If we have an old PC we don't use, or that doesn't work anymore, we might be able to transfer Windows to a new PC and have a legitimate Windows installation without buying a new license. Of course, as is the case with Microsoft, it's more complicated to transfer Windows than it should be.
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What makes the transfer complicated is that there are different license tiers for Windows.
With a Retail license, we can transfer Windows just fine, and we won't have a problem with the activation on the new PC.
If however we had a preinstalled OEM Windows license - that might have come with an old laptop, and we want to use it for a new custom desktop - Internet activation won't work. We need to activate by telephone to transfer Windows successfully.
Find the Windows product key
Before we transfer Windows to a new PC, we need to know the Windows product key.
If we have bought a retail version of Windows, we will find the product key inside the DVD box if we got a physical Disc, or probably in an email for digital purchases.
For Windows 7 that came preinstalled on an old PC, we will find the product key on a sticker, usually underneath a laptop or on the side of the tower on a desktop PC.
PCs with preinstalled Windows 8, 8.1, and 10 have the product key embedded in the BIOS. You can check out our guide:
Windows 8.1 Product Key: How to Get it from the BIOS
Finally, we can get the product key from inside Windows, even if the system cannot boot into Windows, provided the old PC and its hard drive still work.
Find the Windows Product Key in Any Version of Windows
Make sure to remove Windows completely from the old PC
Every Windows license - excluding Enterprise volume licensing - can only be installed on a single PC.
After we get the product key and before we transfer Windows to a new PC, we need to make sure we have completely removed the operating system from the old PC.
If two Internet-connected PCs have Windows with the same product key, it's a matter of time before Microsoft blacklists the product key. After that, we won't be able to use it again for a new installation or reinstallation. A blacklisted key is essentially useless.
We can replace Windows with a Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu on the old PC. Or we can take out the hard drive and use it as an external hard drive in an enclosure.
Download Windows & create installation medium
If we don't have a Windows installation medium, we can download Windows ISOs for free. We have prepared guides for any possible scenario:
Download the ISO for retail Windows 7 from Microsoft
The above website will only work with retail Windows 7 product keys. It won't work with product keys from preinstalled (OEM) versions of Windows 7.
Download the ISO for preinstalled (OEM) Windows 7
Download the ISO for Windows 8.1
Download the ISO for Windows 10
For Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, we can download the OS straight to an installation USB.
With the Windows 7 ISOs, we can burn them to DVD or write them on USB.
Transfer Windows to a new PC
After we use our product key to install Windows on our new PC, if we have a retail Windows license, it will automatically activate when we connect to the Internet.
If however we have an OEM license, from a preinstalled version of Windows, the Internet activation will probably fail.
It doesn't matter that we have removed Windows from our old PC. Microsoft doesn't know that. Microsoft's servers still retain the old PC's Hardware Identification (HWID) connected to our product key.
For more information, check out our guide:
Windows Activation - How it Works and How it Breaks
Fortunately, this is an easy problem to fix. We just need to activate Windows through the telephone.
How to do a telephone Windows activation
If you are worried about speaking with a Microsoft representative, you don't need to worry. The telephone Windows activation system is completely automated; you won't need to talk to anyone.
First, we press Win + Pause/Break, and we click on the "Activate Windows" link, at the lower right corner.
Then, we click on Call support.
We select our country.
We will get a toll free number, and a 63 digit long Installation ID.
The automated phone system will guide us to enter the Installation ID using our phone keypad. After we have entered all nine groups, we click on the "Enter confirmation ID".
The automated phone system will dictate eight groups of numbers as the confirmation ID.
After we enter all the numbers, we click on "Activate Windows".
And that's it. Windows is activated.
Did you manage to transfer Windows?
If anything on the guide didn't work as described, and you weren't able to transfer Windows, leave us a comment.
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Hi, I have 2 laptops that are no longer functioning, or need some fixing to function. Could i simply just insert their product key into the copy of windows I will be downloading, or would that be a problem? The laptops are probably never going to connect to internet, I have no further use for them now. Btw awesome advice and quick help guides. :)
Hi Kim,
With the telephone activation you shouldn't have a problem transferring the license to a new PC since the laptops are out of commission.
Just make sure that no two PCs run Windows with the same product key, and you will be fine.
I'm glad you like our guides :)
I heard OEM is locked to that PC. The license is not transferable.
Are you sure this method will activate Windows 7 from Lenovo laptop to another Brand of Laptop or even a Desktop PC with ability to update Windows?
I have personally used this method to transfer OEM Licenses twice from Acer laptops to custom -built desktop PCs. I am confident it will also work for Lenovo laptops or any other manufacturer.
Can I install it in D partition with C partition already with Vista? Also after install can I Windows 10 after activation?
Yes, it won't be a problem doing a dual-boot installation.
You can immediately upgrade to Windows 10 using the Microsoft tool https://www.pcsteps.com/3883-upgrade-windows-8-1-to-windows-10-free/ , you don't need to download any updates.
Unfortunately for me though it activated with original Lenovo Product key it says ask for genuine software. Very disappointed it went this way!
Thank you sir. The entire steps worked out well.. Thank you for the time and effort put into this to help others and also to respond and clear others doubts.
