Windows 10/11 Dual Boot installation and licensing

Question

Windows 10/11 Dual Boot installation and licensing

Christopher Priest 20

I have some queries about installing Windows 11, on a device which currently runs Windows 10.

The existing Windows version is 10 Pro, which came already installed on the device when I bought it directly from the manufacturer, Dell. The device is Windows 11-compatible. A current version of Microsoft Office is also installed on this device, under my personal account with microsoft.com. This license permits me to use the Office components on a number of different devices (up to 5?).

What I want to do is install Windows 11 on this device, under a dual boot configuration, so that I can retain use of Windows 10 until I'm comfortable with new user interface features in Windows 11.

I believe that, since I have a licensed version of Windows 10 Pro, I am entitled to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro, without purchasing any additional licenses or keys.
I have also seen material on the web which suggests that, for a dual boot configuration, I need to have an additional Microsoft Account – for reasons that I don't fully understand, but which appear to be related to product licensing.

Therefore, could you can firstly confirm my numbered point 1 above, and explain what, if anything, I need to do to activate the copy of Windows 11?

And secondly, could you please comment on my numbered point 2. Since my Microsoft.com account permits multiple installations of the Office applications, I don't understand why I should need a different account for the Windows 11 instance, unless this is something to do with coexistence with the Windows 10 instance on the same physical device.

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Answer 1

Hello

Thank you for your question and reaching out. I can understand you are having query\issues related to Dual boot licensing.

I believe you can use one license for only one machine at a time. In other words, you can't use same license on two different machines (physical or virtual).

The Pro licence cannot be utilised on a virtual machine after being used by the computer hardware. The installation that you dual boot with would need to be deleted if you were to relocate it to the virtual machine. (Or would cease to function).

Reference :

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Useterms/Retail/Windows/10/Useterms_Retail_Windows_10_English.htm

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-on-dual-boot-license/11b02d91-8755-466a-9724-4fe2f130b58c

For Office you can use same account on 5 Devices.

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer--

Christopher Priest 20 Reputation points

2023-03-03T17:27:01.4966667+00:00

Thanks. The thread in the 2nd link does answer my questions about licensing for the OS. And if the same logic applies for Office licensing, then installation in the Windows 11 partition would count as an additional device/installation within the 5 installations that my licence for Office allows.

Answer 2

Anonymous

Hi.

Windows 10/11 dual boot does require separate licenses and accounts for both Windows operating systems to legally dual boot without violating Microsoft's terms of service.

For more information about how to configure dual system startup, please refer to:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-dual-boot-windows-10-and-windows-11/#:~:text=You%20do%20need%20a%20separate,11%20at%20the%20same%20time.

Hope the information is helpful.

============================================
If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

Christopher Priest 20 Reputation points

2023-03-03T15:58:34.9033333+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I think I looked at this article yesterday before posting.

To quote from it "... you’ll have to hold a valid Windows 10 license and a valid Windows 11 license. Each license can only be used once. "

My current Windows 10 installation has a product key. However, since separate licences are required for both OS instances, then presumably if I submitted the product key in use for Windows 10 when I install Windows 11, that would be rejected. Or would it automatically deactivate the Windows 10 instance?

Presumably (again) if I did a standard Windows 11 installation, by upgrading the Windows 10 instance in-situ, then that would take care of all this, and generate a new product key.
Christopher Priest 20 Reputation points

2023-03-03T16:06:22.65+00:00

As above. This box entered in error.
Christopher Priest 20 Reputation points

2023-03-03T16:14:34.0933333+00:00

Finger trouble ...
David Morrison 5 Reputation points

2023-08-31T20:33:55.5933333+00:00

this is wrong, windows 10 and 11 use same activation files, you can activate 10 or 11 windows a windows 7 or 8 key, and its for life , it will give you a digital licence, so if you format it will auto activate when you connect to the internet. i have a pc with windows 7 sticker, now its running windows 10 and 11 dual boot, you only need to use the key once , on windows 10, then when you install 11 it will auto activate online, as long as you install the version, pro key, instal pro, and always down load window 10 or 11 from microsoft site, its free, media creation tool.
Christopher Priest 20 Reputation points

2023-09-05T13:40:03.1033333+00:00

Thanks David for your update.

I had in fact found out that the earlier comments were not true, at least not always. The discussion of activation and OEM licenses in Ed Bott's "Windows 11 Inside Out" suggested that my licence – which is OEM, from Dell – would work for me, and when I tried it, it did. I now have a dual boot system with both OS versions running on the same device, and no need to purchase any additional license.

I'm not sure that the earlier comments are false in all cases – maybe if you buy a license key from one of the online key resellers, then that is only valid for a single installation.

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Windows 10/11 Dual Boot installation and licensing

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