Windows 11 Key: Genuine Home, Pro and Workstations Licenses

Windows 11 key: which edition do you need?

Looking for a Windows 11 key to set up a new PC, reinstall a computer or replace a Windows 10 system that has left standard support? This page covers everything to check before you buy: the differences between Home, Pro and Pro for Workstations, the hardware requirements and TPM 2.0, the move from Windows 10, step-by-step activation and what to do if a key does not activate.

The process is the same for every edition: the key is sent by email within minutes, it activates on Microsoft’s official servers, and it is a one-time purchase. You pay once, with no subscription and no renewal date.

Key facts before you buy

• Windows 11 Home covers personal use, study and gaming.
• Windows 11 Pro adds BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V and domain join.
• Pro for Workstations is designed for multi-processor workstations with very large memory.
• One key activates one PC, and a defective key is replaced free of charge for the lifetime of the license.

Home, Pro and Pro for Workstations compared

For a family computer, office work, study or gaming, a Windows 11 Home key covers every need. As soon as the machine is used for work (data to encrypt, remote access, virtual machines, a company network), a Windows 11 Pro key adds the tools that Home lacks. Pro for Workstations is only worthwhile on machines with several processors or persistent memory: professional workstation hardware, not a standard PC.

Still hesitating between the two consumer editions? Our comparison Windows 11 Home vs Pro goes through every difference, feature by feature.

Equip a complete PC in one order

Many reinstalled PCs also need an office suite. The Windows 11 Pro + Office 2021 Pro Plus bundle, from 24,90 €, combines the system with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, both as one-time purchase licenses delivered by email.

Minimum requirements and TPM 2.0: is your PC ready?

Before you buy Windows 11, a two-minute check spares you any unpleasant surprise. Microsoft sets stricter requirements than for Windows 10, but most PCs sold since 2018 meet them without difficulty.

• Processor: 64-bit, 1 GHz or faster with at least two cores, in practice an 8th generation Intel Core, an AMD Ryzen 2000 series or newer;
• Memory: 4 GB of RAM minimum;
• Storage: 64 GB available;
• Firmware: UEFI with Secure Boot;
• Security: TPM version 2.0;
• Display: DirectX 12 compatible graphics and a screen larger than 9 inches in 720p.

TPM 2.0 in plain words

The TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a security chip, or more often a function built into the processor, that stores encryption keys and checks the integrity of the system at startup. It is what makes BitLocker and device encryption possible, and it blocks some attacks before Windows even loads.

The good news: most recent PCs have a TPM 2.0, sometimes switched off at the factory. If your machine is reported as incompatible, open the BIOS/UEFI settings and look for “fTPM” (AMD processors) or “Intel PTT” (Intel processors): once the option is enabled, the verdict often changes completely.

Check compatibility in two minutes

1. Press Windows + R, type tpm.msc and confirm: the window shows the version of the detected module, which must be 2.0.
2. For a full diagnosis, run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app: it lists, point by point, what is compliant and what is blocking.

Moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11 without losing anything

Standard support for Windows 10 ended on 14 October 2025. Microsoft has extended its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for personal devices until 12 October 2027, but Windows 11 remains the long-term path, with new features and security updates for years to come. The move is simpler than it looks.

Upgrade or clean install?

• An in-place upgrade keeps your files, apps and settings: run Microsoft’s Windows 11 Installation Assistant and let it guide you.
• A clean install starts from scratch and is recommended for a cluttered drive: create a USB stick with Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool, boot from it, then enter your Windows 11 key during setup or right after.

In both cases, back up your documents to an external drive or to the cloud first: a backup costs nothing.

Which edition after Windows 10?

The upgrade keeps the same edition: Windows 10 Home moves to Windows 11 Home, Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro. To move up to Pro at the same time, for BitLocker, Remote Desktop or Hyper-V, simply buy a Windows 11 Pro license, from 9,90 €, and enter the new key once the migration is complete.

How to activate your Windows 11 key

Ordering is fully online. You pay securely by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Bancontact, then your key arrives by email within minutes (48 business hours at most), with the activation instructions and a VAT invoice. Activation then takes only a moment:

1. Open Settings, then System, then Activation.
2. Click Change product key.
3. Enter the 25-character key received by email; copying and pasting it is the safest way.
4. Confirm: Windows contacts Microsoft’s servers and confirms activation within seconds.

After this first activation, the license is remembered for your PC: if you reinstall Windows on the same machine, it reactivates by itself as soon as it is online. Every step is explained with screenshots in our guide how to activate Windows 11 with a product key.

Key not activating? Check these points first

An activation error almost always has a simple cause that you can fix in a few minutes. Check these points in order:

• Does the installed edition match the key? A Home key cannot activate a Pro installation, and a Pro key entered on Home starts the upgrade to Pro. The installed edition is shown in Settings, System, About.
• Is the key entered without typos? B and 8 or O and 0 are easily confused: copy and paste the key from the email instead of retyping it.
• Is the PC connected to the internet? Activation talks to Microsoft’s servers; offline, it stays pending.
• Is the error temporary? Activation servers are sometimes slow: try again a little later.

If the problem persists, write to our support team with your order number and a screenshot of the error message. We reply by email 7 days a week within 2 hours on average, and a defective key is replaced free of charge for the lifetime of the license.

Why a genuine Windows 11 key costs less here

The prices on this page are well below Microsoft’s list price because these are genuine licenses resold on the European second-hand software market. In its UsedSoft judgment (case C-128/11, 2012), the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that a perpetual software license sold in the EU may be resold, provided the original owner no longer uses it.

The product does not change: you get Windows 11, activated and validated by Microsoft’s official servers, with the same features and the same security updates as a license bought at full price. No third-party tool or “activator” is involved, and every order comes with a VAT invoice.