Can You Transfer Your Windows 11 License?

It depends on the license type, not on the edition:

• Retail license: yes. A retail key belongs to you and can move to another PC, as long as it is active on only one computer at a time. All Windows keys sold at KRBKeys are retail.
• OEM license (preinstalled on laptops and prebuilt PCs, or sold as "OEM"/"system builder"): no. It locks to the first motherboard it activated on and stays with that PC.
• Volume license (KMS or MAK, from a company or school): no. The organization owns it.
• Upgraded from a retail Windows 10 key: yes, the license keeps its retail status after the free upgrade.

Before you transfer a Windows 11 license, check its type. Our Retail vs OEM vs Volume keys guide explains the differences in detail.

Step 1: Check Your License Type on the Old PC

1. Right-click the Start button and open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Type slmgr /dlv and press Enter.
3. Read the Description line. RETAIL channel means you can transfer it. OEM_DM or OEM_COA means it stays with that PC. VOLUME_KMSCLIENT or VOLUME_MAK means it belongs to an organization.

If you no longer have access to the old PC, the order email from your purchase also tells you the license type.

Step 2: Find Your Product Key

You need the 25-character key to activate the new PC. The easiest place is the order email from your purchase. At KRBKeys, the key is also shown in My Account → Orders. Windows does not display the full retail key in Settings, so keep your order email safe.

Step 3: Remove the Windows 11 License From the Old PC

This step frees the license so Microsoft accepts it on the new machine. Skip it only if the old PC is dead or already wiped.

1. Open Terminal (Admin) on the old PC.
2. Type slmgr /upk and press Enter. This uninstalls the product key; you will see "Uninstalled product key successfully."
3. Next, type slmgr /cpky and press Enter. This clears the key from the registry.
4. Restart the PC. Settings → System → Activation will now show Windows as not activated.

If you sell or give away the old PC, it now needs its own license.

Step 4: Activate Windows 11 on the New PC

Install Windows 11 on the new PC from Microsoft's official download page if it is not already installed, choosing the same edition as your key (Home or Pro). Then:

1. Connect to the internet.
2. Go to Settings → System → Activation.
3. Click Change product key, paste your key and click Next, then Activate.
4. Activation usually completes within a minute: the status changes to "Active".

Alternative with commands: in Terminal (Admin), run slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX with your key, then slmgr /ato.

If the new PC came with Windows 11 Home and your key is Pro, entering the Pro key upgrades the edition at the same time. If that step fails with error 0x803FA067, follow our Home to Pro upgrade guide.

If Activation Fails After a Hardware Change

Replacing the motherboard makes Windows see a "new" PC, and activation may fail with error 0xC004C008 (key already used) or "We can't activate Windows on this device." Two fixes:

Fix 1: Activation troubleshooter (works best with a Microsoft account)

1. Sign in to Windows with the same Microsoft account you used on the old PC (Settings → Accounts).
2. Go to Settings → System → Activation → Troubleshoot.
3. Click "I changed hardware on this device recently", sign in, select the new device from the list, tick "This is the device I'm using right now" and click Activate.

This only works if your Microsoft account was linked to the license on the old PC. Windows links them automatically when you sign in with a Microsoft account, so it is worth doing on every PC. Microsoft describes the same process in its guide to reactivating Windows after a hardware change.

Fix 2: Phone activation

1. Press Win + R, type slui 4 and press Enter.
2. Choose your country, then call the number shown and follow the automated system, or use the link to activate online by entering the installation ID.
3. Explain that you moved the license to a new PC; Microsoft allows retail licenses to move.

Still stuck? Our 0xC004C008 guide covers this error step by step.

Tips to Make Future Transfers Easy

• Sign in with a Microsoft account on every PC so your digital license is linked to it.
• Keep your order email or save the key in a password manager.
• Deactivate before you sell: run slmgr /upk on any PC you are giving away.
• Use the same edition: a Pro key activates Windows 11 Pro, a Home key activates Home.

If You Bought Your Key From KRBKeys

Your Windows key is a retail license and can be transferred. If activation fails on the new PC, email support@krbkeys.com with your order number and a screenshot of the error; we reply within 24 hours. Need a key for a second PC? See our Windows 11 Pro key or the 5 PC pack.