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Why can't I get an active version of Windows 11 Business from Windows 11 Home OEM? Details below.

Anonymous
2024-03-08T03:00:38+00:00

For context, I am able to install Windows 11 Home on a machine with NO active license then upgrade it to Windows 11 Pro using a generic key (still inactive). Then when I join the machine to Entra ID with a M365 Business Premium account > Install updates > Restart, I have an active Version of Windows 11 Business. https://answers-afd.microsoft.com/static/images/image-not-found.jpg

However, if I have a machine with a Windows 11 Home OEM license > upgrade it Windows 11 Pro using a generic key and so on.. (essentially repeating the same steps as above), the Activation State is Not active although it says "Windows 11 Business subscription is active".

I guess I just can't make sense of how I can go from nothing, no license at all, to an active version of Windows with a M365 Business Premium account, but I can't do the same with an OEM license.

Windows for business | Windows Client for IT Pros | Devices and deployment | Licensing and activation

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-03-09T13:28:21+00:00

    Hi anthony6964,

    The reason why you are unable to activate Windows 11 Business on a machine with an OEM license is that the OEM license is tied to the specific edition of Windows that was pre-installed on the device. In this case, the OEM license is for Windows 11 Home, and it cannot be used to activate Windows 11 Business.

    When you upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro using a generic key, you are essentially purchasing a new license for Windows 11 Pro, which is required to activate Windows 11 Business with your M365 Business Premium account.

    I hope this clarifies the issue for you. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-03-16T12:00:44+00:00

    Have you signed with your Microsoft personal account or with school/work email account? If your machine is connected to organization by domain join

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-01-17T23:39:32+00:00

    I know Windows 11 Home can't be used activate Windows 11 Business. I upgraded it to Windows 11 Pro using a generic key then attempted to activate Windows 11 Business. This works perfectly fine when there is no OEM license involved.

    The issue/question is that I can take a machine and install an inactive version of Windows 11 Home > upgrade it to Windows 11 Pro using a generic key (still inactive) > Join to Entra ID using a Business Premium account > then have an active version of Windows 11 Business... but this same process doesn't work if I start with an active, OEM version of Windows 11 Home.

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-01-23T11:27:18+00:00

    Did you evet get a solution for this anthony6964?

    I'm experiencing a similar issue - my Windows 11 Business subscription is active, but the Activation state above is not active. However, Microsoft can't seem to figure out if I should have received a license key for the purchase of the Windows 11 Business license or not.

    Hope to make progress on this soon.

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