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Once you've confirmed that Windows 11 is activated, follow these steps: If you're not activated, complete the activation process with the steps you see on the Activation page. If you experience an error while activating, see Get help with Windows activation errors. Select the Start button, then select Settings > System > Activation. Prepare your Windows 11 device for a hardware changeįirst, follow these steps to find out if Windows 11 is already activated. Then, use the following info to help you successfully prepare for a hardware change and reactivate Windows.
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To find out which you need, see "What activation method do I use, product key or digital license?" in Activate Windows. To activate Windows, you'll need either a digital license or a product key. If you make significant hardware changes on your device, such as replacing your motherboard, Windows will no longer find a license that matches your device, and you’ll need to reactivate Windows to get it up and running. When installing Windows 11, the digital license associates itself with your device's hardware. Alternatively, there are other ways to access Control Panel on Windows.Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. Search and open the “Control Panel” on Windows 11.Click on the magnifying glass icon in your Taskbar.It won’t work on Administrator accounts and if your local account is associated with a Microsoft account. However, this method is only effective for local accounts created without a Microsoft account. You can also change your account name on Windows 11 through Control Panel. How to Change Local Account Name via Control Panel
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Tip: A Microsoft account is not really necessary if you want to try out Windows 11, and you can check our guide that shows you how to approach the matter. Keep in mind that updating the Microsoft account information means it will change across all services provided by Microsoft, like Outlook, Microsoft 365, etc. As such, you could use a pseudonym or an abbreviation of your name. Technically you can change your name to anything you desire, but it might be a good idea to keep your personal information as private as possible. Once you get passed that, do not forget to click “Save.”.You will have to complete a challenge to confirm you are not a robot trying to make the changes.
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