How to activate Windows with Command Prompt

There are a couple of straightforward ways to activate Windows 11 or Windows 10. You can either use the Settings app or buy a software license from the Microsoft Store. However, if you're in an enterprise environment or live on the alternative side of technology, you can also use Command Prompt to activate a Windows license using a KMS (key management services) activation key. You'll only need to do this if you're installing Windows on a new PC, of course, since most laptops will come with a Windows license out of the box.

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Keep in mind that it's always best to use an official Windows product key for activation. Activation of Windows through Command Prompt and KMS servers is usually only intended for mass volume activations of multiple PCs, or fresh activation on factory reset PCs. We won't provide unlicensed activation keys in this guide, only the steps to follow if you have a legitimate activation key and server already.

Laptop running Windows© Provided by XDA Developers

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Activate Windows using Command Prompt

If you have bought a Windows license directly from Microsoft or an official reseller, and you just want to activate it using Command Prompt rather than the Settings app, you can do that relatively easily. Here's how it works.

1. Open the Start menu and search for Command Prompt or CMD, then choose Run as administrator.
   

   Screenshot of Windows 11 search showing results for Command Prompt with the Run as administrator option highlighted© Provided by XDA Developers

   
   

   Alternatively, press Windows + X or right-click the Start menu icon, and choose Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) from the list.

2. Type the following command, replacing yourproductkey in the command line with the actual product key that you have. slmgr /ipk yourproductkey
   

   Screenshot of command prompt with a command to set a product activation key in Windows 11© Provided by XDA Developers

   
   
3. Press Enter to confirm.
4. Click OK on the Windows Script Host popup.
5. Enter the command below to set your KMS activation server, replacing serveraddress in the command below with the actual address of the server you want to use for activation. Here's how to find your server information if needed. slmgr /skms serveraddress
   

   Screenshow of Command Prompt with a command to set a KMS activation server on Windows 11© Provided by XDA Developers

   
   
6. Press Enter and click OK.
7. Finally, type the following command: slmgr /ato
   

   Screenshot of Command Prompt with a command to activate Windows 11© Provided by XDA Developers

   
   
8. Press Enter to activate your copy of Windows.

After you follow the steps above, you should see Windows 10 or Windows 11 prompting you with a note that the product has been activated successfully.

Activate Windows 11 using a product key

Not everyone prefers the Command Prompt app to activate Windows. After all, it involves executing commands in a way that many may not prefer. If you are among them, there is an easy way to activate your laptop or PC using the Settings menu. Follow the steps below.

1. Press the Windows + I keys to open Settings.
2. Select System from the sidebar and open the Activation menu.
   

   Activation menu on Windows

   
   
3. If you are facing issues with activating Windows, select Troubleshoot and follow the on-screen instructions. The system will attempt to resolve the problem for you in no time.
4. You can also expand Upgrade your edition of Windows. Select Change.
   

   Upgrade your edition of Windows menu

   
   
5. Enter your 25-digit product key.
   

   Enter product key

   
   

Glance over our dedicated guide below to help you activate Windows in no time. If you are still having issues activating Windows though, you'll need to call Microsoft.

Windows 11 activation page© Provided by XDA Developers

If you made a change to your PC or find that Windows isn't properly activated, all it takes is a few click to properly activate your OS

Activate Windows license in seconds

As always, we strongly recommend obtaining Windows 11 licenses from a reputable retailer rather than resorting to activation tricks. Command Prompt activations are usually only for volume licenses, so most typical users shouldn't be using this method, and it really only makes sense for certain business scenarios. Once you activate Windows, check out the first things to do with your Windows PC for more useful tips.