![]() ![]() Advertisementįurther Reading How to upgrade to Windows 11, whether your PC is supported or not įormally, that free upgrade offer ended in July 2016, and Windows 7 and 8 PCs no longer saw notifications about the offer. Not only would people running Windows 7 and Windows 8 be offered the option to upgrade to Windows 10, but product keys from those versions of Windows would activate the analogous editions of Windows 10. Microsoft wanted to encourage developers to use its new technologies by giving them the largest possible install base of people on the newest version of Windows. When Windows 10 originally launched in 2015, it did so as a free upgrade to all users of Windows 7 and Windows 8-the vast majority of the Windows user base at the time. We've asked Microsoft for clarification and will update this story if we receive any. But Neowin could not activate a newer Insider Preview build of Windows, suggesting that the change will mostly affect newer Windows versions. We were able to activate a fresh Windows 11 Pro 22H2 install with a Windows 8 Pro product key as of this morning, as was Neowin. ![]() When he isn't working on a computer or DIY project, he is most likely to be found camping, backpacking, or canoeing.(Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.)Īt least for now, though, it seems like this change will only apply to future Windows versions. He has designed crossovers for homemade speakers all the way from the basic design to the PCB. He regularly repairs and repurposes old computers and hardware for whatever new project is at hand. He enjoys DIY projects, especially if they involve technology. He also uses Proxmox to self-host a variety of services, including a Jellyfin Media Server, an Airsonic music server, a handful of game servers, NextCloud, and two Windows virtual machines. He has been running video game servers from home for more than 10 years using Windows, Ubuntu, or Raspberry Pi OS. Nick's love of tinkering with computers extends beyond work. In college, Nick made extensive use of Fortran while pursuing a physics degree. Before How-To Geek, he used Python and C++ as a freelance programmer. He has been using computers for 20 years - tinkering with everything from the UI to the Windows registry to device firmware. Nick Lewis is a staff writer for How-To Geek. ![]() Related: What's the Difference Between the "System Builder" and "Full Version" Editions of Windows? Regardless of what kind of key you have, product keys are 25 characters long and composed of a mixture of capital letters and numbers. That kind of key is commonly referred to as an OEM key, an OEM product key, or an OEM license.Īlternatively, there are retail licenses available for enthusiasts who build their own PCs or purchase different versions of Windows 11. When you purchase a prebuilt computer or laptop, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) installs Windows on the device for you. Windows will not be activated if the key is invalid. ![]() The key is provided to Microsoft when Windows 11 is activated, and Microsoft checks the key against its records. What Is a Windows Product Key?Ī product key is Microsoft's way to ensuring that the copy of Windows being used is genuine. You can find the product key in use on your PC, which is particularly useful if you bought Windows yourself and need to reinstall it. Windows 11 uses a product key to ensure your OS is genuine - in other words, not pirated. ![]()
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