Request to reactivate Windows Hardware Developer Program registration

Question

Hello Microsoft Support,

We need help reactivating our Windows Hardware Developer Program registration. Our Partner Center account was originally registered using the work email address of a former employee. That employee had already left the company before Microsoft sent the account verification email. In February 2026, Microsoft sent a verification notice requiring action within 30 days. Because the email was sent to a mailbox that was no longer monitored, we did not complete the verification in time. In April 2026, when we attempted to submit drivers for signing, we found that the account could no longer be used for driver signing. We have now updated the Partner Center account information, including the current contact details. In Partner Center > Legal info, our Vetting status is shown as Authorized. However, under Programs > Hardware, the portal still shows the following message: "Our records indicate that you have already enrolled into this program but your program registration is deactivated."

This issue is currently blocking our driver signing submissions. We would like to request reactivation/reinstatement of our Windows Hardware Developer Program registration.

Answer 1

Reactivation of a deactivated Windows Hardware Developer Program registration cannot be completed directly from the Partner Center UI when the program itself is marked as deactivated. Because the Legal info vetting status is already Authorized but the Hardware program still shows as deactivated, this requires direct assistance from Microsoft support.

Use the dedicated Windows developer/Partner Center support path for hardware dashboard issues and request reactivation of the Hardware Developer Program registration for the affected Partner Center account:

1. Go to the Windows developer support page: Windows developer support.
2. In the Non-Technical Support–Dashboard section, select Ask Copilot.
3. Sign in with the same Partner Center account that shows the deactivated Hardware program.
4. When prompted, copy and paste the validation code into the Copilot chat field.
5. Describe the situation, including:
   • That the Hardware Developer Program registration is deactivated.
   • That Legal info vetting status is Authorized.
   • That driver signing submissions are currently blocked.
   • That contact details have been updated and the original email belonged to a former employee.
6. If Copilot cannot resolve the issue automatically, use the link it provides to open a support ticket. In the ticket, explicitly request reactivation/reinstatement of the Windows Hardware Developer Program registration for your Partner Center account.

Support for the Partner Center hardware dashboard is the documented escalation path for account and program-state issues such as this, and is required to restore access needed for driver signing and hardware submissions.

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References:

• Support for Partner Center dashboard
• Verify your account information when you enroll in a new Partner Center program
• Partner Center for Windows Hardware