Windows 11, No activation?

Misanthropic_Turtle · January 28

Hello. I'm planning to clean install Windows 11 on my personal machine. Currently I have Windows 11 Pro activated with an OEM key. But I'm considering fresh installing Windows 11 without activating.

Thoughts on this? Pros and Cons? Does anyone here run Windows 11 without activating? Does it really limit updates?

Also, I've read that my key will automatically re-activate after I reinstall, is this true? Or, can I prevent this and wait to reactivate? I want to run strictly a local account, no activation, no Microsoft account, can I do it even though I'm signed in now and activated now?

OhioYJ · January 29

You can reinstall and use the OEM key again? There are only downsides to not activating, with no real downside to activating? You can still use a local account. I guess Im not sure why you would want to do this?

Misanthropic_Turtle · January 29

27 minutes ago, OhioYJ said:

You can reinstall and use the OEM key again? There are only downsides to not activating, with no real downside to activating? You can still use a local account. I guess Im not sure why you would want to do this?

Okay, so if I reuse the key how do I go about it? Just type in the same key when I'm prompted for a key? Do I need to do anything else beforehand? Also, now I'm having a hard time figuring out how to link the key to my Microsoft account... I'm activated and I'm not on a local account, but at the same time the key is not really linked to my Microsoft account.

TheLANguy · January 29

3 hours ago, Misanthropic_Turtle said:

Okay, so if I reuse the key how do I go about it? Just type in the same key when I'm prompted for a key? Do I need to do anything else beforehand? Also, now I'm having a hard time figuring out how to link the key to my Microsoft account... I'm activated and I'm not on a local account, but at the same time the key is not really linked to my Microsoft account.

Usually on newer PCs the OEM key is saved to the motherboard and will automatically activate.

C2dan88 · January 29

9 hours ago, Misanthropic_Turtle said:

Also, I've read that my key will automatically re-activate after I reinstall, is this true?

When reinstalling click "I dont have a key" when it asks for license when reinstalling windows. Windows will reactive itself once you have connected to the internet.

This will work whether you use a MS account or a local account.