How to activate Windows 10 with a product key
The steps for Windows 10 are close to Windows 11, but the menu lives in a different place.
In Settings
- Open Settings, then Update & Security, then Activation.
- Click Change product key.
- Enter the 25-character key and click Next.
- Windows confirms the activation in a minute or two.
With commands
Run Command Prompt as administrator, then enter slmgr /ipk followed by your key, and after that slmgr /ato.
By phone
If online activation is refused, run slui 4 and follow the prompts. The full steps are in our phone activation guide.
If the key is not accepted
Check that the key is for Windows 10 or 11 and for the same edition you have installed. A Pro key on Home starts an upgrade. Error codes are explained in our activation errors guide.
Does Windows 10 still activate after the end of support?
Yes. Activation still works; only regular security updates have stopped.