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the new lap top prompts me to activate windows but trying to do this generates an error: do not have a license or product key, but I do have a Microsoft subscription which lists this laptop
In addition to the other post. A laptop would normally have a licence provided by the manufacturer if windows is pre-installed. It should auto activate after setup.
What is the make and model of the new laptop.
Thanks Neil. A friend gave me the new lap top after having had it in the box for several years. It is a Lenevo Thinkpad and has no documentation with it. I got a prompt to activate Windows and this is what I got Screenshot 2025-11-30 125446.png
Hello,
Windows license is never a subscription. If you have Microsoft 365 subscription, it has nothing to do with Windows license. Msft 365 is for Office apps, like Word, Excel, etc. It doesn't include Windows license.
Do you still have access to the old computer? If so, on that computer, Can you please type cmd in the search on the taskbar and hit enter to launch command prompt, then run the following command:
slmgr /dlv
Then share a screenshot please. Thanks!
Thanks for the help Emily. Here is the screenshot from the old laptop. The new laptop is a Lenovo Thinkpad. Someone gave it to me and there is not documentation with it.
I don't see the screenshot coming through.
I added it as an attachment (I did not know how else to do it). Looks like I did not do it correctly Screenshot 2025-11-30 125446.png
Here is the error when I try to activate Windows Screenshot 2025-11-30 135907.png
Your screenshot for the command slmgr /dlv shows an OEM licence. If this is from the old laptop it cannot be transferred. An OEM licence is locked to the device it was supplied with.
For the new laptop you will need to buy a new licence unless there is a chance the new laptop has its own licence for Home edition, you currently have Pro edition installed.
To install Home edition will require a clean install of windows.
A further check you can carry out.
Using the Command prompt (Admin) enter
wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey [press return] it should show a 25 character key for the licence from Lenovo (the new laptop).
Get ShowKeyPlus from the Store and enter the key at Check edition in the app. What does it show about the licence?
As Neil said, the old laptop is on OEM license, which cannot be transfered. Also, the old laptop is running Windows 10 home while then new device is on Windows 11 Pro.
To see if the new device might have an OEM license on board to support Windows 11 Home instead, you actually need to run this command as wmic command by default is now disabled in Win11.
Launch Powershell (note, it is not Command Prompt, but Powershell), and run this code to see if you have an OEM license on the motherboard.
(Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService -Property OA3xOriginalProductKey).OA3xOriginalProductKey
This is what the check looks like. Don't know what it means <PII removed>
Powershell does not seem to like the command Screenshot 2025-11-30 180701.png
The syntax was wrong in powershell. You are missing the first part of the parentheses. You can just use the copy feature and paste it in powershell to avoid any syntax errors.
You also typed in QA3 instead of OA3 but if you copy and paste that won't be a problem.
AI answer
If you're unable to activate Windows on your new laptop despite having a Microsoft subscription, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:
If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to contact Microsoft support for further assistance.
References: