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How to Activate Windows 10 After Changing Motherboard?
Surefire methods to reactivate your PC after a hardware change
2 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Microsoft has changed the way users activate Windows. Now, users have one major concern, and that is whether Windows 10 will activate after changing your motherboard.
Many users are concerned about this, so let’s seehow to activate Windows 10if you replace your motherboard.
How to activate Windows 10 after motherboard replacement?
1. Use the Activation troubleshooter
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SelectActivationin the left pane.
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Now, click theTroubleshootoption.
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Wait till the troubleshooter showsWindows can’t be activated on your device.
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Next, selectI changed hardware on this device recently.
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Enter the details of the Microsoft account connected to your digital license and selectSign in.
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Now, check the box next toThis is the device I’m using right nowfrom the list of connected devices shown.
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Finally, clickActivate.
The first method to activate Windows 10 after a motherboard change is to use the digital license key linked to your account. However, to use this method, you must have linked your digital license to your Microsoft account before changing your motherboard.
In the case that you used a product key to activate Windows 10, you can try the solution below.
2. Use a product key
If you were using the retail version of Windows 10 before changing your motherboard, you need to use your product key to activate the OS.
3. Contact the Microsoft support
If you didn’t link the digital license with your Microsoft account or your product key is not working for some reason, you should visit theMicrosoft support pageorschedule a call.
This is especially so if you have upgraded to Windows 10 from a retail version of a later OS. They have helped many users to reactivate their OS and the process is usually fast.
Unable to activate Windows 10 after a motherboard change
Below are some of the reasons you might not be able to activate Windows 10 after changing your motherboard
That is everything you need to reactivate Windows 10 after changing your motherboard. In a case where you don’t have a product key or digital license, you need to go to the Microsoft Store to purchase a digital license to activate your PC.
If you want to knowhow long you can use Windows 10 without activating it, check our detailed guide for all the needed info.
Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.
More about the topics:windows 10
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
Reviewed byAlex Serban