Don’t know if Windows 11 is activated? This guide shows you how to check Windows 11 activation status to see if it is activated.
One of the first things you should do after installing Windows 11 is to activate it with a license key. The good news is that thanks to recent automation, activating Windows has become simple. For example, most laptop or pre-configured desktop users never have to manually activate Windows because it is automatically activated as soon as you install it. This happens because the license key is stored in the UEFI BIOS.
Alternatively, logging into a Microsoft account also activates Windows 11, provided both are already linked. If you want, you can manually enter the license key to register a new Windows 11 version or update the current one. For example, I’ve upgraded my Windows 11 Home edition to Pro.
After installing or upgrading Windows 11, verifying its activation status and confirming that Windows 11 is activated is important. That way, you can ensure that your Windows 11 copy is genuine, and you won’t see the persistent “Activate Windows” watermark in the bottom right corner.
Thankfully, Windows 11 makes it easy to check its activation status. This tutorial shows you how to check if Windows 11 is activated with a license key.
Table of contents:
- Windows 11 activation statuses
- Check Windows 11 activation status from Settings
- Command to verify Windows 11 activation status
Windows 11 activation statuses
Windows 11 has four activation statuses. Depending on how you activated or not, Windows 11 displays a different activation message. Here is what those activation status messages mean.
Windows is activated: Windows 11 is fully activated with a license key but not linked to a Microsoft account.
Windows is activated with a digital license: Windows 11 is activated with a digital license but not linked to a Microsoft account.
Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account: Windows 11 is activated with a digital license and is linked with your Microsoft account.
Windows is not activated: Windows 11 is not activated. You might need to restart the computer and connect to the internet or purchase a new Windows 11 license key.
Check Windows 11 activation status from Settings
Follow these steps to determine whether Windows 11 is activated using the Settings app.
- Launch the Windows 11 Settings app.
- Click “System” on the sidebar.
- Go to the “About” page.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
- Click the “Product key and activation” option.
- Expand the “Activation status” section.
- You should see the “Windows is activated” message.
- With that, you now know the Windows 11 activation status.
Steps with more details:
Use the “Start + I” keybinding to launch the Windows 11 Settings application. Next, go to the “System -> About” page. As you would expect, this page shows information about your computer.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Product key and activation” option.
If Windows is activated, you will see “Active” next to “Activation status.” If not, you will see “Not Active.” Click the “Activation status” header for additional details. It will show how your Windows 11 is activated. You will see one of the four activation statuses shared above. In my case, Windows 11 is activated with a digital license and linked to my Microsoft account.
You will see the “Windows is not active” message if Windows is not activated.
Command to verify Windows 11 activation status
Windows 11 includes a simple function that determines whether your PC is active with a valid license. Here’s an explanation of what that command is and how to use it.
On the taskbar, click the “Start” button. Look for “Terminal,” right-click on it, and choose “Run as administrator.” This will launch the terminal with administrative privileges.
After you’ve opened the Terminal window, execute “slmgr /xpr.”
When you run it, Windows 11 displays a popup with the activation status. Windows is enabled if it reads “The machine is permanently activated.” If it says “Windows is in Notification mode,” Windows 11 has not been activated.
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That is all. It is that simple to verify Windows 11 activation status.
I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need some help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.
