How to Move Your Windows or Office Licence to a New PC

Written by the Softkeyworld technical team · Updated October 2026

A new PC is the natural moment to ask whether the Windows and Office licences you already paid for can come with you. Sometimes they can, sometimes they cannot, and the answer depends on how each licence was sold, not on how much it cost or how long you have had it. Getting this right avoids two common problems: a new PC stuck on "Windows isn't activated", and an old PC that is sold on still carrying your Office licence.

This guide covers the transfer rules, the exact steps to release a licence from the old machine and activate it on the new one, and the errors that most often get in the way.

Can your licence be transferred?

Microsoft's Software Licence Terms for Windows separate two cases. Software pre-installed on a device may only be transferred together with that device. Standalone software, bought separately, may be moved to another device you own, and in some cases to someone else's, as long as it is no longer used on the first. Office follows similar logic. Microsoft's retail terms for recent versions allow a standalone copy to move to another of your devices, with a limit of once every 90 days except after hardware failure. Check the terms for your version under File > Account > About [app] > View the Microsoft Software License Terms.

Licence	Transferable?	How to move it
Windows retail key	Yes, one device at a time	Remove from old PC, enter key on new PC
Windows retail, linked to Microsoft account	Yes	Enter key, or try the Activation troubleshooter
Windows OEM (pre-installed or System Builder)	No, it stays with the original PC	New PC needs its own licence
Office 2021/2024, account-linked one-time purchase	Yes, within the retail terms	Uninstall, then reinstall from account.microsoft.com
Office Pro Plus with a product key (not account-linked)	Depends on licence type; one device at a time	ospp.vbs /unpkey, uninstall, reactivate (often by phone)
Microsoft 365 subscription	Not a transfer; just sign in	Sign out of old devices from your account page

Before you start: a five-minute checklist

• Find your product keys and order emails for Windows and Office, and keep them somewhere other than the old PC.
• Note the exact editions and versions, for example Windows 11 Pro and Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024, from Settings > System > About and File > Account.
• Write down which Microsoft account each product is linked to, if any. Families often have Office on one person's account and Windows on another's.
• Back up your files and Outlook data before removing anything. Removing a licence does not delete data, but uninstalling Office and resetting the PC will.
• Keep the old PC working until the new one is fully activated, in case you need to check a setting.

Part 1: Moving a Windows licence

Step 1: Confirm it is retail

On the old PC, open Command Prompt as administrator and run slmgr /dlv. If the Description line says RETAIL channel, you can move it. Any channel beginning OEM, such as OEM_DM for a key embedded in the firmware by the manufacturer, indicates an OEM licence, which stays with that PC. Volume channels belong to an organisation. Note your edition too. A Pro key activates Pro, not Home.

Step 2: Make sure you have the key

Windows only shows the last five characters of an installed key, so you need the original: your purchase email, the card in a boxed copy, or your order history. If you bought from us, it is in your Softkeyworld order email. Scripts that "read" the full key from the registry often return a generic key on digital-licence installs, so do not rely on them.

Step 3: Remove the key from the old PC

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run slmgr /upk to uninstall the product key. Wait for "Uninstalled product key successfully".
3. Run slmgr /cpky to clear the key from the registry.
4. If you are selling or giving away the PC, reset it under Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC with "Remove everything".

To be precise about what this does: these commands remove the licence from that installation. They do not send a "deactivated" message to Microsoft. Microsoft has no self-service way to deregister a Windows key. That is why the new activation sometimes needs a phone call (Step 5). Removing the key is still important, both to comply with the licence terms and so the old PC does not reactivate with it.

Step 4: Activate on the new PC

Install or reset the new PC to the same edition as your key. If it came with Home and you are bringing a Pro key, entering the Pro key in Settings upgrades the edition. Then go to Settings > System > Activation > Change product key and enter it, or run slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX followed by slmgr /ato. Once activated, sign in with your Microsoft account so the status reads "activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account". Our Windows 11 Pro download, install and activation guide covers a clean setup end to end.

If your retail licence was already linked to your Microsoft account and you have no key to hand, Microsoft's Activation troubleshooter ("I changed hardware on this device recently") is documented for hardware changes. In our experience it can also pick up a retail licence on new hardware, but it is not a guaranteed transfer tool.

Step 5: If activation says the key is in use

Error 0xC004C008 means Microsoft still counts the key against the old device. Run slui 4, choose your country, and complete phone activation, explaining that the licence has been removed from the old PC. On builds where slui 4 does not offer phone activation, use Microsoft's support contact options instead.

