How to reactivate Windows 10 after a hardware change

1. Introduction
2. Steps to follow
3. Read also

Introduction:

Have you made any hardware changes to your PC but you couldn’t activate your license again? In this tutorial, we will show you the steps to use the Activation Troubleshooter to reactivate Windows 10.
When you make important hardware changes, such as replacing the motherboard or hard disk, Windows 10 cannot correctly identify your computer and as a result, the operating system does not activate.

Previously, if your installation of Windows 10 lost its activation due to a hardware change, you should go through the tedious process of contacting Microsoft Customer Support to reactivate it, which is not an ideal solution.

However, Microsoft is now simplifying the process. As of the Windows 10 anniversary update, you can link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 license on your device. The new feature gives you quick access to the troubleshooter to reactivate your free Windows 10 update copy.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show how to use the Activation Troubleshooter to re-enable your operating system.

Steps to follow:

To be able to reactivate your license key, you must start by associating your Windows 10 license key with your Microsoft account. Here is the article that explains how to do it.
After you associate your Microsoft account with your license, you can use the new troubleshooter to re-enable Windows 10 after a hard change on your computer.
1. Use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings application.
2. Click Update and Security.
3. Click Activation.
4. If the Windows activation status message is not enabled, you can click Resolve Issues to continue. (Your account must have administrator privileges to complete this process.

5. Click on the link “I changed hardware on this device recently”

6. Enter your Microsoft account credentials then click Sign In.

7. You will need to enter your Microsoft account password that you have linked to the Windows 10 license on your device. Click Next to continue.

8. A list of devices associated with your Microsoft account will be populated. Select the device you want to reactivate.
9. Select the "This is the device I'm using right now" option and click the Activate button.

If you would like to view the other devices that are linked to your account, you can click the "View other devices linked to your Microsoft account" link. On this page, you will see a list of devices divided into three categories (the edit doesn’t match, the device type doesn’t match and Windows is not enabled). They are explaining why Windows 10 cannot be enabled from other devices.

Other troubleshooting steps

In case your device does not appear on the list, here are some additional reasons that may prevent you from reactivating Windows.
First, make sure that you are logged in with the Microsoft account that you previously linked to the Windows 10 digital license.
If you use the correct Microsoft account, you must investigate why you cannot activate it.
Here is a list of possible problems:
• Windows 10 has never been enabled on your computer.
• Your computer is not running a genuine version of the operating system.
• The edition of Windows 10 does not correspond to the edition of the operating system that you have linked to your digital license.
• The device you are trying to activate does not match the type of device you have attached to your digital license.
• There are a limited number of times that you can reactivate it. If you reach this limit, you will not be able to activate Windows 10.
• The edition of the operating system installed on your computer is not Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Home.
• Your computer is a device managed by your organization, in which case the reactivation tool is not available. If this is your case, you will need to contact your system administrator.

Read also

How to Connect an Xbox One Wireless Controller to a Windows PC

How to unlock your PC using Windows Hello facial recognition