Emerging Windows Re-Activation Issue??

Hello, this is Emily.

It is true that Microsoft closed a loophole that won't allow users to use Windows 7/8 keys to activate Windows 11. If you have already worked with support and they were able to grant you access to valid key within 24/48 hours, then you will need to continue to work with them. This is not an issue the community forum can help with because users here are all peer users, no one has elevated rights to do manual activation.

In case you want to read about the Win7/8 key code policy you were told, it is here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/microsoft...

I genuinely understand how important this is and your feelings of disappointment.

I want to gently emphasize that as members of this community forum, we are fellow users and "independent" advisors without affiliations or special access to Microsoft’s systems. We share tips and advice based on our experiences but lack the privileges to directly activate licenses or resolve internal issues. The forum here is not the right place to get this issue resolved. You would have to continue using the support to work directly with the Microsoft employees, not with peer users.

However, if you have any other question regarding any issue that won't require employee access or privileges, I am happy to help answer to the best of my knowledge.

Hello Emily,

Let me clarify !

I re-installed W11 Pro using the same hardware. Simply a little system refresh using a W11 installation tool. (USB KEY)

My W11 key is digital. I got it on W11 release. I have been running this install since then.

Right now I cannot reactivate Windows even when doing the troubleshooting suggested by Microsoft :
Reactivating Windows after a hardware change - Microsoft Support

Please read this part carefully - I am not asking any privileged information or accesses.

Support said the Windows7/8 loophole fix was causing issues for people re-activating their digital licenses in Windows 11.

HOWEVER, out of the 3x people I talked to, 2x confirmed this while the last one said it wasn't true.

Out of the 2x that confirmed it, only one said I had to wait 24/48h for Microsoft to process everyone's digital re-activation.

The other employee transferred me to the ''re-activation'' team where they started a Quick Assist session supposed to manually process the reactivation. (CTRL+Windows+Q). The call and the Quick Assist session got disconnected.

Now, what should I believe Emily? 3x calls, 3x different answers....

Was your upgrade path from Windows 7 or 8, then 10, then 11? If so, that is true that Microsoft has closed that loophole. I shared with you the news from msn.com. I am not able to speak on behalf of Microsoft official support, why they gave you different answers. I can only imagine that it is due to this being super new. I just learned about it today when that news came out 7 hours ago. But if your digital license was obtained via that upgrade path, you can definitely ask for a manual activation.

I am not aware of the 24/48 hour thing you mentioned. That can be an internal process they do, but I've never heard of it nor think they would let us know here.

Do you mind though, running Command Prompt, then run this command:

slmgr /dlv

And share a screenshot? Thanks!

Hello Emily,

Thanks for your answer. Yes, I did previously go from Win8 to W10 then to W11.

Hopefully, this part from the article you shared is true lol
If you’ve previously upgraded a machine from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 11 or used one of these older keys, your activation status won’t change. You have a digital license that should continue to work.

I am not aware of the 24/48 hour thing you mentioned. That can be an internal process they do, but I've never heard of it nor think they would let us know here.

I will update my post with a confirmation of this in 24/48h.

Here is the result. Thanks again for your help.

No problem. Ok, so you do have the digital license. When you see retail + 3V66T, that's digital licene. Previously I was more concerned you were using an actual product key that was from Win 7 or 8. But it was definitely converted to digital license already.

While new policy like this one rolls out, I hope it is just a genuine confusion. It is a huge company, support team has much to learn, and occasionally I can imagine there is a temporal gap before they are fully updated.

You can also activate by phone going this route too:

run this command to start the process:

slui 4

=====

Otherwise hopefully it will work in 24/48 like the support agent said. If not, you can always use the Get Help app to chat with someone, and request for Tier 1 support, which is escalation. I've sent others users to support for manual activation no problem in the past. I think they are probably just not sure how to handle it with this new policy and probably needed time to verify it internally so they wouldn't break the rule.

Hi again Emily,

When you see retail + 3V66T, that's digital licene

Very good to know! This actually very reassuring.

I think they are probably just not sure how to handle it with this new policy and probably needed time to verify it internally so they wouldn't break the rule.

This actually makes a lot of sense for a big corporation like MS.

I'm going to try the phone and chat services in 48h and see from there.
I will update my post then but I will mark your answer as problem solved :)

I thank you very much Emily for your insight!

Oh you also had a bad time with support team about this too? It took 4 calls this weekend for someone who was aware of this issue to tell me about it.

First, gave the Windows 7 isn't supported anymore, buy a new copy. Not talking about a windows 7 product key, talking about the digital entitlement... but they just wouldn't let it go. Left disapointed after waiting hours for that callback.

Second, they sent me instructions to reinstall windows 11 saying that would reactivate it. I followed it spent the next day restoring things from "Windows.old" and still not being fixed.

Third, said "oh no that person shouldn't have given you that advice. That is not going to solve anything! I'm sending you right to a tech team who can help." They transfered me to a holding line and after 20 minutes the call just disconnected from their end.

Fourth, finally said yea there is an issue that has been going on for over 10 days. We are working on it. We will call you when it is resolved and you can try to activate again.

Did your's ever get fixed?

Personally I would imagine if the licence originated from a Windows 7 or 8 licence then it will not work on Windows 11. (under the new rules and reinstalling Windows 11 prompts the activation server to check)

There was a free upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10. And a free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

I would think it was never intended for a licence originating from Windows 7 or 8 to be upgradable continually. So if you have purchased a Windows 10 licence then it has a free upgrade to Windows 11 but a previously upgraded licence from Windows 7 or 8 does not.

The windows 8 to 10 upgrade change the key to a digital key linked to my Microsoft account. Microsoft Support and the community agent confirmed this.

From there the digital license was upgraded to windows 11.