Transfer Win Pro Retail license from old Win 11 Home OEM laptop to new Win 11 Home OEM Laptop

Question

So far I have been unable to transfer a Win Pro Retail license from old Win 11 Home OEM laptop to new Win 11 Home OEM Laptop.

The recommended steps shown below were followed. Dialog box on old computer indicated the pro license had been uninstalled and removed from registry. Dialog box on new computer indicated the pro license had been successfully installed.

Unfortunately it did not really happen. Looking at System >About shows the Pro license did not move.

What gives? Is it really possible to reclaim a Windows Professional Retail license from a soon to be abandoned computer? If so what different steps are required?

Thank you,

Kelly

use 
CMD window with admin privilege

find key
Display product license
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Confirm license is linked and activated
slmgr
slmgr /dli
slmgr /dlv

steps to transfer key to another computer
to uninstall
slmgr.vbs /upk
or
slmgr.vbs /upk

remove from registry to prevent automatic reactivation
slmgr /cpky

to add to new computer
on that computer open cmd window as admin
slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Answer 1

Hello

How did you obtain your pro license, from third party or from Microsoft?

On the new computer, before you want to use the Pro license, you need to install Pro first. You can go to Settings > System > Activation > Change product key

Disconnect internet, and disable any third party antivirus, key in the generic key instead: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

That should get you to Pro. Once restarted, you can connect back to the internet, then try the Pro key.

However, if it is digital license, you do this instead: go to Settings > System > Activation, run the troubleshooter, choose the hardware change option. When it asks you where it is installed on right now, you should choose the old device name. Then click on Activate button. And on the next screen when it asks you where to transfer it to, choose your new device name. See if that does the trick.