Link your Win10 License to your Microsoft account

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
Buried in the announcement of the Activation Troubleshooter is an interesting tidbit.

https://www.thurrott.com/windows/wi...-released-activation-troubleshooter-announced

Also being announced today is the ability to link your Microsoft account to your Windows 10 digital license. If you already use your Microsoft account with your activated copy of Windows 10 Home or Pro, the MSA link will automatically occur. This link feature will make it easier to re-activate a copy of Windows 10 after a hardware change.

The only down side is it does not say HOW to link the account, but my guess is you login to the store probably, as for my desktop I did a local account and then did a sign in to the store for something.

The only other thing is do you need the latest build or can any build work


May need to test this to see if
1 - It links automatically when you create/login with a MS account.
2 - Create a local account only, and then login to the store for example to see if it links


Now you can look at your devices at
account.microsoft.com/devices
 

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,376
762
126
One does have to wonder, what happens if for whatever reason, you lose (or want to change) the MS account?
 

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
Probably similar to any other digital account, either have to go through hoops to get it back or just for get it and loose whats attached to it I'm guessing
 

PliotronX

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 1999
8,883
107
106
One does have to wonder, what happens if for whatever reason, you lose (or want to change) the MS account?
Funny you ask, ever since the release of 8 and the nudge into MS accounts, we get a steady supply of users that have forgotten passwords and never set up TFA so there is nowhere to send the reset link. Makes for interesting times (not)!
 

simas

Senior member
Oct 16, 2005
412
107
116
How does it work in case of multiple computers - can more than one activation license be linked to the same account? anyone knows?
 

WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
2,353
463
126
Buried in the announcement of the Activation Troubleshooter is an interesting tidbit.

https://www.thurrott.com/windows/wi...-released-activation-troubleshooter-announced



The only down side is it does not say HOW to link the account, but my guess is you login to the store probably, as for my desktop I did a local account and then did a sign in to the store for something.

The only other thing is do you need the latest build or can any build work


May need to test this to see if
1 - It links automatically when you create/login with a MS account.
2 - Create a local account only, and then login to the store for example to see if it links


Now you can look at your devices at
account.microsoft.com/devices

I have a local account. I have logged into the store a few times, and there are no devices listed in my Microsoft account. I'm guessing you need to login with your Microsoft account.
 

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
How does it work in case of multiple computers - can more than one activation license be linked to the same account? anyone knows?

Not sure, I will probably test this weekend with my work laptop.

But most likely yes as from the screen shot at the Source Link shows two computers

I have a local account. I have logged into the store a few times, and there are no devices listed in my Microsoft account. I'm guessing you need to login with your Microsoft account.
Good to know, I may have test this as well when I test the other thing above.

Hopefully I have time to do so.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
29,466
384
126
I have few independent Activated computers linked to My Microsoft account.

To do so and keep it a live the logon and activation of each computer has be done to your Microsoft account (as oppose to local Logon).

The control of the logon is done in Win 10 Setting/ Accounts / Your email and Accounts.



:cool:
 
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Puffnstuff

Lifer
Mar 9, 2005
16,015
4,785
136
I keep all of my pc's tied to my MS account which syncs my settings across all platforms which works well for me. At least you've got a choice in the matter so make your selections and be happy.
 

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
So just a quick update.
I had done a test and it seems that it will link the pc/win10 to your microsoft account when you either

1 - Sign in to the MS Account during the setup
or
2 - Sign in to the MS Account using the Setting / Accounts / Your email and Accounts


Now there is one thing in the latest Insider Build that I could see as a potential issue with the Activation troubleshooter, in that you could potentially use it to move a license
 

YBS1

Golden Member
May 14, 2000
1,945
129
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I'll be testing this out to see if it's workable. I've picked up a 6700K/Z170 combo to replace my 7850K/FM2 HTPC. Since I'll be shifting the 7850K over to WHS duties, I'm hoping I can move its current Win 10 license over to the 6700K.
 

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
I'll be testing this out to see if it's workable. I've picked up a 6700K/Z170 combo to replace my 7850K/FM2 HTPC. Since I'll be shifting the 7850K over to WHS duties, I'm hoping I can move its current Win 10 license over to the 6700K.

By the sounds of it yes, but only with the Activation Troubleshooter which is only available in the latest Insider Preview build. Otherwise you would have to wait until the Anniversary Update is released
 

JeffMD

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2002
2,026
19
81
From what I know, you can use one account for a PC and a windows tablet. I used an account for my laptop when I first got it, and then a tablet much later. When I attempted to add I think my backup computer, or maybe my mini htpc, it was not allowed. Thats when I searched google and found others with the same issue.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Anyone know how to check your win 10 license status on a machine you upgrade and then installed the previous version back on it?

