Windows 11 Digital License Activation Issue - Oct 2023

Hi I seem to be having a similar problem with regards to re-activation so the licenses for the PCs are retail channel (I checked via slmgr/dli) and I can't seem to reactivate them. I can see the old PC tied to the Microsoft account, but trying to reactivate it will lead to "We can't reactivate Windows on this device. Try again later."

So it is possible that there is some reactivation issue going on at Microsoft at this current moment. Unfortunately, I can't help you further than that at least you are not alone. Probably better than the other comments who are gas lighting you. Your comment about the situation is helping me understand why I am unable to activate it at this current moment.

Retail software is transferrable.

Can you point to the corresponding article in a license agreement that states this directly?

EULA says: You should review the entire agreement, including any supplemental license terms that accompany the software and any linked terms, because all of the terms are important and together create this agreement that applies to you.

And these Store's words are a supplemental license terms. One cannot ignore them.

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.