Windows 11 now not active and won't let me activate. How to fix?

Yes it is brand new!

Julia Gibson1,

You may need to check with the school.

When you run through the initial setup of the device (known as OOBE, Out of Box Experience) you should create an account which by default is an administrator account.

Activation on a Microsoft device would be via a licence embedded in the bios and should be automatic. Is the Surface brand new so far as you know?

I just got a new Microsoft Surface Laptop Go2 today, and I can't customize my background or things like that because of an activation error. This is what it says: We can't activate Windows on this device because you don't have a valid digital license or product key. If you think you do have a valid license or key, select Troubleshoot below. Error code: 0xC004C003. Also when I tried clicking on Troubleshoot, it said I needed to log in with an admin email and password that I don't have since I won this computer at my school. If anyone can help me, please do!

Hi, my almost 2-year-old Lenovo laptop runs on Windows 11 Home but is now suddenly saying I need to activate windows.

By the activate troubleshoot button it shows the message "We can't activate Windows on this device because you don't have a valid digital license and product fee. If you think you have a valid license or key, select Troubleshoot below. Error code: 0xC004F012" and when I troubleshoot it returns the message "We can't activate Windows on this device at the moment you can try activating again later or go to the store to buy genuine Windows. (0xc0000022)"

It has a product key I can see it on the activation settings page, and I've used ShowKeyPlus to find both the installed and original keys and tried entering them both however it won't accept them with same "Product key you entered didn't work. (0xc0000022)"

I've tried sfc scannow, no problems and I've reset the computer, and nothing has changed.

Would include screenshots however they are failing to upload.

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Rohaan Ahmad,

I doubt you will get a response on this as the thread is a month old.

You will do better creating your own new post via Get Started at the top of the forum.

I have to say though that running Enterprise edition is for a company/business environment and not a personal user. In the company scenario it would be activated via the company domain.

So in your new post you need to explain the origin of Windows 11 and the licence.