Upgrading your PC's motherboard or building an entirely new rig? You might be wondering if you have to buy Windows all over again. The answer depends on the type of key you have. If you have an OEM key, it is permanently tied to your old motherboard. However, if you purchased a Retail key, you have the right to transfer it!
Before you begin, verify that you actually have a Retail license. Open the Command Prompt as an Administrator and type:
slmgr /dli
A popup will appear. Look at the "Description" line. If it says "RETAIL channel", you are good to go!
To ensure Microsoft's activation servers allow the transfer, you must remove the key from your current PC. In an elevated Command Prompt on the OLD computer, run:
slmgr /upk
This command uninstalls the product key. Then, clear the key from the registry by running:
slmgr /cpky
Now, boot up your new PC. Go to Settings > System > Activation, click "Change product key", and enter your 25-character Retail key. Windows will contact Microsoft's servers and activate your new machine.
If you discovered that your old key was OEM and you need a new one, don't worry. You can buy a genuine Windows 11 Pro Retail key from Digitecheps at a fraction of the official Microsoft price, ensuring you can transfer it to all your future PC builds!