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You can use the Go to Store link on the Activation window to purchase a key directly from Microsoft. If you don’t, the best way to avoid this problem in the future is to buy one. The above solutions rely on you actually owning a copy of Windows and having a valid product key to be able to activate it.
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Log in to your Microsoft account, and you’re done! Your Windows installation will be reactivated.
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Next, click on I changed the hardware on this device recently. If you have already connected your Windows product key to your Microsoft account, then using the activation troubleshooter can fix the problem.įollow steps 1 to 4 above to get to the activation window, and then click on Troubleshoot. Typically, Windows installations are tied to the motherboard of your computer, so if you have recently replaced yours then it’s likely that your copy will think it is installed on a new PC. This will activate your copy of Windows 10, and the watermark should now be gone from your desktop. If you already have a key, then carry on with the activation process: It will also give you links for both where to find your product key, as well as to the Windows store if you need to buy a new one. This will bring you to the Activation window, which will tell you whether or not you have already activated Windows.
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If you already have a product key for your copy of Windows 10, or even a valid key from Windows 7 or 8.1, you can enter that by following these steps: The permanent solution is also the simplest. In this article we’ll take a look at how to get rid of this annoyance, from purchasing a new Windows 10 license key, to some tweaks you can try to get rid of it for free.
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