Can you transfer a Windows 10 license to another PC?

If you have a computer you currently run Windows 10 on and
build yourself another, can you transfer the Windows 10 license to your new
computer? This is a question we were asked in the store the other day. As it
wasn’t the first time we had heard it so we thought we would add a blog post to
spread the word.

Windows 10 is expensive. It can run you over $100 if you
cannot find a discounted version and that’s not an insignificant amount of
money. So it makes sense that if you have a version running on one computer to
transfer it to another.

You cannot build a computer and plug your old hard drive
with your existing version of Windows 10 and expect it to work because it
won’t. Therefore you have to install a fresh copy and transfer ownership to the
new version.

Transferring a Windows license

Before Windows 10 came along, installing Windows onto a new
computer meant either copying the code onto your new machine and everything was
fine or copying the code and seeing ‘already registered’ errors and either
having to call Microsoft or get help another way.

Windows 10 did away with old-style license codes. They could
be easily circumvented and were not very secure. Windows 10 introduced digital
licenses linked to your Microsoft account. There is still a code but it doesn’t
work in the same way as before.

To transfer a Windows license you will need a copy of the
license code if you bought the PC from a store. This will be with the paperwork
or on a sticker somewhere on the computer. If you don’t have a key, we can work
around that but it is better if you have one.

When you’re ready to go, do this:

1. Type ‘cmd’ into the Windows Search box, right
   click Command Line window and select Open as Administrator.
2. Type slmgr /upk’ and hit enter.

This command disables the Windows 10 key for that computer
and should allow you to transfer it to your new computer. Now it’s time to use
it.

You can either log into your new computer with your
Microsoft account and the new version is picked up automatically or you may
need to ‘encourage’ it along a bit. Try logging in first and only try the
following if your copy isn’t authorized within 48 hours. Check Settings, System
and About to see its status.

On your new PC:

1. Open a CMD window as above.
2. Type ‘slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx’
   and hit Enter. Where you see xxxxx-xxxxx, type in your Windows 10 code you
   found on the package, paperwork or sticker of your old computer.
3. Type ‘slmgr /dlv’ and hit Enter.

You should see a popup window with a load of text. Look for
License Status and hopefully you should see Licensed next to it. If you do see
Licensed, you’re all done!

If you don’t see Licensed or don’t have a key, you need to
do a little more work.

1. Log into your new Windows computer using your
   existing Microsoft account.
2. Open a CMD window as above.
3. Type ‘slui 4’ and hit Enter.
4. Select your region from the blue window that
   appears and hit Next.
5. Call the toll-free number on the screen and use
   your phone keypad to enter the Installation ID on the screen.
6. Type the Confirmation ID the system provides
   into the boxes on screen and select Enter confirmation ID.
7. Select Activate Windows.

Now your version of Windows 10 should activate.