Windows11 suddenly deactivated after update – digital license lost

Question

Windows11 suddenly deactivated after update – digital license lost

Pookie bear 10

Hello,

I have been using an original, digitally licensed Windows installation for about four years with no issues. After the latest Windows update, the system suddenly showed “Activate Windows,” and my activation changed to “Windows is not activated.”

Nothing else was changed on my device. No hardware upgrade, no BIOS change, no reinstall. The activation simply broke right after the update.

All activation troubleshooters fail with:

“Access denied”

or

“Check your internet connection and try again.”

Microsoft Support chat also fails to load on my side and returns errors, so I cannot get direct assistance. Only Feedback Hub responded, and I already submitted a complete diagnostic report through it.

I need help restoring my digital license. This license was linked to my Microsoft account and worked normally for years until this recent update.

Any guidance to recover the activation or rebind the digital license to my device would be appreciated.

Keith B 0 Reputation points

2025-12-01T09:35:12.74+00:00

I just now updated from 11 23H2 to 11 24 H2 via Windows Update and have this same problem.
Ingimundur Björgvinsson 0 Reputation points

2025-12-05T14:50:03.4266667+00:00

If Microsoft is not correcting this, then maybe we should go somewhere else, and advertise it.

2 answers

Your answer

Keith B 0 Reputation points

2025-12-01T09:35:12.74+00:00

I just now updated from 11 23H2 to 11 24 H2 via Windows Update and have this same problem.
Ingimundur Björgvinsson 0 Reputation points

2025-12-05T14:50:03.4266667+00:00

If Microsoft is not correcting this, then maybe we should go somewhere else, and advertise it.

Answer 1

It sounds like you're experiencing a frustrating issue with your Windows 11 activation after an update. Here are some steps you can take to try to resolve the problem:

Check Your Internet Connection: Ensure that your device is connected to the internet, as activation requires an active connection.
Run the Activation Troubleshooter: Since you mentioned that the troubleshooters are failing, try running the activation troubleshooter again. You can do this by going to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and selecting Troubleshoot.
Verify Your Microsoft Account: Make sure that your Microsoft account is properly linked to your Windows installation. You can check this under Settings > Accounts > Your info. If your account is not linked, try signing in with the account that has the digital license.
Use Command Prompt: You can try to manually activate Windows using the Command Prompt. Open an elevated Command Prompt (run as administrator) and enter the following command:
```
   slmgr.vbs /ato
```
This command attempts to activate Windows.
Check for Firmware-Embedded Activation Key: If your device has a firmware-embedded activation key, it should automatically activate. You can check for this key by running the following command in PowerShell:
```
   (Get-CimInstance -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey
```
If this returns a key, your device has a firmware-embedded activation key.
Contact Microsoft Support: If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to try contacting Microsoft Support again. If the chat feature is not working, consider using their support website to find alternative contact methods.

If you continue to experience issues, it may be beneficial to wait for a future update that could address this activation problem.

References:

Pookie bear 10 Reputation points

2025-11-29T21:01:47.6466667+00:00

Title: Windows 11 suddenly deactivated after update – previous solutions did not work

Details: Hello, I need help with a Windows activation issue that appeared after the latest Windows 11 update.

I have been using an original, digitally activated Windows 11 Home on my device for about four years without any problems. After a recent update, the system suddenly showed “Activate Windows,” and it has been unable to reactivate since then.

I tried all the official troubleshooting steps suggested by Microsoft, including:

Running the Activation Troubleshooter

Checking my Microsoft account for a linked digital license

Resetting activation services

Trying “I changed hardware recently”

Running PowerShell/WMIC commands to check for a firmware-embedded product key

Confirming internet connection and running the activation command again

None of these steps resolved the issue. PowerShell/WMIC commands return no firmware key, which means my digital license should be the only activation source, but it is no longer recognized by the system.

Every time I try to contact Microsoft Support through chat, it fails with an error, so I cannot reach a support agent directly.

Could you please help me understand why my digital license disappeared after the update and how I can restore activation?

Thank you.

Answer 2

EmilyS726 184K Independent Advisor

Can you please type cmd in the search on the taskbar and hit enter to launch command prompt, then run the following command:

slmgr /dlv

Then share a screenshot please. Thanks!

Pookie bear 10 Reputation points

2025-11-29T21:31:43.14+00:00

thanks for your answer , this is a screenshot.
EmilyS726 184K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-11-29T21:32:44.78+00:00
This means you are using a volume license the KMS type. This type of license is for organization users only. Organizational users are required to connect to the organization's KMS server to validate license every how often to stay activated. If you are not a organizational user, you shouldn't be using this type of license. It is considered a violation of licensing terms. If you are an organization user, contact your work IT regarding how to connect to their KMS server.

===============

Launch Powershell (note, it is not Command Prompt, but Powershell), and run this code to see if you have an OEM license on the motherboard.

(Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService -Property OA3xOriginalProductKey).OA3xOriginalProductKey

If it returns a license key, it means your motherboard has an OEM license for Windows Home edition, but you need to do a clean install in order to use this OEM license to properly and legally activate your Windows Home.
Pookie bear 10 Reputation points

2025-11-29T21:42:39.6+00:00

Thank you for the explanation.

I understand. This device was sold to me as an originally activated Windows, and I was not aware that it was using a KMS volume license. I am not part of any organization, and I have no access to a KMS server.

I also ran the PowerShell command you provided, and it returned no OEM key. This confirms that my device does not have a firmware-embedded Windows license.

So at this point, Windows suddenly deactivated after the update, I cannot reactivate it, and there is no OEM key available on the motherboard.

Please advise on the correct way to restore activation in this situation.

Thank you.
EmilyS726 184K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-11-29T21:44:38.5766667+00:00

I am afraid this means, you either dispute with the seller, if you were supposed to get a retail legitimate license included in the price, or you would have to purchase a license. Sorry.

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Windows11 suddenly deactivated after update – digital license lost

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