Does that mean there is limited amount of time frame for unactivated Windows?

techismylife · May 3, 2021

In the video Linus mentioned,

For quick recap,

WaggishOhio383 · May 3, 2021

No. You can use Windows 10 without activating for as long as you want, as long as you're willing to deal with the watermark and lack of desktop customization.

Oshino Shinobu · May 3, 2021

So far, the desktop versions of Windows 10 don't have a time limit on running unactivated. You can run them unactivated indefinitely, until Microsoft decides not to allow it anymore basically.

Server installations can be run with an Evaluation license which typically allows for 180 days until you need to purchase a license. That said though, you can run Windows server unactivated, which I believe is indefinite as well, though I haven't tried it myself as all of mine are activated via AVMA.

LogicalDrm · May 3, 2021

-> Moved to Windows

***

There used to be 30-day trial for Windows (90 days for enterprise). Win10 doesn't have that. Not as direct as it used to be. After that trial, you will get some features locked, but it doesn't cripple whole OS as it used to do.

Using OS after trial has ended is still not quite what you are supposed to do. Its related to piracy to be using OS without valid license. Linus does have some 30-50 copies, so you can't really fault him.