Can I activate Win 11 Home OS with Win 10 Home key?

Question

Hello!
I have the following issue:
Years ago I bought a laptop with Windows 10 Pro. A few days ago, Windows did not start, my friend replaced the SSD with another one. I would reinstall the laptop with Windows 11 to avoid the Windows 11 transition messages.
Can I activate my laptop with that Windows 10 Pro code I got with that laptop?
Thank you for your help.

Answer 1

Hello DanMr-5289 ,

Thanks for reaching out in the Microsoft Q&A!

Yes, you can activate Windows 11 Home with a Windows 10 Home key. Microsoft allows keys to be used interchangeably for activation. If your key is a retail key, it will activate Windows 11 Home when you sign in with your linked Microsoft account. If it is an OEM key, it should work on the same machine, but since you replaced the SSD, there might be an issue. However, it's worth trying the key during activation. For more information, visit Microsoft Support

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Answer 2

Hello

To activate your laptop with the Windows 10 Pro code you originally received with your laptop, you will need to ensure that your device meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11. If your device is currently running Windows 10, you can verify the minimum system requirements using the Internal Windows PC Health Check app.

If your laptop meets the requirements and you have the original Windows 10 Pro product key, you can attempt to activate Windows 11 using that key. During the installation of Windows 11, you should be prompted to enter your product key. If not, after installation, you can go to Settings > System > Activation > Update product key > Change product key to enter your Windows 10 Pro product key.

Answer 3

AFAIK, your Windows 10 key can activate Windows 11. If it had OEM license, it should be activated automatically post Windows 11 installation.