How to Deactivate Product Key of Windows 10

Deactivating the product key of Windows 10 allows you to transfer the software license to a new computer or release a digital license for use on another device. You may also need to deactivate Windows 10 if you are experiencing activation errors or problems.

The process of deactivating a Windows 10 product key is relatively simple and can be done in a few steps. However, it is important to note that once you deactivate a product key, it can no longer be used to activate Windows 10 on the device from which it was deactivated. If you later decide that you want to reinstall Windows 10 on the same device, you will need to purchase a new product key.

To deactivate a Windows 10 product key, follow these steps:

How to Deactivate Product Key Windows 10

Follow these steps to deactivate Windows 10 product key:

Open Command Prompt (Admin).
Type command: slmgr /upk.
Press Enter.
Restart computer.
Product key deactivated.
Can now transfer license.
Or reinstall Windows 10.
Without product key.

Note: Once deactivated, product key cannot be reused on same device. If you need to reinstall Windows 10, you will need to purchase a new product key.

Open Command Prompt (Admin).

To open Command Prompt as an administrator, follow these steps:

Click on the Start button.
Type "command prompt" in the search box.
Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator".
If prompted by User Account Control, click "Yes".

Command Prompt will now open with elevated privileges. You will see the command prompt window with the following format:

C:\Windows\system32>

This indicates that you are now in the System32 directory of the Windows operating system. You can now type commands into the Command Prompt window to perform various tasks, including deactivating the Windows 10 product key.

Note: If you are not comfortable using Command Prompt, you can also deactivate the Windows 10 product key using the Settings app. However, the Command Prompt method is generally considered to be faster and easier.

Once you have opened Command Prompt as an administrator, you can proceed to the next step of deactivating the Windows 10 product key.

Type command: slmgr /upk.

Once you have opened Command Prompt as an administrator, you can proceed to deactivate the Windows 10 product key by typing the following command:

slmgr /upk

The "slmgr" command is a built-in Windows tool that allows you to manage your Windows license. The "/upk" switch tells the slmgr command to uninstall the product key from the current computer.

After you type the command, press the Enter key. You will see a message that says "Uninstalling product key". Once the product key has been uninstalled, you will see a message that says "Product key uninstalled successfully".

You have now successfully deactivated the Windows 10 product key. You can now transfer the license to a new computer or release a digital license for use on another device.

Note: If you are having problems deactivating the Windows 10 product key using the slmgr command, you can try using the Settings app. However, the Command Prompt method is generally considered to be faster and easier.

Press Enter.

After you have typed the following command into the Command Prompt window:

slmgr /upk

You need to press the Enter key to execute the command.

Pressing Enter tells the computer to carry out the command.
In this case, the command is to uninstall the Windows 10 product key from the current computer.
The computer will then begin the process of uninstalling the product key.
This process may take a few minutes, so please be patient.
Once the product key has been uninstalled, you will see a message that says "Product key uninstalled successfully".
This message indicates that the product key has been successfully removed from the computer.
You have now successfully deactivated the Windows 10 product key.
You can now transfer the license to a new computer or release a digital license for use on another device.

Restart computer.

Once you have successfully deactivated the Windows 10 product key, you need to restart your computer. This is necessary for the changes to take effect.

To restart your computer, click on the Start button and then click on the Power button. Select "Restart" from the menu.

Your computer will now restart. Once it has restarted, the Windows 10 product key will be completely deactivated. You can now transfer the license to a new computer or release a digital license for use on another device.

Note: If you do not restart your computer after deactivating the product key, the changes will not take effect. You will still be able to use Windows 10, but you will not be able to transfer the license or release a digital license.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about restarting your computer after deactivating the Windows 10 product key:

Make sure to save all of your work before restarting your computer.
Any unsaved work will be lost when the computer restarts.
If you have any programs open, close them before restarting your computer.
This will help to prevent any problems from occurring during the restart process.
Once your computer has restarted, you may be prompted to enter a product key.
This is normal. Simply click on the "I don't have a product key" option and continue with the setup process.

Product key deactivated.

Once you have restarted your computer, the Windows 10 product key will be completely deactivated. This means that:

You will no longer be able to use Windows 10.
Windows 10 will continue to run, but you will not be able to activate it or use any of its features that require activation.
You will not be able to transfer the Windows 10 license to another computer.
The license is now tied to the computer from which you deactivated it.
You will not be able to release a digital license for use on another device.
The digital license is now tied to the computer from which you deactivated it.
You can reinstall Windows 10 on the same computer without a product key.
However, you will need to use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 10. This will allow you to use Windows 10 without a product key, but you will not be able to use any of its features that require activation.

If you need to reactivate Windows 10 on the same computer, you can purchase a new product key from Microsoft or from a third-party retailer. Once you have purchased a new product key, you can follow the instructions on the Microsoft website to reactivate Windows 10.

Can now transfer license.

Once you have deactivated the Windows 10 product key, you can now transfer the license to another computer. This is useful if you are upgrading to a new computer or if you want to use Windows 10 on a different device.

To transfer the Windows 10 license, you will need to use the Microsoft Activation Troubleshooter. This tool will help you to transfer the license from one computer to another.

To use the Microsoft Activation Troubleshooter, follow these steps:

Go to the Microsoft Activation Troubleshooter website.
Click on the "Download the troubleshooter" button.
Run the troubleshooter on the computer from which you want to transfer the license.
Select the option to "Transfer license to another device".
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the transfer process.

Once you have transferred the license, you can activate Windows 10 on the new computer using the same Microsoft account that you used to activate it on the old computer.

Note: You can only transfer the Windows 10 license a limited number of times. Microsoft does not specify how many times you can transfer the license, but it is generally recommended that you do not transfer it more than three times.

