Product Key Number - Change in Windows 8

How to Change the Product Key Number in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to change the current product key number to a different key to be used to activate your Windows 8 and 8.1 with instead.

For example, to use to activate "Windows 8 Enterprise" or "Windows 8.1 Enterprise".

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

You can only use a product key number for the same Windows 8 edition that you currently have installed. For example, you cannot enter or change the product key number in Windows 8 with a Windows 8 Pro product key number, or vice versa.

Once Media Center is installed (whether turned on or off in Windows Features), only product key numbers for "Windows 8 Pro with Media Center" will work to activate Windows. Microsoft regards this as a different version of the OS to all intents and purposes. In other words only keys obtained for Windows 8 Media Center will work from then on should you wish to change the key.

EXAMPLE: Windows 8 Activated

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OPTION ONE

To Change Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key Number using GUI

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1. Do step 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 below for what you would like to do or have available.​

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2. Press the :winkey: +R keys to open the Run dialog, type slui.exe 3, click/tap OK, and go to step 7 below.​

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3. Open PC settings, and click/tap on Activate Windows on the left side. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: You will only have the Activate Windows option available if your Windows is not currently activated with a product key. For example, after installing Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise.​

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A) Click/tap on the Enter key button on the right side of "Activate Windows", and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below)​

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4. In Windows 8.1, open PC settings, and click/tap on PC & devices on the left side. (see screenshot below)​

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A) Click/tap on PC info on the left side of "PC & devices", click/tap on Change product key under Windows on the right side, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below)​

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5. Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the System icon, click/tap on the Change product key link at the bottom right corner, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: You will only have this option if Windows 8 or 8.1 has already been previously activated.​

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6. Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the System icon, and click/tap on the View details in Windows Activation link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)​

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A) If available, click/tap on Activate with a new key, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: If not available, then use step 2 above instead.​

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7. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes, and do step 8 or 9 below for what Windows 8 you have.​

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8. In Windows 8, type in your 25-digit product key number, verify it is correctly typed in, and click/tap on Activate. (see screenshots below)​

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A) Windows 8 will now attempt to activate with the entered product key number. (see screenshot below)​

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B) If you are online and it was successfully activated, then click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)​

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9. In Windows 8.1, type in your 25-digit product key number. (see screenshots below)​

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A) If you are online and it was successfully activated, then click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)​

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OPTION TWO

To Change Windows 8 and 8.1 Product Key Number in Command Prompt

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1. Open an elevated command prompt.​

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2. In the elevated command prompt, type in the command below, verify that the product key number is correctly typed in, and press enter. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: Substitute XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX in ths command below with your actual product key number instead.​

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slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX​

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3. If you are online and it was successfully activated, then click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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4. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Activate Windows 8 and 8.1 Online
• How to Activate Windows 8 and 8.1 by Phone
• How to Clear Product Key from Registry in Windows
• How to Uninstall the Product Key Number and Deactivate Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8
• How to Find Your Windows 8 Product Key Number
• How to Download and Run the "Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant"
• How to Do a Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
• How to Add Features to Windows 8

 

[Ex_Brit]

In addition to the note at the top of this page: It should also be noted here that once Media Center is installed (whether turned on or off in Windows Features), only keys for "Windows 8 Pro with Media Center" will work. Microsoft regard this as a different version of the OS to all intents and purposes. In other words only keys obtained for Windows 8 Media Center will work from then on should you wish to change the key.

 

[Brink]

Thank you for the addition Peter.

 

[Ex_Brit]

You're welcome Shawn. Actually I had posted exactly the same as your tute elsewhere only to realise you had already posted it so erased the content...;-)

I qualified my statement above a little more by the way.

 

[RatusNatus]

In addition to the note at the top of this page: It should also be noted here that once Media Center is installed (whether turned on or off in Windows Features), only keys for "Windows 8 Pro with Media Center" will work. Microsoft regard this as a different version of the OS to all intents and purposes. In other words only keys obtained for Windows 8 Media Center will work from then on should you wish to change the key.

So, if i want to reinstall my W8 with WMC i'll use the WMC key to isntall W8: is that it:

 

[Brink]

Hello RatusNatus,

Sorry, but no. Peter, just meant that you would only need to use a WMC key to change the key with if WMC is already added.

This tutorial is if you wanted to change the Windows 8 product for whatever reason, and to be able to activate Windows 8 Enterprise since it's not activated during installation.

You would install Windows 8 with the Windows 8 product key first, then use "Add Features" to enter the WMC key to add it back.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/6559-windows-media-center-add-windows-8-a.html


Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[RatusNatus]

Ok thanks.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[Clint]

Brink, I've seen this a lot about changing the product key. I am confused. Why would you want to change the product key? If you change it from the one that you got with the program . Its the wrong one and won't activate. Will it?:huh:

 

[Brink]

Hello Clint,

The product key you enter would indeed have to be for the same edition of Windows 8 that is currently installed.

If Windows 8 activates normally during installation, then there's really no need to use this.

This would mostly be helpful to activate Windows 8 Enterprise since it doesn't activate during installation like the other editions of Windows 8.

 

[churin]

My W8 is activated so there are only two options to get to the Step 6 which are the Step 2 and 3. My question is about the Step 3: I do not see "Change product key" anywhere in the System view.

 

[Brink]

Churin,

In that case, you'll need to use step 2 in OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO instead to change your product key.

 

[churin]

Brink,
Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Anytime mate.