Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10  

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    Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10

    Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10

    How to Uninstall Product Key to Deactivate Windows 10
    Published by Category: Installation & Upgrade
    20 Jan 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Uninstall Product Key to Deactivate Windows 10


    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.

    Uninstalling a retail product key on a PC can be useful if you wanted to sell or give the PC away with Windows 10 still installed by not activated, or if you just wanted to use the product key to activate Windows 10 on another PC.

    Uninstalling the product key on a Windows 10 PC will not remove the digital license for that PC from Microsoft activation servers.

    If you try to activate Windows 10 on another PC with this same retail product key, you may have to activate by phone if online activation fails.

    This tutorial will show you how to uninstall the product key on a PC to deactivate Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to uninstall the product key.

    An OEM PC with UEFI firmware will have its product key permanently embedded in the firmware chip. It can't be removed.



    EXAMPLE: Windows 10 not activated after uninstalling product key
    Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10-windows_10_activation_product_key.png Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10-windows_10_activation_product_key-2.png



    Here's How:

    1 Open an elevated command prompt.

    2 Copy and paste the slmgr /upk command into the elevated command prompt, and press [key]Enter[/kry] to uninstall the product key. (see screenshot below)

    Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10-remove_product_key-1.png

    3 Click/tap on OK when the product key has successfully been uninstalled. (see screenshot below)

    Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10-remove_product_key-2.png

    4 Copy and paste the slmgr /cpky command into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    This will clear the previously installed product key from the registry so that it can no longer be viewed by product key finder programs like ShowKeyPlus.

    This will not remove an OEM product key embedded in the UEFI firmware chip.

    Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10-remove_product_key-3.png

    5 Click/tap on OK when the product key has successfully been cleared from the registry. (see screenshot below)

    Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10-remove_product_key-4.png


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 144
    windows 10
       #1

    retail license


    hello :)

    i planning change of my ssd.
    I have a windows 10 pro x64 Retail License.


    Should i uninstall my License before installing new SSD and a Clean installation of Win 10?


    thanks
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello blueskyler, :)

    There's no need.

    Usually, you'll only uninstall the key to deactivate Windows if you're giving/selling the PC to someone that you don't want to have the key with it.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 144
    windows 10
       #3

    when I go to install windows just use the key when prompted? :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Correct. :)
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 23
    Windows 10
       #5

    Brink said:
    Correct. :)
    I dont get how that works because how does microsoft know you havent just used your product key on a new computer and your still using the old computer with the same product key, if you get what im saying. Surely you need to deactivate it so they know your not using the same product key on more than one computer.

    Or is it tied to your microsoft account or something?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Hello aflumbahgee, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    The license is tied to your harwareID (motherboard) on Microsoft's activation server. If you try to activate another PC with the same license, it will be detected by Microsoft's activation server and most likely denied. If the retail license has actually been removed from all other computers, then you could try activating by phone. An OEM license is non transferable.

    Deactivating Windows will not remove it from Microsoft's activation server. It just simply deactivates Windows on the PC itself.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 23
    Windows 10
       #7

    Brink said:
    Hello aflumbahgee, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    The license is tied to your harwareID (motherboard) on Microsoft's activation server. If you try to activate another PC with the same license, it will be detected by Microsoft's activation server and most likely denied. If the retail license has actually been removed from all other computers, then you could try activating by phone. An OEM license is non transferable.

    Deactivating Windows will not remove it from Microsoft's activation server. It just simply deactivates Windows on the PC itself.
    Oh I see, because this guy is using the same motherboard he is fine.

    So how come the top answer in this thread:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...8-04cb71dae9d5

    says that if you have the retail version (of windows 7 or 8.1) you can transfer it to a new motherboard, without mentioning the need to deactivate windows on your old computer. Wouldn't the key still be on the activation server?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Deactivating Windows will not remove it from Microsoft's activation server.

    It just simply deactivates Windows on the PC itself. This would only be helpful if say you're giving or selling the computer to someone, and don't want it to be activated with your retail product key.

    You would only need to either uninstall or deactivate Windows on any other PC that you plan on using the same retail product key (license) on a new PC.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 23
    Windows 10
       #9

    Brink said:
    Deactivating Windows will not remove it from Microsoft's activation server.

    It just simply deactivates Windows on the PC itself. This would only be helpful if say you're giving or selling the computer to someone, and don't want it to be activated with your retail product key.
    Ok I see, if I want to transfer my retail copy of windows 8.1 (which I upgraded to windows 10 when it was free) to a new computer with a new motherboard how would I go about doing that?
      My Computer


 

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