What happens if you do not activate Windows 10 or 11

Windows keeps working without activation, but with limits.

What stops working

• Personalisation: wallpaper, colours and themes in Settings.
• A permanent watermark and reminders.

What keeps working

• Apps, the browser and most features.
• Security updates, as long as your version is supported.

Why “it works” does not mean “it is fine”

The licence terms require a valid licence. An unactivated system also tempts people into activators, and those are a far bigger risk than the watermark.

How to activate

See the guides for Windows 11 and Windows 10.

When you do not need a key

Reinstalling on a PC that was activated before: it activates itself once online.