My son spilled juice on my Acer laptop and it is shot. My aunt gave me one of hers and it has windows vista on it. I liked having windows 7 the Acer had. Am I able to use the product key on the bottom of the old laptop to put on the new (well new to me) laptop? It says windows 7 home prem OA on the sticker. Is that still OEM?
Hi Linda,
Yes, you won't have a problem transferring Windows and doing the phone activation.
i've recently bought a win10 and installed it to a pc. Then my dad suddenly said to install it to another pc. so all i need to do is reformat the pc with the current windows, install the windows to the the second pc and call the support team?
I have an old HP Pavilion im using for parts and it had windows 7 on it, i upgraded it to windows 10 as i prefured it. I want to use that windows on a new custom pc that i had just built myself, this has helped massively but i still have a question, the tutorial says to completly remove windows from the old pc but doesnt say how to, could you follow up on this and help me out, thanks very much.
Hi Josh,
You can replace Windows with a Linux Distribution on the old PC, such us Ubuntu Linux https://www.pcsteps.com/961-install-ubuntu-linux-windows/ or Lubuntu https://www.pcsteps.com/1458-install-lubuntu-lightweight-linux-distribution/
We will soon update the above guides for the latest 16.04 version, but the installation procedure is practically the same.
Hi, I'm trying to transfer a license key from my old Lenovo laptop that came with Windows 8.1. After doing a clean installation, I've called the number and entered my Installation ID. I'm getting a message "Product activation failed."
Does your method no more work?
Hi Adhiraj, sorry for the late reply,
We haven't had any report of this method not working from other readers, here or on our other websites. You probably have to contact Microsoft support and see if there is a problem with your particular product key. Sometimes product keys can be blacklisted by Microsoft.
Will this work with a Win10 OEM install? I used a Win7 OEM key during a fresh Win10 install.
We haven't tried this scenario, but there is a high probability that it will work.
If it doesn't work, you can try installing Windows 7 with the key, doing the telephone activation, and then upgrading to Windows 10. This will have to be done only once, every next Windows 10 reinstallation will activate automatically.
Unfortunately it didn't work for me. I tried it using my cousin's old netbook's key (an Acer AO531h which gets really hot in a matter of minutes even in light tasks) to transfer on our home's desktop PC. I managed to delete the Windows 7 installation from the netbook during the Ubuntu 12.04 installation but the installation crashed maybe because of the netbook's temperature and its sluggish performance. I got an error message after I've inputed the installation ID and the system asked if I would like to talk to a CSR and when I finally opted to talk after my 3rd try, I got an answer that their office/operating is Monday to Friday so I've got no choice but to try again on Monday. What did I do wrong? Please help me.
Today i have upgraded to Windows 10. Info: I have not working 6 years old notebook with Windows 7 Home installed but i can´t uninstall Windows becase it´s not possible to start this noteboook. I have one old computer with Windows XP installed. So i download Windows 7 Home ISO ( https://mega.nz/#!g4pQWS5J!RXhv4Vba-p7StZXdN70UjWcMnPYCJVYXBH9SPEe4GvI ) Then with program Rufus ( https://rufus.akeo.ie/downloads/ ) create Bootable USB key with this image and install Windows 7 on the computer ( when install want Product key i used key from Windows sticker on my notebook) when install was done i activat Windows by phone method and activate my Windows without problem. Then thank to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade i upgrade to Windows 10. Thank to all yours tutorial: https://www.pcsteps.com/4355-transfer-windows-activation/
https://www.pcsteps.com/630-create-a-windows-installation-disc-or-usb/
If anyone need help my skype/email is m.simun.5@gmail.com
and if i know i will help you =)
Some clone software can achieve this goal, such as aomei backupper: http://www.backup-utility.com/clone/migrate-windows-7-to-new-laptop-1004i.html
Hi there, does it work if I have updated my win7 to 10 on my old machine? He is the process I intend to follow, just want to check with you if its ok.
Step 1, I uninstall win 10 from my old pc, format the hard drive for future external storage.
Step 2 I install on the new machine a fresh w10 version from a bootable usb key, then activate it vith the older w7 key (from a OEM;NONSLP licence) by the phone method.
Does it seems alright? Or did i need to link my licence with a ms account in the first place in order to use the troubleshooter to activate?
Thanks for your help
I am unable to remove windows from my no longer internet connected PC, can I still transfer over windows if I have the product key?
Hi, I have installed Windows 10 on my PC with the use of the CD and then activated it with the code on the box. But I will be planning on buying a completely new PC in some time. So is it possible to install Windows 10 on the NEW PC with the help of the same CD and use the same Activation code, once I have formatted my OLD (current) PC's SSD?
You shared Very informative post. anyway someone asked me to activate my os to get full access on all os features, So I bought windows 10 pro oem product key from ODosta Store
You can pay them via PayPal, Perfect Money, Payoneer, Skrill, Bank Transfer, Bitcoin, Western Union etc.
I recommend this site because my product key worked perfect, When I used it after clean win 10 pro installation, my OS become activated So I was happy.
But Now I wanted to transfer my key to another motherboard but Microsoft said that I can't do that with OEM license. Can you tell me, How to do that.