Last updated: 13 October 2026 · 4 min read

Before you start: check your edition

A key activates the edition it was made for: a Pro key activates Windows 11 Pro and a Home key activates Windows 11 Home. To see your edition, open Settings, then System → About, and look at "Edition" under Windows specifications.

Running Home with a Pro key: follow the same steps below. Windows upgrades the edition to Pro and asks for a restart. Your files and apps stay as they are.
Running Pro with a Home key: it will not work. You need a key that matches your edition.
You need a working internet connection and an administrator account on the PC.
Your PC date and time must be correct, because activation is checked online.

Method 1: from Settings

The easiest way, and the one most people should use:

Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
Go to System → Activation.
Click "Change" next to "Change product key".
Paste the key, click Next, then Activate. Within seconds you will see "Windows is activated".

If the key is from an order with us, you will find it in "My library" on our site. Copy and paste it from there instead of typing it, so you do not mix up characters like O and 0.

Method 2: from the command line

Useful if the Activation page will not open or hangs. Right-click the Start button, choose Terminal (Admin) or "Command Prompt (Admin)", and run these two commands in order (replace the X characters with your key):

slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
slmgr /ato

The first command installs the key and the second activates it online. Each one shows a small window with the result; click OK.

How to check that Windows is activated

In Settings: System → Activation should show "Activation state: Active".
In the command line: run slmgr /xpr and you will see that the machine is permanently activated.
The "Activate Windows" watermark in the screen corner disappears after a restart.

Link activation to your Microsoft account

In Settings → Accounts → Your info, sign in with a Microsoft account instead of a local account. The Activation page can then show that the license is linked to your account (depending on the license type). This helps if you replace a major part such as the motherboard, because the Activation troubleshooter can restore activation from your account.

Reinstalling Windows?

If you install Windows 11 from scratch, Setup asks for a product key at the start. You can enter it there, or choose "I don't have a product key", finish the install and activate from Settings with the steps above. What matters is picking the same edition as your key on the edition screen: Pro for a Pro key, Home for a Home key.

If the PC was activated before and you reinstall the same edition on the same hardware, it usually activates by itself once it goes online, because the digital license is stored by Microsoft. Wait a few minutes after connecting and check the Activation page before entering the key again.

Common problems and fixes

"This product key didn't work" or error 0xC004F050: the key was usually mistyped or does not match your edition. Copy it again and check the edition.
Cannot reach the activation servers: check your internet, turn off any VPN, correct the date and time, and try again in a few minutes.
The key was already used: do not try other keys from the internet. Contact us and we will sort it out under the activation warranty.
Windows from an unofficial source: some modified builds refuse activation. The safest fix is installing Windows 11 from Microsoft's website.

Every error code, what it means and how to fix it, is in Windows 11 activation errors and fixes.

Avoid unknown activation tools (pirated activators and KMS tools): they open the door to malware, and the activation is not genuine and can be lost after updates.

Need a key?

We sell genuine lifetime Windows 11 keys for one PC with online activation. The key arrives in "My library" with Arabic activation steps within 24 hours of payment, and if it fails on first activation we replace it or refund you.