These licenses are not transferable between different machines, are directly linked to the hardware where first activated, and are often much cheaper than retail copies. If you've purchased a new computer or laptop that came with a pre-installed version of Windows, it is highly likely to have been an OEM version. These licenses are provided to equipment manufacturers to include with their hardware sales.

OEM License: Original Equipment Manufacturer License.

Retail License: A Windows license purchased in a retail environment, can be used to activate Windows multiple times on different systems (provided it is removed from the old system before installing on a new system).

Product Key: Refers to the 25 alphanumeric characters required to activate a copy of Windows.

I'll repeatedly refer to some basic terms throughout this article, so it'll make all of our lives easier if I clarify exactly what I'm talking about, right now.

Let's take a look at everything you need to know about Windows product keys. But what about all of your old licenses? Where are they? Where have they gone? And most importantly, are they actually of any use to you now? We've covered everything to do with Windows 10 licensing and activation, and it is now easier than ever to use your existing Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 license to secure your Windows 10 upgrade (until July 29, 2016).

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