situation for future hardware changes.

Sign in with a Microsoft account to link the licence.

The link is created automatically as soon as you sign in to the PC with a Microsoft account that has administrator privileges. If you're using a local account, you'll need to switch first.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info.
2. Choose Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
3. Enter your Microsoft account details and follow the steps.
4. Go back to Settings > System > Activation and check the status line.

After signing in, you should see the message that Windows is activated with a digital licence linked to your Microsoft account. If the message doesn't appear immediately, restart the PC and check again; the link isn't always applied instantly. If the reference to your account still doesn't appear despite being signed in with a Microsoft account, that account likely doesn't have administrator privileges on the PC.

If you'd rather keep using a local account but still want to set up the link, you can sign in once to create the link and then switch back if you like. The link between the licence and your account remains, even if you continue using the PC with a local account. For more on choosing between account types, see Installing Windows 11 with a local account.

Reactivate after a hardware change using the troubleshooter.

If you've replaced components and Windows reports that it's no longer activated, use the activation troubleshooter. It will find your linked licence.

1. Open Settings > System > Activation and select Troubleshoot.
2. Select the option I changed hardware on this device recently.
3. Sign in with the Microsoft account that the licence is linked to.
4. Choose your device from the list of linked devices and click Activate.

If you don't see your PC in the list, check that you're signed in with the correct account. The licence is tied to a specific account; a different account won't see the device. The official step-by-step guide is available at Microsoft Support.

In the list, each device usually shows the name you gave the PC, plus whether it's the device you're currently using. Select the correct device and confirm that it's the one you're using now. The troubleshooter then checks if the linked licence matches that device and reactivates Windows. If you see multiple similar devices, choose the one with the most recent activation date, as that's likely the PC you've just rebuilt.

Consider the limitations of a linked digital licence.

Linking solves a lot, but not everything. A few limitations are worth knowing before you rely on it:

• The link works with a personal Microsoft account. You can't always use a work or school account for this.
• A licence belongs to one device at a time. You can't keep the same digital licence active on two PCs.
• Even with a linked licence, Microsoft may still refuse reactivation for very major hardware changes. In that case, phone activation or contacting support can help.

If you later sell the PC, be aware that the new owner cannot link the digital licence to their own account as long as it's tied to yours. When selling, it's common for the buyer to reset the PC and sign in with their own account, with the hardware-linked activation remaining but the account link changing.

Solve linking problems by checking your account, privileges, and licence type.

If linking or reactivation fails, it's usually due to one of these causes:

If activation still fails after a motherboard swap despite doing everything correctly, phone activation can help. Press Windows + R and start phone activation with the command:

slui 4

Follow the voice instructions to activate. If that doesn't work either, contacting Microsoft Support is the last step; an agent can check whether your licence is eligible for reactivation and help arrange it.

If you've lost your product key and aren't sure whether you have a digital licence or a classic key, it helps to find your key first. How to do that is explained in Finding your Windows product key: where is your key?. That way you'll know for certain which type of activation you have before you make the link. On a PC activated with a digital licence, you won't find a usable key because there isn't one; it's the account link that protects your activation.