I upgraded my Windows 10 PC to Windows 11, but now it says it’s not activated?

Get help upgrading your PC to Windows 11. TPM, Secure Boot, compatibility issues and more.
t950gqgZo60g
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 12:02 pm

Post by t950gqgZo60g »

+1 Yeah, that error usually clears up on its own after a day or two. Just make sure you're connected to the internet so it can sync.
63079
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2026 4:52 pm

Post by 63079 »

You could also try manually reactivating by going to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and clicking "Troubleshoot" again, but choose the option that says "I changed hardware on this device recently."
375yrx
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2026 5:44 am

Post by 375yrx »

If that doesn't work, can you check if your Windows 10 license was a retail version or if it originally came with the PC? Let me know if that works.
nzg32
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2025 12:05 pm

Post by nzg32 »

This happened to me after an upgrade. Running the activation troubleshooter and selecting "I changed hardware on this device recently" finally fixed it for me.
ib9092599
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2026 1:44 pm

Post by ib9092599 »

Also, double-check that you're signed into the Microsoft account that has your digital license. Good luck!
pNosvM
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2026 2:09 am

Post by pNosvM »

+1 I had the same problem. For me, running the activation troubleshooter a second time after a reboot finally got it to recognize my license.
T9oaJuW34
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2026 5:43 am

Post by T9oaJuW34 »

You could also try manually entering your Windows 10 product key in the activation settings. Another option is to contact Microsoft support directly, as they can sometimes push the activation through on their end.
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