Part 2: Moving an Office licence

First, find out how your Office is licensed. Open Word or Excel and go to File > Account. If you see "Belongs to:" with your email under Product Information, the licence is linked to a Microsoft account. If you see a product name and "Product Activated" with no account, it is key-based.

Account-linked Office (Office 2021 or 2024 one-time purchases)

1. On the old PC, uninstall Office under Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Keep the PC online while you do it.
2. On the new PC, sign in at account.microsoft.com/services with the same Microsoft account.
3. Find your Office product, select Install, and run the installer.
4. Open any Office app and sign in with the same account. Activation is automatic.

There is no "deactivate" button for one-time purchases. Microsoft confirms that the transfer works by reinstalling and reactivating. The device sign-out controls on your account page apply to Microsoft 365 subscriptions, where you simply sign out of an old device to free a slot. If the new installation reports too many activations, the activation wizard offers telephone activation.

Key-based Office (Professional Plus and phone-activation keys)

Professional Plus keys that activate without a Microsoft account are released with the Office Software Protection Platform script, as documented in Microsoft's guide to resetting Office activation state.

1. On the old PC, open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Change to the Office folder: cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16", or Program Files (x86) for 32-bit Office on 64-bit Windows. Office 2016 to 2024 all use the Office16 folder.
3. Run cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus and note the "Last 5 characters of installed product key".
4. Run cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey:ABCDE using those five characters. You should see "Product key uninstall successful". Repeat for any other keys listed.
5. Uninstall Office from the old PC.
6. Install the same version on the new PC and activate with your key. Our Office 2024 Pro Plus installation guide shows the full process.

Many Pro Plus keys will not reactivate online once used, and move by telephone activation instead. Our walkthrough on activating Office by telephone applies equally to 2021 and 2024. Some keys are sold as single-device or "bind" licences that are not intended to move at all. Check the product description before you rely on a transfer.

Common errors when moving licences

Error or symptom	Cause	Fix
Windows 0xC004C008	Key still counted on another device	Phone activation via slui 4
Windows 0xC004F050 / 0xC004F074	Edition mismatch, or a volume key on a home PC	Install the edition the key is for
Windows 0x803F7001 on new PC	No licence found for this hardware	Enter your retail key; an OEM licence cannot move
Office "maximum number of activations"	Online limit reached for the key	Choose telephone activation in the wizard
Office shows "Unlicensed Product" after moving	Old trial or Microsoft 365 licence on the new PC conflicts	Check ospp.vbs /dstatus, remove extra keys, remove the pre-installed Microsoft 365 trial

That last one is the most common Office ticket we see on brand-new laptops. Many ship with a Microsoft 365 trial or a "Get Office" app. Uninstall it before installing your own Office, because mixed installations of different versions and channels are a frequent cause of activation loops.

Frequently asked questions

Can I transfer my Windows licence to a new computer?

Yes, if it is a retail licence. Remove it from the old PC and activate it on the new one. OEM licences that came pre-installed stay with the original computer.

How do I tell if my Windows key is OEM or retail?

Run slmgr /dlv in an elevated Command Prompt and read the Description line. "RETAIL channel" means retail. Anything starting "OEM" is OEM.

Do I have to deactivate Office on my old PC?

Yes. The licence terms require you to remove it from the previous device. For account-linked Office, uninstall it. For key-based Office, run ospp.vbs /unpkey and then uninstall.

What if my old PC is dead?

A retail licence can still move. Install on the new PC and activate. If online activation refuses, phone activation or Microsoft support will usually accept that the old device has failed.

How often can I move Office to a new PC?

Microsoft's retail Office terms for recent versions allow a transfer once every 90 days, sooner after hardware failure. Check your version's licence terms to be sure.

Can I use one Windows key on two PCs?

No. A standard retail key licenses one device at a time. Each additional PC needs its own licence.

Our recommendation

If your old Windows licence turns out to be OEM, or you want to keep the old PC running for someone else, the new machine needs its own licence. For a PC you expect to upgrade over the years, a retail Windows 11 Pro licence linked to your Microsoft account is the most flexible choice. If you are also moving to a current version of Office, Office 2024 Pro Plus for Windows is supported until October 2029. Our Windows 11 Pro licence key is delivered instantly by email, and our support team can help if a transfer or activation does not go to plan.

Get a Windows 11 Pro Licence Key

Related reading

Resource	Why read it
Install and activate Windows 11 Pro	Set up the new PC cleanly before moving your key
Office 2024 Pro Plus setup guide	Reinstall and activate Office on the new machine
Activate Office by telephone	The fallback when online activation refuses a moved key