This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(12.8, 69%, 11%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EDW%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hello I wanted to install win 10 for the sake of some old softwares but the shop didnt have a win 10 license so i bought a win 11, is there anyway i can activiate win 10 using that win 11 key, thanks. I have see people in forum seems to have done it but I dont want to reinstall the whole thing. It's a new pc but not OEM version, its usb.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(19.2, 99%, 11%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EAF%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hello Danny,
You can in fact use a Windows 11 key to activate Windows 10 as long as it is the same type (for example: windows 10 home you need to use a windows 11 home key).
I bought a new computer and wanted to use windows 10, and since the keys weren't available anymore I tried
using a win11 key and completely worked.
I don't completely recomend it as in the future may be blocked, but if someone really needs to use it and aren't scared of "loosing" the key money go ahead and do it so.
Best regards,
André
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(83.2, 74%, 18%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ED%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Yes you can go back and forth as licensing data is entered into Microsoft servers. The best option is to use free or pay third party software to make backup images. (Acronus, Aoemi, EaseUS, Macrium, Paragon, etc ) Then you can restore an image as needed.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(240, 49%, 33%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ESL%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hi, I had success today . I am resurrecting a 10 year old gaming PC ( an ASUS P6X58D_Premium board, and an i7 980X Extreme processor. Windows 10 proved challenging to find a downloadable version I could buy online. So I went to the computer store, and bought a local Retail copy of Windows 11 Home. I tried to install Windows 11 but the installer pretty quickly told me that my CPU was not compatible with Win 11.......very weird , since the 980x extreme is 6 core, and 3.33 Ghz !!!! Anyhow , I was able to create a Windows 10 USB installer drive with the MediaCreationTool22H2.exe Utility. When I used the USB to start the win 10 installation, which supports my CPU, my brand new Win 11 Key was accepted !!! I very pleased with this outcome!! :)
Product keys were required for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.
Starting with Windows 10 licensing data was entered into Microsoft servers during Windows updates.
Once licensing data had been entered into Microsoft servers this enabled clean installs of Windows 11 to Windows 10 or disk drive replacements.
It's always best to make free backup images so that you can quickly return to where you were before the change in operating systems.
.
.
--Please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--
.
.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(89.60000000000001, 81%, 18%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ERA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In case you have Windows 10 installed and it has been activated and then you upgrade to Windows 11 and later you want to install Windows 10, then it is possible. However, you will not be able to activate Windows 10 with the Windows 11 product key.
In case of old applications, you may try running them using compatibility mode, have a look at:
Thank you all for your answers, so its not really possible to do without upgrading to 11 then downgrading again. Its a bit tedious then, ms should provide a way to do it rather than forcing everyone to win 11, which has no difference to most people except another money grab for ms
In the Windows 10, you may open start and search for feedback and open the Feedback Hub app and file a suggestion and request this.
AFAIK, Windows 11 product key won't activate Windows 10.