Activating Windows confirms that your copy is genuine and unlocks full personalization and support features. Here's how to do it after receiving your product key.
Activate during a fresh installation
When Windows Setup asks for a product key, enter your 25-character key exactly as provided.
Complete the rest of the setup — Windows will activate automatically once you're connected to the internet.
Activate an existing installation
Open Settings → System → Activation.
Select Change product key and enter your key.
Windows will validate the key with Microsoft's servers and activate within a few seconds.
Confirm activation
Go back to Settings → System → Activation — you should see "Windows is activated with a digital license" or a similar confirmation message.
