How to activate Windows 11 with a product key

Activating Windows 11 with a 25-character product key takes a couple of minutes. Here is the normal route, the command line route, and what to do if it fails.

Before you start

• Check your edition in Settings, System, About. Home keys activate Home, Pro keys activate Pro.
• Connect to the internet.
• Have the key from your order email ready.

Activate in Settings

1. Open Settings, then System, then Activation.
2. Click Change product key.
3. Enter the 25-character key and click Next.
4. Wait for the message that Windows is activated.

Activate from the command line

Open Terminal as administrator and run:

1. slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
2. slmgr /ato

If activation fails

First make sure the key matches your edition. If you run Home with a Pro key, Windows offers the upgrade instead: see how to upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro. Check the internet connection and the date on your PC, then look up the code in our guide to activation errors. If it still fails, write to support@smart-keys.shop with a screenshot and your order number.