How to transfer a Windows 11 licence to another computer

One of the questions we get most often: I bought a Windows licence, I changed my computer — can I move it across? The short answer is “it depends on the type of licence”. Here is what to know before you try.

Retail or OEM — that decides everything

A Retail licence is transferable. You can remove it from one computer and activate it on another, as long as it is only in use on one device at a time. Every licence we sell at Litsenzi.bg is of this type.

An OEM licence is tied to the motherboard of the computer it was first activated on. It cannot be transferred. This is the licence that comes preinstalled when you buy a new laptop or desktop.

If you are not sure which one you have, open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

slmgr /dli

The window will show the channel description — RETAIL or OEM.

Step 1: release the licence on the old computer

Windows has no “deactivate” button, but there is a way to free the key. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

slmgr /upk — removes the installed product key.
slmgr /cpky — clears the key from the registry.

The computer is then left unactivated. Do not remove the key before you have written it down somewhere.

Step 2: activate on the new computer

On the new machine open Settings → System → Activation → Change product key and enter the 25-character code. Activation goes through the official Microsoft servers.

If you get a message saying the key is already in use, wait a few hours — Microsoft's system sometimes registers the release with a delay.

What if I only changed hardware?

Replacing a motherboard or processor often deactivates Windows, because activation is tied to the machine's hardware profile. That does not mean the licence is lost.

Open Settings → Activation and choose Troubleshoot. If you linked the licence to a Microsoft account before the change, select “I changed hardware on this device recently” and the system will restore it. If you did not, enter the product key again.

Common mistakes when transferring

• Mixing editions. A Windows 11 Pro key will not activate an installed Windows 11 Home, or the other way round. The edition has to match.
• Deleting the key without saving it. After slmgr /upk the key disappears from the system — keep the order email.
• Trying to transfer an OEM licence. It will not work, however many times you try.

If something goes wrong

Write to us at info@litsenzi.bg with your order number and a screenshot of the error message. We answer every day between 09:00 and 20:00 Bulgarian time. We help with activation and, if needed, replace the licence free of charge.

There are step-by-step instructions with screenshots in our Windows 11 guide. If you are looking for a new licence, browse the Windows licences.