Windows 11 operating system is now official. You can install it through the beta channel using the Media Creation tool or by downloading the ISO file. Windows 11 is distributed with different licenses, depending on the market sectors it is aimed at. We will list the main ones you might come across as a home or business user during the activation phase of Windows 11.
Types of Windows 11 Product Keys
1. OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Keys:
It is the digital license of the copy of Windows, pre-installed on computers by their manufacturer. It is a “definitive” license, in the sense that it is connected to the machine to which it is associated, and is recognizable thanks to the presence of a sticker with the license number and the word OEM glued on the body of the PC (or on the base of the laptop).
2. Retail Keys:
It is a license that is not tied to specific hardware, and therefore can be transported from one PC to another. Warning: this does not mean that you can install multiple copies of the same license at the same time, but that you can retire a computer on which you had previously installed it with the same Product Key, to make a new installation on a new computer. The old installation, therefore, will stop working following the periodic checks carried out by Windows on hardware changes;
3. ESD (electronic software distribution):
It is usually a license that was originally sold “in package” to a large buyer, such as a bank or a company selling IT products, which requires a large number of Product Keys. As you can guess, these companies have no interest in buying 1000 or 2000 physical media (DVD or USB) to install as many identical copies of Windows, different only for the Product Key; Microsoft meets them by selling only a package of codes, so as to eliminate the cost of unnecessary physical support.
Over time, however, the acquiring company may decide to dispose of these licenses, either because it has purchased too many or because it decides to migrate to other operating systems, and therefore could choose to get rid of the unused Product Keys by reselling them on the market: these are the licenses Windows and Office that you find for sale on eBay or other platforms, where the seller sends the activation code via email or ordinary mail.
The problem of the legality of the mechanism should be considered overcome following the ruling of the European Court of Justice; however, the purchase of these licenses typically carries all the risks of any online purchase.
Windows 11 Product Keys Price
- Windows 11 Home Price: 139$ (Expected)
- Windows 11 Pro Price: 199$ (Expected)
Read Also: You can view Windows 11 Key here.
In order to buy Windows 11 activation key online, you can go to the Microsoft store. Here are the links to buy Windows 11 OS:
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