We've covered everything to do with Windows 10 licensing and activation, and it is now easier windows 10 key reddit than ever to use your existing Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 license to secure your Windows 10 upgrade (until July 29, 2016). But what about all of your old licenses? Where are they? Where have they gone? And most importantly, are they actually of any use to you now?
• Product Key: Refers to the 25 alphanumeric characters required to activate a copy of Windows.
• Retail License: A Windows license purchased in a retail environment, can be used to activate Windows multiple times on different systems (provided it is removed from the old system before installing on a new system).
• OEM License: Original Equipment Manufacturer License. These licenses are provided to equipment manufacturers to include with their hardware sales. If you've purchased a new computer or laptop that came with a pre-installed version of Windows, it is highly likely to have been an OEM version. These licenses are not transferable between different machines, are directly linked to the hardware where first activated, and are often much cheaper than retail copies.
• Volume License: Refers to licenses granted in bulk to a specific organization. They allow a single key to be used for multiple installations.
• License Key: Interchangeable with product key. Can also be referred to as an Activation Key.
We've also included some handy "timeline reminders" for those wondering how long they have left to implement the free upgrade, and for those specific questions regarding product keys and the discontinuation of the upgrade path.