I mistakenly bought windows 11 home oem key, not retail key.

Question

I did not know about the difference between oem and retail key.

I recently bought windows 11 home oem key without knowing this.

I realized that I can't use this key if I change my desktop later, which I had not expected.

Can I change my key from oem to retail key by paying more?

Or, do I really have to buy another key again because I did not know about the difference?

Answer 1

Hello hyeanseo park

Unfortunately, a OEM key is tied to the specific hardware they were originally installed on and cannot be transferred to another device. A retail key, on the other hand, is fully transferable and can be activated on any machine.

You will need to purchase a new retail key if you want to use it on a different device.

Best Regards,

Hania Lian