By Achilles Hill | Last Updated
If you're upgrading your hardware or switching to a new computer, you might be wondering: Can I transfer my Windows 10 license to another PC? The answer is: Yes—but it depends on your license type.
In this guide, we'll explain how Windows 10 licensing works, how to check if your license is transferable, and how to safely deactivate and move your Windows 10 key to a new machine.
Not all Windows 10 licenses are eligible for transfer. First, figure out what kind of license you have:
The retail license is the Windows 10 activation license which is purchased directly from Microsoft or a store. It is transferable so that you can move it to another PC.
If your Windows 10 computer is activated with OEM license, which is pre-installed on factory-made devices, such as Dell or HP laptop. Such license is tied to the original hardware, which cannot be transferable to another PC.
The volume license is used by business or schools, which is usually non-transferable to personal machines.
If you are not sure the license type of your Windows 10, you can run CMD as admin on your pc and enter slmgr –dli to have a check. Then you can find "Retail", "OEM", or "Volume" in the Description.
Before you uninstall the Windows 10 license, you have to find out your Windows 10 product key firstly. If you lost the key, you can try the ways here to recover the Windows 10 product key, including using Product Key Finder.
After keeping your Windows 10 product key on hand, you can deactivate the Windows 10 pc with the following 3 steps if you have a Retail license.
Step 1: Search CMD on the start menu and right-click it to choose Run it as admin.
Step 2: In the open command prompt window, type slmgr.vbs /upk and hit Enter. Then, the product key will be uninstalled instantly.
Step 3: To clear the Windows product key more thoroughly, you can also enter slmgr.vbs /cpky to erase the product key in the registry. At last, reboot your Windows 10 pc.
Now, it's time to activate your another Windows 10 PC and here are the details.
Step 1: Type CMD in the search bar and run it with admin privileges.
Step 2: Input slmgr.vbs /ipk [Windows 10 product key] in the command prompt and press Enter to execute it. After the key is installed successfully, you will be reminded with a prompt.
If you fail to activate your Windows 10 new pc with the transferred license, you can call Microsoft support for help or it's also a good option to directly move the Windows 10 OS to your new pc by backing up Windows 10 to an external hard drive and then restore the backup to your new computer.
Note:
1. Can I use my Windows 10 key on two PCs at once?
No. A single Windows license is valid for one device only.
2. How do I know if my license is digital or product-key based?
Go to Settings>Update & Security > Activation. In the Activation section, if it says “Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account,” there is the digital license on your computer. Otherwise, it requires a product key.
3. What if I lost my product key?
You can retrieve your key using a tool like iSunshare Product Key Finder or check your Microsoft account under registered devices.
Moving your Windows 10 license to another PC is completely possible—if you have a Retail license. You can follow the steps above to transfer Windows 10 license to your new computer.
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