Went through the MS account chat and all they could tell me that it was a valid 8 pro key eligible for 10 (i.e. nothing I didn't know) and said no way to tell.
 

quikah

Diamond Member
Apr 7, 2003
4,068
649
126
From what I know, you can use one account for a PC and a windows tablet. I used an account for my laptop when I first got it, and then a tablet much later. When I attempted to add I think my backup computer, or maybe my mini htpc, it was not allowed. Thats when I searched google and found others with the same issue.



?? Are you talking about office 365? I use the same ms account to log into many different Windows systems. I have mine on 5, 3 desktops,a tablet and a phone.
 

Puffnstuff

Lifer
Mar 9, 2005
16,015
4,785
136
Anyone know how to check your win 10 license status on a machine you upgrade and then installed the previous version back on it?

Went through the MS account chat and all they could tell me that it was a valid 8 pro key eligible for 10 (i.e. nothing I didn't know) and said no way to tell.

If you upgrade a pc to 10 during the free period and activate it then it will be good even if you roll back to a previous version of windows. I went back to 8.1 for a while then came back to 10 and didn't have a problem with activation once I reinstalled it.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Yes that's the theory, but since they aren't giving actual keys for the digital upgrades it'd be nice to have some way to verify your key status.
 

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
Yes that's the theory, but since they aren't giving actual keys for the digital upgrades it'd be nice to have some way to verify your key status.

Thats what linking it to your Microsoft account will do. it will show which machines have an entitlement. Thats about the only verifiable way to know for sure

You dont have to keep it to the sign in to ms account, you just have to do it once. make sure that it shows up and then you can go back to a local account
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
7
81
I'm just hoping that my retail Win7 Pro key is linked correctly so that when I do upgrade my PC it will have no problem activating Win10.

I might just throw a random hard drive in my PC, disconnect the rest, and fresh install 10 on that drive with my Win7 Pro key just to be sure. In theory that shouldn't be necessary (I did the upgrade before that was even an option to do) but it might not hurt.
 

TeknoBug

Platinum Member
Oct 2, 2013
2,084
31
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My i5 3550 is linked to my XBlive account (logged into the Xbox app), but the PC name says "to be filled by O.E.M", whatever that means? The license on that PC is retail. My i3 6100 isn't linked to anything and I get a "add a device" button but I use a live account on the i3 for MS Office.

I wnoder what happens if I pick "Remove PC" on the account linked to the i5.
 

Puffnstuff

Lifer
Mar 9, 2005
16,015
4,785
136
I'm just hoping that my retail Win7 Pro key is linked correctly so that when I do upgrade my PC it will have no problem activating Win10.

I might just throw a random hard drive in my PC, disconnect the rest, and fresh install 10 on that drive with my Win7 Pro key just to be sure. In theory that shouldn't be necessary (I did the upgrade before that was even an option to do) but it might not hurt.

Once you upgrade your pc to 10 and activate it you don't need to use a key for future installs but you do have to do it prior to July 29th. When I check my MS account all three of my pc's show up and I've clean installed 10 on each of them without having to use any key's to reactivate it which happens automatically once back online.
 

Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
My i5 3550 is linked to my XBlive account (logged into the Xbox app), but the PC name says "to be filled by O.E.M", whatever that means? The license on that PC is retail. My i3 6100 isn't linked to anything and I get a "add a device" button but I use a live account on the i3 for MS Office.
It would depend on if it custom build or unit from a MFG like HP or Dell.
For example by Custom Built one shows up as Win10 All Series, where as my HP shows up as HP EliteBook 8470p, with the SN


As for the i3 6100, you have to sign in 1 time with the ms account for it to link.
You can see my test in a previous post in this tread.

Your XBLive account and Live account should be the same account unless you set them up with different email address
 

TeknoBug

Platinum Member
Oct 2, 2013
2,084
31
91
Your XBLive account and Live account should be the same account unless you set them up with different email address
They're separate.

Oh and I also have my XBL account logged into the Xblox app on my i3 6100, yet this system doesn't show up.
 
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Dahak

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
3,752
25
91
They're separate.

Oh and I also have my XBL account logged into the Xblox app on my i3 6100, yet this system doesn't show up.

its not one of the apps that you log into. You have to log in to the system with an ms account for it to show up.

Sign in to the MS Account using the Setting / Accounts / Your email and Accounts

You can use either your XBLive account or the Live account for your office, which ever one you want to use.

Then go back there and you can switch it back to a local account after. You do not have to keep singing in with the ms account
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,794
266
116
/skimmed thread

My wife has a new Dell Dimension 3847 with Windows 7 which I plan on upgrading to Windows 10 soon. Then I'll make an image and downgrade her back to Windows 7 (her preference).

1) Is it required to link your Microsoft account to your Windows 10 license?
2) Assuming it's required or beneficial, does she have to use a @hotmail or @outlook or can she use any domain (@gmail) as her Windows login?