Windows 11 Digital License Activation Issue - Oct 2023

Can you provide a source for your claim that the retail version is not transferrable?

Retail version MAY be non-transferrable.

The same message appears when one buys the full version.

Alas. enterprise licensing is different from end-user licensing.

It is sad, but a LOT of third-party sources do not make a difference between activation and licensing, thou it is said in Article 5 of Windows 10/11 EULA "Successful activation does not confirm that the software is genuine or properly licensed."

And a LOT of third-party sources do not understand that digital license is not a license at all, it is just activation method. Quotation: "A digital license (called a digital entitlement in Windows 10, Version 1511) is a method of activation in Windows 10 that doesn't require you to enter a product key." See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/activate-windows-c39005d4-95ee-b91e-b399-2820fda32227#:%7E:text=A%20digital%20license%20(called%20a%20digital%20entitlement%20in%20Windows%2010%2C%20Version%201511)%20is%20a%20method%20of%20activation%20in%20Windows%2010%20that%20doesn%27t%20require%20you%20to%20enter%20a%20product%20key.

That's three words on a graphic and not definitive in any way.

I'm not having a problem with any enterprise or OEM licensing.

You're going down a hole into nomenclature about licensing and activation. Regardless of how it was delivered and applied, what I purchased is a retail version of Windows, from Microsoft, so there's no question about it being "genuine or properly licensed". Retail software is transferrable. An argument of what "may or may not" or "could happen" isn't relevant here and is backpeddling the conversation.

This right here implies the ability to change components and reactivate and goes on to say if activation fails due to software not being geniuine, it will try to repair / obtain geniuine software: "During activation (or reactivation that may be triggered by changes to your device’s components), the software may determine that the installed instance of the software is counterfeit, improperly licensed or includes unauthorized changes."

Furthermore, the section you reference is about authorized software (meaning not counterfit) and activation of software, this section doesn't have anything to do with the transfer of a genuine licensed product to a new motherboard / PC build.

I digress because this isn't even about the question I asked in the first place.

Never received any license key at any point from Microsoft.

This means you've bought non-transferrable license in Microsoft Store. Such license is tied to hardware, this is why you did not get a product key. The Store sends an information about your purchase directly to the activation servers so there is no need to use a key.

You'll see a product key because this is a purchase confirmation. You may buy a license in retail store; this Windows will be activated but neither a key nor a license information will not appear in the account. The same is correct for the OEM licenses.

I have seven devices in my account and no information about a Windows licenses.

As for me, it would be much better to buy a box in retail store or at least a license with electronic delivery at Microsoft site but not in the Store.

Can you provide a source for your claim that the retail version is not transferrable?

Retail version MAY be non-transferrable.

The same message appears when one buys the full version.

Alas. enterprise licensing is different from end-user licensing.

It is sad, but a LOT of third-party sources do not make a difference between activation and licensing, thou it is said in Article 5 of Windows 10/11 EULA "Successful activation does not confirm that the software is genuine or properly licensed."

And a LOT of third-party sources do not understand that digital license is not a license at all, it is just activation method. Quotation: "A digital license (called a digital entitlement in Windows 10, Version 1511) is a method of activation in Windows 10 that doesn't require you to enter a product key." See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/activate-windows-c39005d4-95ee-b91e-b399-2820fda32227#:%7E:text=A%20digital%20license%20(called%20a%20digital%20entitlement%20in%20Windows%2010%2C%20Version%201511)%20is%20a%20method%20of%20activation%20in%20Windows%2010%20that%20doesn%27t%20require%20you%20to%20enter%20a%20product%20key.

One other option.. Buy another license.. There is an online shopping service similar to Ebay that has Windows Licenses Cheap.. They are likely OEM or Volume Licenses.. I have purchased several and have not had a problem other than you may need to go through the phone activation process.. The site is Ecrater..

I appreciate the reply and advice. I definitely am not buying another license from Microsoft after this mess and I will likely wind up going this route with some discounted OEM license. I've used them in the past as well but figured I wouldn't have to keep doing that with the full license from MS directly. How ridiculous of me.

Microsoft account does not keep information about Windows license but only for Office licenses.

If that were true there wouldn't be a KB article dedicated to locating product keys for Windows 10. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/find-and-install-your-microsoft-downloads-from-microsoft-store-9ee788eb-280a-7d3e-fa8e-0418c71af495