Moving your Windows and Office licences to a new PC

A new computer doesn't automatically mean you have to buy Windows and Office again. However, whether and how an existing licence can be transferred depends on the licence type. This guide shows you how to determine the type, release the licence on the old computer and activate it on the new device.

Step 1: Determine the licence type

Windows

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run slmgr /dlv. The Description field in the dialog box reveals the type:

RetailSingle-device licence, not permanently tied to specific hardware – transferable in principle.
OEMComes from a pre-built computer and is tied to that original device. Moving it to another PC is not intended.
Volume (MAK/KMS)Volume licence. MAK is activated once online with Microsoft, KMS against a server on the network.

Windows Pro products from MYKEYS24 are supplied with a product key that is activated online.

Office

With Office, it depends on how the licence is managed:

  • Office Home, Office Home & Business and ‘Bind’ products are tied to a Microsoft account. They appear at account.microsoft.com under Services & subscriptions and are reinstalled via that account.
  • Office volume licences don't appear in the Microsoft account. They are managed via the product key.

Under File → Account in Word, you can see which Office product is installed and whether you're signed in with a Microsoft account.

Step 2: Back up your data

Before switching, back up everything that isn't automatically stored in the cloud:

  • Outlook data files in PST format (for example from POP3 accounts) and the login details for your email accounts. OST files are just a cache for Exchange, Microsoft 365 or IMAP accounts and are rebuilt from the mailbox on the new PC.
  • Your own templates, AutoCorrect entries and custom dictionaries.
  • Locally saved documents that aren't stored in OneDrive or another cloud storage service.

Step 3: Transfer Windows

On the old PC

  1. Have your product key to hand. If you can no longer find it, slmgr /dli will at least show the last five characters.
  2. Open Command Prompt with administrator rights and remove the key with slmgr /upk. Windows will then no longer be activated on this computer.
  3. Also delete the key from the registry with slmgr /cpky so that it can no longer be read from there.

On the new PC

  1. Install Windows or start the existing Windows installation.
  2. On Windows 11, open Settings → System → Activation; on Windows 10, open Settings → Update & Security → Activation.
  3. Next to Change product key, click Change, enter the key and confirm with Activate.
  4. If online activation fails, use slui 4 to open phone activation, provided Windows offers it for your region.

With an OEM licence, this process usually ends with an error message, as the licence is tied to the hardware of the original device.

Step 4: Transfer Office

Office with a Microsoft account (Home, Home & Business, Bind)

  1. Uninstall Office on the old PC: on Windows 11 via Settings → Apps → Installed apps, on Windows 10 via Settings → Apps → Apps & features.
  2. On the new PC, sign in at account.microsoft.com with the account originally used to redeem the key.
  3. Open Services & subscriptions and click Install next to your Office version.
  4. Once installation is complete, start Word, for example, and sign in with the same Microsoft account under File → Account.

Office volume licence

  1. On the old PC, open Command Prompt with administrator rights and change to the Office program folder, for example cd /d "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16" (for 32-bit Office on 64-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16).
  2. Use cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus to display the last five characters of the installed key.
  3. Remove the key with cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey: followed by these five characters, then uninstall Office.
  4. Install Office on the new PC using the Office Deployment Tool.
  5. In the same folder, enter the key with cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:YOUR-KEY and activate it with cscript ospp.vbs /act.

Common pitfalls

  • Activation reports that the key is already in use: The old installation is still active. Run slmgr /upk there or uninstall Office.
  • The old PC is broken: In that case, the key can no longer be removed in the usual way. Try phone activation on the new device via slui 4.
  • Error code 0xC004C008: The key has already been activated online too many times. Here too, phone activation is the intended route.
  • Office asks for a subscription: You're signed in with a different Microsoft account from the one used to redeem Office. Sign out and sign back in with the correct account.
  • The edition doesn't match: A Pro key will not activate a Home installation as Home. Check the edition under Settings → System → About; if you enter a Pro key on the activation page, Windows Home will usually offer to switch to Pro.

Any questions? Email us at support@mykeys24.com and give us your order number, the licence type and, if applicable, the error code. Our support team is available Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00.

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Write to us with your order number and the error message – Mon–Sun 10:00–19:00.

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