Why was I not asked for a product key when upgrading to Win 10?

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  1. Posts : 101
    Win 10 Pro
       #1

    Why was I not asked for a product key when upgrading to Win 10?


    Hi,

    I recently (just a few days ago) upgraded my computer from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Why was I not asked for a product key? It shows in System Properties that Windows 10 is activated. How could that happen when I did not enter a product key?

    Thanks.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 42,734
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #2

    Hopefully your Win 7 was properly activated, so you got the free upgrade. Congratulations on that!
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 101
    Win 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    dalchina said:
    Hopefully your Win 7 was properly activated, so you got the free upgrade. Congratulations on that!
    Is there a chance that it wasn't properly activated? I actually purchased a Windows 10 product key from Microsoft, but haven't used it yet, because the upgrade process didn't ask for it. I see in the System Properties that you can change your product key. Should I do this? (Change the present product key to the one I purchased?) Is it safe to change product keys? Will it in any way affect my installation?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 42,734
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #4

    According to your spec you have Win 10 Pro, but perhaps that doesn't reflect your PC.

    You haven't stated which edition of Win 10 you have on this machine, nor what your Win 10 key is for.

    For example, if you already have Win 10 Pro and your key is Win 10 Home, that would be a retrograde step.

    For interest only:
    Change Product Key in Windows 10

    More on product key if you search this list or look at 'Related Tutorials' in the above.
    Windows 10 Tutorial Index
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 101
    Win 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I have Windows 10 Pro 64-bit on my computer. And the product key I purchased, but haven't used yet is also Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.

    So... Is my current activation good? Is there a chance that, in the future, my current product key could be a problem? (I had read somewhere that this can happen) Or should I replace the current product key with the one I purchased from Microsoft? And if I do, is this a fail-safe process? (Since the current product key and the new one are both for Win 10 Pro 64-bit)
    Last edited by NeedUpgradeHelp; 20 Jan 2020 at 10:06.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #6

    If you upgraded from a legally activated Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro, it would be normal for the Windows 10 to be activated for free with a digital license afterwards.

    Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 101
    Win 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Brink said:
    If you upgraded from a legally activated Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro, it would be normal for the Windows 10 to be activated for free with a digital license afterwards.

    Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free
    OK, thanks for the info. Yes, it was a legally activated Windows 7 Pro.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #8

    NeedUpgradeHelp said:
    ...I actually purchased a Windows 10 product key from Microsoft, but haven't used it yet, because the upgrade process didn't ask for it...
    You can keep that for use on another machine, you won't need it for this one.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 1,807
    Windows 10 Pro 21H1 19043.1348
       #9

    NeedUpgradeHelp said:
    I have Windows 10 Pro 64-bit on my computer. And the product key I purchased, but haven't used yet is also Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.
    So... Is my current activation good? Is there a chance that, in the future, my current product key could be a problem? (I had read somewhere that this can happen) Or should I replace the current product key with the one I purchased from Microsoft? And if I do, is this a fail-safe process? (Since the current product key and the new one are both for Win 10 Pro 64-bit)
    I believe there are some conditions in which a Windows 7 PC will have a Digital License and likely that is what you're experiencing now. If you have a Digital License, your PC is now registered on MS update servers and you should not require a key for updates any longer.

    Check your activation settings and you will likely see this;


    Why was I not asked for a product key when upgrading to Win 10?-0120b-digital-license.jpg
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #10

    W10 Tweaker said:
    I believe there are some conditions in which a Windows 7 PC will have a Digital License and likely that is what you're experiencing now. If you have a Digital License, your PC is now registered on MS update servers and you should not require a key for updates any longer.
    What @NeedUpgradeHelp is experiencing now is the same thing that tens, if not hundreds of millions of users experienced with the upgrade from Windows 7 to 10. It is just the standard upgrade with nothing special about it at all.
      My Computer


 

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