Or reinstall Windows 10.

If you need to reinstall Windows 10 on the same computer, you can do so without a product key. However, you will need to use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 10. This will allow you to use Windows 10 without a product key, but you will not be able to use any of its features that require activation.

Create a bootable USB drive or DVD.
You will need to create a bootable USB drive or DVD using the Windows 10 ISO file. Once you have created the bootable media, you can use it to install Windows 10 on your computer.
Boot your computer from the bootable media.
To do this, you will need to change the boot order in your computer's BIOS or UEFI settings. Once you have booted your computer from the bootable media, you will see the Windows 10 installation wizard.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation process.
During the installation process, you will be asked to select your language, keyboard layout, and other settings. You will also be asked to enter a product key. However, you can skip this step by clicking on the "I don't have a product key" option.
Once the installation process is complete, you will be able to use Windows 10 without a product key.
However, you will not be able to use any of its features that require activation.

If you want to be able to use all of the features of Windows 10, you will need to purchase a product key from Microsoft or from a third-party retailer.

Without product key.

If you reinstall Windows 10 without a product key, you will be able to use Windows 10 without activation. However, you will not be able to use any of its features that require activation. These features include:

Personalization options.
You will not be able to change the wallpaper, theme, or lock screen image.
Cortana.
Cortana, the digital assistant, will not be available.
Windows Store.
You will not be able to download or install apps from the Windows Store.
Microsoft Edge.
Microsoft Edge, the web browser, will be disabled.

You will still be able to use other features of Windows 10, such as File Explorer, Notepad, and Paint. You will also be able to connect to the internet and use web browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

If you want to be able to use all of the features of Windows 10, you will need to purchase a product key from Microsoft or from a third-party retailer.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about deactivating the Windows 10 product key:

Question 1: Why would I need to deactivate my Windows 10 product key?
Answer 1: There are a few reasons why you might need to deactivate your Windows 10 product key. For example, you might need to deactivate it if you are transferring the license to a new computer, if you are experiencing activation errors, or if you are reinstalling Windows 10.

Question 2: How do I deactivate my Windows 10 product key?
Answer 2: You can deactivate your Windows 10 product key by following these steps:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Type the following command: slmgr /upk.
Press Enter.
Restart your computer.

Question 3: What happens after I deactivate my Windows 10 product key?
Answer 3: After you deactivate your Windows 10 product key, you will no longer be able to use Windows 10. You will need to purchase a new product key or reinstall Windows 10 without a product key.

Question 4: Can I transfer my Windows 10 license to another computer after I deactivate it?
Answer 4: Yes, you can transfer your Windows 10 license to another computer after you deactivate it. To do this, you will need to use the Microsoft Activation Troubleshooter.

Question 5: Can I reinstall Windows 10 without a product key?
Answer 5: Yes, you can reinstall Windows 10 without a product key. However, you will not be able to use any of its features that require activation.

Question 6: What are the features of Windows 10 that require activation?
Answer 6: The features of Windows 10 that require activation include personalization options, Cortana, the Windows Store, and Microsoft Edge.

Question 7: Where can I purchase a Windows 10 product key?
Answer 7: You can purchase a Windows 10 product key from Microsoft or from a third-party retailer.

Closing Paragraph for FAQ:

These are just a few of the most frequently asked questions about deactivating the Windows 10 product key. If you have any other questions, you can search for more information online or contact Microsoft support.

Now that you know how to deactivate your Windows 10 product key, you may also be interested in learning how to reactivate it or transfer it to another computer. You can find more information about these topics online or by contacting Microsoft support.

Tips

Here are a few tips for deactivating your Windows 10 product key:

Tip 1: Make sure you have a valid product key for the new computer.
If you are transferring your Windows 10 license to a new computer, you will need to have a valid product key for that computer. You can purchase a product key from Microsoft or from a third-party retailer.

Tip 2: Back up your data before deactivating your product key.
Deactivating your product key will erase all of your personal data from your computer. Make sure you back up your data before you deactivate your product key.

Tip 3: Use the Microsoft Activation Troubleshooter if you are having problems deactivating your product key.
The Microsoft Activation Troubleshooter can help you to troubleshoot and resolve problems with activating or deactivating Windows 10.

Tip 4: Contact Microsoft support if you need further assistance.
If you are having problems deactivating your Windows 10 product key, you can contact Microsoft support for assistance.

Closing Paragraph for Tips:

By following these tips, you can safely and easily deactivate your Windows 10 product key.

Now that you know how to deactivate your Windows 10 product key, you can transfer it to a new computer or release it for use on another device. You can also reinstall Windows 10 without a product key, but you will not be able to use any of its features that require activation.

Conclusion

Deactivating the Windows 10 product key is a relatively simple process that can be completed in a few steps. However, it is important to note that once you deactivate a product key, it can no longer be used to activate Windows 10 on the device from which it was deactivated. If you later decide that you want to reinstall Windows 10 on the same device, you will need to purchase a new product key.

The main points to remember about deactivating the Windows 10 product key are as follows:

You can deactivate your product key by opening Command Prompt as an administrator and typing the following command: slmgr /upk.
You will need to restart your computer after deactivating your product key.
Once you have deactivated your product key, you will no longer be able to use Windows 10. You will need to purchase a new product key or reinstall Windows 10 without a product key.
If you are transferring your Windows 10 license to a new computer, you will need to use the Microsoft Activation Troubleshooter.
You can reinstall Windows 10 without a product key, but you will not be able to use any of its features that require activation.

Closing Message:

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can safely and easily deactivate your Windows 10 product key. If you have any questions or problems, you can search for more information online or contact Microsoft support.

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