In the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft introduced a number of new changes and features for the PC, including an easier way to be able to activate. Although this process was fairly simple, it was not so simple to reactivate the operating system after a hardware change was made.
From the Windows 10 Anniversary Update your product key is not already linked to your hardware, although you can link your Microsoft account. This new change allows you to reactivate Windows 10 without having to contact Microsoft when you go to make significant changes to the hardware in your PC, which includes replacing the motherboard, processor or hard drive.
It will have happened to you that, if you are one of those who every few months you do a formatting To get your hard drive off the hook, you had to call Microsoft for more Windows installations.
Now a Windows 10 license to your account from Microsoft, which is itself an automated process if you are signed in with your Microsoft account. But if for whatever reason, you are using a local account, you will need to link your product key with your Microsoft account manually.
How to associate your Winwdows 10 license with a Microsoft account
The first thing we are going to do is check if we have properly activated Windows 10 on your computer:
- Go to Configuration
- Click on Update & security
- Click now on Activation in the tab on the left
- Now you should read in Activation: "Windows is activated with a digital license".
Now the next thing is to add a Microsoft account with which you want to remember your product key. It is important that you know that this change will change your local account to a Microsoft one (a local account for troubleshooting).
- Opens Configuration
- Click on Accounts
- Click now on «Your info»
- Click on "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead"
- Introduce your data and log in
- Type your current password
- Give to continue
- Introduce a PIN or you can skip this process if you want
After you have completed all the steps, you could delete your account from Microsoft, but doing so will also remove the device from your account, removing the link.