However, for legal purposes, it’s best to stick with what Microsoft states in their end-user license agreements.
One common question that I get all the time is How many computers can I install Windows on? If you read around, you’ll get all sorts of different answers. If your question is more about finding lost product keys or using a key finder program, see our Key Finder Programs FAQ for help. Have a question about Windows product keys that we haven't answered above? In other words, you're welcome to use a friend's retail copy of Windows 8 to reinstall Windows on your computer as long as you use your unique Windows 8 product key. Windows product keys are not tied to specific discs or images, only to specific versions of Windows (see the question above).
'Can I use someone else's Windows CD/DVD to install Windows on my PC as long as I use my original product key?' You can only use your product key for the specific Windows operating system version for which it is coded.
Windows product keys are exclusively associated with a particular version of Windows.įor example, you can not install Windows 7 Home Premium with a Windows 7 Professional product key, nor can you install Windows Vista Business with a Windows 10 Home product key. 'Can I use the product key from one version of Windows to install a different version of Windows?' However (and this is a big one) it's not legal and you will not be able to activate Windows on more than one computer at a time.Īfter a certain period of time, activating Windows is necessary to continue using the operating system, especially in more recent versions of Windows. Yes, technically you can use the same product key to install Windows on as many computers as you want-one hundred, one thousand.go for it. 'Can I use the same product key to install Windows on more than one computer?' If you've already made this mistake, just change the product key to the one on your product key sticker and then try activating Windows again. Windows activation will fail if you use this product key to install Windows. Your unique key for use when reinstalling Windows will be the one on the sticker on your computer. In other words, everyone's disc has the same product key. This product key, if it exists, is the generic product key that Microsoft allowed your PC builder to use when mass producing computers. How Many Times Can You Use The Same Serial Key Imvuksan If, however, you have a restore disc from your major computer manufacturer, there might be a product key stored in a file on the disc but it will not work when reinstalling Windows. If you have a retail copy of Windows, be it Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, etc., there will be no product key stored anywhere on the disc or in the ISO disc image.
'I heard that a working Windows product key is included somewhere on the Windows DVD/CD/Image. This FAQ will help answer some of the more common questions about Windows product keys.
You can't reinstall Windows without a valid, unique product key, so it's no wonder that so many people put so much effort into finding their Windows key code. For those who have wondered about finding lost Windows product keys or other standard operations, these tips may help. Windows product keys is a product that garners a lot of questions.
Can I install the software on a second computer? The license for our software is a single user license, and entitles that single user to install the software on a second computer of the same platform for which the license was purchased for, provided they are not both used at the same time, or by more than one person. So if you try it on a third computer Windows won't activate with that product key. Actually you can use the same product key on another computer as I read on another forum of a user who did, and Windows did activate,though not more than 2 PCs. For example, you can not install Windows 7 Home Premium with a Windows 7 Professional product key, nor can you install Windows Vista Business with a Windows 10 Home product key.