Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions  

Sorry but I really don't. I've been using Win 10 for the last 3 years, different editions after multiple reinstallations and it never ever required any key for the installation to complete. It's all original Win 10 copies, downloaded from MS servers via their native Media creation tool. As far as I know, it's an activation key that is used to unlock the personalization section of the settings. So if these keys here don't activate, what do they do?! Srsly, can anyone explain to me, here in this thread or on PM?

bgbrother said:

Sorry but I really don't. I've been using Win 10 for the last 3 years, different editions after multiple reinstallations and it never ever required any key for the installation to complete. It's all original Win 10 copies, downloaded from MS servers via their native Media creation tool. As far as I know, it's an activation key that is used to unlock the personalization section of the settings. So if these keys here don't activate, what do they do?! Srsly, can anyone explain to me, here in this thread or on PM?

The first time you activate Windows 10 on a computer, a digital license for that edition of Windows 10 for that specific computer gets saved on Microsoft's Activation Servers. After that first activated install of Windows 10, any subsequent installations of the same edition of Windows 10 on that same computer will retrieve that same digital license from Microsoft Activation Servers and activate Windows 10 without any need to manually enter a Product Key.

The Activation page will show the following message:

NavyLCDR said:

After that first activated install of Windows 10, any subsequent installations of the same edition of Windows 10 on that same computer will retrieve that same digital license from Microsoft Activation Servers and activate Windows 10 without any need to manually enter a Product Key.

I take "that same computer" to mean "the same motherboard".

Matthew Wai said:

I take "that same computer" to mean "the same motherboard".

Yes, good point.

NavyLCDR said:

The first time you activate Windows 10 on a computer, a digital license for that edition of Windows 10 for that specific computer gets saved on Microsoft's Activation Servers. After that first activated install of Windows 10, any subsequent installations of the same edition of Windows 10 on that same computer will retrieve that same digital license from Microsoft Activation Servers and activate Windows 10 without any need to manually enter a Product Key.

I never said I've activated. I've been using Win 10 without activation. And anyway, these generic keys here are said to not activate so what do they do?!

bgbrother said:

I've been using Win 10 without activation.

Does it conform to the forum rules?

I read this somewhere on the web, officially we can use windows 10 without activation.

itsme1 said:

I read this somewhere on the web, officially we can use windows 10 without activation.

But you did not read the End Users License Agreement (EULA) that you agreed to by installing Windows 10. You might want to read the actual license agreement, not what a non-Microsoft website says.

This is from the Windows 10 End Users License Agreement (EULA):

5. Authorized Software and Activation. You are authorized to use this software only if you are properly licensed and the software has been properly activated with a genuine product key or by other authorized method.

In the context of the use of generic product keys - they are really of no use until you comply the EULA and gain a digital license for Windows 10.

What I wanted to say above, if we leave windows 10 without activation there are no major restrictions in the OS, so officially it's legal. But according to this site [FAQ] Can I Use Windows 10 Without Activation? which gives the link to the Microsoft License Terms, it is illegal.