Can I use Windows 10 key to activate a Windows 8.1 machine

[androidisbest]

So for some reason the windows icon finally pops up on my laptop after like 7 months since Windows 10 release, so i decide to upgrade to windows 10 pro but for some reason my laptop doesn't have an activated product key. So i went ahead and bought a windows 10 pro key.

So my question is, can I use the windows 10 pro key to activate my laptop which is running windows 8.1 pro? Or should I return the windows 10 key and exchange for the 8.1 key?

EDIT: This laptop originally came with 8 pro then I updated to 8.1 pro, I used the product key provided by the laptop (That one sticker on the bottom) and it said invalid key

 

[detroitwillfall]

So for some reason the windows icon finally pops up on my laptop after like 7 months since Windows 10 release, so i decide to upgrade to windows 10 but for some reason my laptop doesn't have an activated product key. So i went ahead and bought a windows 10 key.

So my question is, can I use the windows 10 key to activate my laptop which is running windows 8.1? Or should I return the windows 10 key and exchange for the 8.1 key?

to side step all this, is there no way for you to get your original 8.1 key?

using the upgrade within the updates i dont recall a section where it let you enter a key and version other then when you install from the media creation prompts. if you cant find your original 8.1 key and the current 8.1 isnt activated then the windows 10 key would be the most time saving option as you wont have to install then upgrade.. even from upgrades its more of a pseudo install.

point in case i just upgraded from 7 pro, i used media crreation to make a 10 pro install drive and im now going back to reinstall clean 10 as my hardware is tied to the key now since i upgraded first. whereas in your case that would of been able to happen if you had that 8.1 key.

go with the 10 key, clean install. boom

 

[smorizio]

if your pc when from 8 to 8.1 first it take time to say it been activated or there might be an issue and you may want to have ms support log into your pc and make sure it registered right. if it went from 8 to 10. it may take a few days for the digital reg to in. if you have windows 10 key you can download the newest windows 10 iso using the windows mediai creation tool and a 8g usb stick. then boot from the usb stick and do a windows 10 update and use the key. with windows 10 free upgrade and keys. make sure that your going from windows 8 home to windows 10 home. you cant go from home to pro. it wont activate. if you have a prebuilt desktop. you may want to wait a few days. or back up your data and run the windows recovery and then let windows update itself. when i did my brother dell it took a few days for windows to catch up. you have 30 days before windows will log you out if your not registered.

 

[androidisbest]

if you have windows 10 key you can download the newest windows 10 iso using the windows mediai creation tool and a 8g usb stick. then boot from the usb stick and do a windows 10 update and use the key. with windows 10 free upgrade and keys.

I upgraded from 8 pro to 8.1 pro, so could I just plug in the 10 pro key into the box where it tells me to put in a product key like in the PC settings? or should I just download the media creation thing from ms and put in the product key in there?

 

[Colif]

The product key you bought from windows 10 is unlikely to be linked to your Win 8.1 install, the linking process only happens if you update from 8.1 to 10. So I very much doubt that you can use it to activate 8.1

You can use it to active 10 which you can download here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10 - since you agreed to upgrade anyway, this would be the ideal choice.

just download it, burn a dvd/usb (make sure to make right version (Pro, not home) and language) and run set up, you can do this from within windows and when asked for a key, enter the key you bought

 

[GreyCatz]

So for some reason the windows icon finally pops up on my laptop after like 7 months since Windows 10 release, so i decide to upgrade to windows 10 pro but for some reason my laptop doesn't have an activated product key. So i went ahead and bought a windows 10 pro key.

So my question is, can I use the windows 10 pro key to activate my laptop which is running windows 8.1 pro? Or should I return the windows 10 key and exchange for the 8.1 key?

EDIT: This laptop originally came with 8 pro then I updated to 8.1 pro, I used the product key provided by the laptop (That one sticker on the bottom) and it said invalid key

Greetings, androidisbest:

No, you can't use your new Win10 Pro PK to activate your Win8.1 Pro licence.

You effectively own TWO Win10 Pro PKs. The first PK is linked to your laptop's Win8.1 Pro licence, and the other one is the one you've just bought. They are different PKs and can be used on (two) separate PCs.

You can remove your new Win10 Pro edition from your laptop and re-install Win8.1 Pro. Then use the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's web site to install Win10 Pro. If prompted for a PK, the PK on the bottom of the laptop is the one to use. This Win10 Pro version can be rolled back because it's based on a previous Windows version.

You can also acquire an additional PC and install Win10 Pro with your new PK. This will give you a laptop running Win8.1 Pro (or Win10 Pro) AND another PC running your new Win10 Pro licence. This version obviously cannot be rolled back because there is no previous Windows edition linked to this PK.

Best of luck,
GreyCatz.

 

[androidisbest]

You can use it to active 10 which you can download here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10 - since you agreed to upgrade anyway, this would be the ideal choice.

just download it, burn a dvd/usb (make sure to make right version (Pro, not home) and language) and run set up, you can do this from within windows and when asked for a key, enter the key you bought

I downloaded the media creation tool but when i go select language, edition and the architecture I can't select anything

 

[detroitwillfall]

if those options are incorrect uncheck use recommended settings on the bottom left. Otherwise hit next to proceed with installation

 

[androidisbest]

if those options are incorrect uncheck use recommended settings on the bottom left. Otherwise hit next to proceed with installation

I don't see a Windows 10 pro option

 

[detroitwillfall]

if those options are incorrect uncheck use recommended settings on the bottom left. Otherwise hit next to proceed with installation

I don't see a Windows 10 pro option

im not sure if the option was before or after this screen but if you want go back through the installation process/restart it or just continue with the prompts.. if the version your upgrading from is incompatible you wont be able to upgrade to the best of my knowledge, you will be fine just a matter of maybe having to restart the upgrade prompts from the media creation tool.

 

[androidisbest]

Wouldn't it be easier If i just returned the 10 pro key and exchanged for the 8.1 pro key?

 

[detroitwillfall]

Wouldn't it be easier If i just returned the 10 pro key and exchanged for the 8.1 pro key?

depends on your end goal.. if you have a 10 key, and want to you can do it this way.

to me it seems like a long back step to go for 8.1 pro key if you are going to upgrade anyway.

if you have a bootable usb with 10 on it, just clean install/back up files you want before hand then use your 10 key. but like android says you already have a 10key tied to your 8.1 pro.. so its just a matter of getting that..