If it’s not there, that means that your copy of Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro is already activated and you shouldn’t be seeing the error message. See the “Activate Windows” on the top? That’s what we want to click. To activate Windows you’ll need to go to “PC Settings” on the bottom of the Charms bar:Ī click or tap and you’ll see a bunch of options, including the one we seek: Let’s step through how to activate your copy of Windows 8 so you can see how it all works.įirst off, let me try to personalize my own settings:Īh, that’s the error you’re seeing, right? If not, call ’em up and complain: they’ve bought the license for your computer from Microsoft, they’re supposed to share the key with you in case you ever have to reinstall. If you have a computer that had Windows 8 preinstalled, that’s known as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) copy and it should come with your Win8 activation key in the paperwork included.
And that’s the proverbial key to the kingdom. Also in the box was a small plastic card, almost a credit card, that had the license activation key printed thereon. Our copy of Windows 8 Pro was in a box with the master DVD of the system.
Nor should you share it, by the way: they’re generally good for one installation, not dozens or more. Everything else can be downloaded for free - even off the Microsoft site - but that license key? That’s pure gold and not something you can find for free. To address that, what you’re really buying when you purchase a copy of Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro is a license key. Since it’s so ridiculously easy nowadays for people to copy and download files of even 1GB or larger, the challenge companies like Microsoft have is to ensure that you bought that OS you’re running, you didn’t just grab it off the ‘net and install it.
(I’m tempted to say that it depends on your definition of “it” but I won’t!) Which leads to the question of what exactly does Microsoft mean by activation? I imagine that it say something more akin to “You must activate your Windows 8 before you can change your settings”.
I think you’re reading that error message slightly wrong, actually.
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