Not only that, but Windows will also consistently remind you that you have not activated the software yet.

If customization is not important to you, there are virtually no other drawbacks of not activating Windows.Īnother thing to keep in mind is that an unactivated Windows operating system will always have a permanent watermark on the bottom right of your display telling you to activate Windows. The only feature you are deprived of is the ability to customize options such as the taskbar, accent colors icons, etc.

These days, there is very little penalty for not activating windows on your personal computer. So starting from Windows 10, Microsoft has been far more generous about the usage of their software. In this way, they can still make money from unlicensed copies of Windows. The idea was to remove all piracy copy users from the market.īut then Microsoft quickly realized that they are better off with letting people use the unactivated windows as long as they use other Windows services. Microsoft used to cripple Windows after a certain period with Windows XP and Vista if Windows was not activated on time. Once you enter the correct key, your version of Windows will be completely unlocked for your device. The activation key, otherwise known as a product key is a combination of 25 unique series of numbers that can activate windows products. Once you install Windows on your computer, you will be asked for an activation key.

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