Windows 10 Pro digital license problem with reactivation 0x803FA067

If there is no such option, then since your old computer is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account (as shown in your screenshot), we can force the disassociation by making the old computer appear as a "new" device to Microsoft's servers. This will free up the license for use on your new computer.

On the old computer, open an Administrator Command Prompt.

Run the following commands in order:

slmgr /upk

slmgr /cpky

slmgr /rearm

This sequence uninstalls the product key, clears it from the registry, and resets the licensing state.

Then restart the old computer. After restart, go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation. It will now show "Windows is not activated. Do not attempt to activate it. Leave it in this deactivated state.

By performing these steps and restarting, the old computer contacts Microsoft's activation servers and reports a significant hardware/configuration change (due to /rearm). Since it no longer has a valid local key and you won't reactivate it, the servers will effectively mark the old hardware ID as inactive, freeing the associated digital license in your account.

Let the Media Creation Tool finish on your new computer. Crucially, during the setup screens after the upgrade, sign in with the same Microsoft account.

Activate the New Computer

After reaching the desktop, go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation.

Click Troubleshoot.

The "I changed hardware on this device recently" option should now be available. Select it.

Follow the prompts. The system will find the now-available digital license in your account and bind it to the new computer's hardware.

Yes, you can determine the current state of your license and, if it's still on the old computer, you can proactively link it to your Microsoft account. The definitive way is to use the slmgr command on the computer you suspect holds the license (your old computer, if it's still accessible).

Look for the line that says "Description". The text here is key. If it says: "Windows(R) Operating System, RETAIL channel" or similar, it's a retail license that can be linked to an account. More importantly, look at the "License Status" section.

If it says: "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account" – then it's already done. The license is account-linked.

If it says simply: "Windows is activated" – then it is a hardware-based entitlement stored on Microsoft's servers for that specific device, but it is not yet linked to your Microsoft account.

If the check above shows "Windows is activated" but not explicitly linked to an account, you can create that link. This must be done on the old computer while it is activated and functioning.

On the old computer, ensure you are signed into Windows with your Microsoft account (the one you want to own the license). Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info to verify.

Once signed in, go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation.

Click Troubleshoot.

The system will check. You should see an option that says something like: "I changed hardware on this device recently". Click this option.

You will be asked to sign in again to your Microsoft account. Complete the process.

This action does not deactivate the old computer. Instead, it takes a snapshot of its hardware-based license and attaches it to your Microsoft account as a "digital license" you can later use on a different device.

Important: This process only works if the old computer is currently activated and can communicate with Microsoft's activation servers. If the old computer is deactivated, broken, or you've already wiped it, this path is closed.

The first image is the most important. It shows your old computer is currently activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account. This means the license is already account-linked and transferable. You do not need to reinstall or reactivate it on the old computer.

However, you previously ran slmgr /cpky and slmgr /upk on this old computer. These commands only remove the product key from the local registry, not the digital license from your Microsoft account. The old computer remains activated because the activation is now validated by the digital license linked to your account.

So the old Computer has a valid, account-linked digital license. The license is stored in your Microsoft account. The new Computer needs to inherit that license. The issue is when you try to use the "I changed hardware" troubleshooter on the new computer, Microsoft's servers see that the license is still "in use" by the old computer's hardware profile. To transfer it cleanly, you must first disassociate the license from the old hardware in Microsoft's system.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: Free the License from the Old Computer (Do this now on the old PC)

On the old computer, open Settings.

Go to Update & Security > Activation.

Click "Remove" or "Unlink this device from your Microsoft account". The exact text varies by region. This action tells Microsoft's servers, "This specific computer no longer needs the digital license."

Confirm the action. The old computer will revert to an inactivated state (it will show a watermark and activation warnings), but your files and system remain intact.

Step 2: Complete the Repair Upgrade on the New Computer

Let the Media Creation Tool finish (you said you were at 20%).

During setup, sign in with the same Microsoft account.

Step 3: Activate the New Computer

After the upgrade, go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation.

Click Troubleshoot.

The option "I changed hardware on this device recently" will now be available. Select it.

Follow the prompts. The system will find the now-available digital license in your account and bind it to the new computer's hardware.

Remember that after Step 1, your old computer will no longer have an activated Windows. If you need to use it again, you would have to purchase a new license for it or sign in with a different Microsoft account that has a license.

Proceed with Step 1 on the old computer immediately, then complete the repair upgrade on the new one. This is the most direct and supported method to solve your issue.

Settings page is displaying cached activation data. The /rearm command requires a system restart to take effect, and even after a restart, the UI may not immediately update because it's reading from a local cache that hasn't yet synchronized with the updated licensing state.

To force the system to recognize the change and truly free the license, we need to go a step further and clear the activation token cache, then force an online check.

On the old computer, please execute the following steps:

Open an Administrator Command Prompt and run:

net stop sppsvc

Then, rename the token cache folder:

ren C:\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0 C:\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0.old

Restart the service:

net start sppsvc

Force an immediate online license check, in the same Command Prompt, run:

slmgr /ato

This will fail with an error because the product key is uninstalled, which is expected. It forces the system to query Microsoft's servers and update its local activation status.

Check the true activation status via command line (more reliable than Settings UI). Run:

slmgr /xpr

This will show the exact expiration status. It should state that Windows is in Notification mode or similar, confirming it is not activated.

Verify the digital license link is removed:

Finally, run:

slmgr /dlv

Look for the line "Digital License / Digital Entitlement". If the license is successfully disassociated, it will not show as being linked to your Microsoft account.

After completing these steps on the old computer: Go back to Settings > Update & Security > Activation. It should now accurately reflect the deactivated state.

The old computer should show the activation watermark on the desktop.

Once this is confirmed, the digital license in your Microsoft account is free. You can then proceed with the new computer's setup. When the repair upgrade prompts you to sign in with your Microsoft account, do so. After setup, use the "I changed hardware" troubleshooter as previously outlined.