Activating software in the Windows environment is a crucial step to ensure that your software is genuine and fully functional. Windows provides several methods to activate software, including using the Command Prompt (CMD) and PowerShell. This article will guide you through the process of activating Windows software using command-line tools.

Examples:

Example 1: Activating Windows via Command Prompt

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

   • Click on the Start menu, type "cmd" or "Command Prompt" in the search bar.
   • Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator."

2. Check the Current Activation Status:

   • Type the following command and press Enter:

     slmgr /xpr

   • This will display a dialog box showing the current activation status of your Windows installation.

3. Activate Windows Using a Product Key:

   • If you have a valid product key, you can activate Windows using the following command:

     slmgr /ipk <Your-Product-Key>

   • Replace <Your-Product-Key> with your actual 25-character product key.

4. Activate Windows Online:

   • After installing the product key, activate Windows online by typing:

     slmgr /ato

5. Check Activation Details:

   • To view detailed information about your Windows activation, use:

     slmgr /dlv

Example 2: Activating Windows via PowerShell

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator:

   • Click on the Start menu, type "PowerShell" in the search bar.
   • Right-click on "Windows PowerShell" and select "Run as administrator."

2. Activate Windows Using PowerShell:

   • You can use the same commands as in CMD, but prefixed with cmd /c to execute them in PowerShell:

     cmd /c "slmgr /ipk <Your-Product-Key>"
     cmd /c "slmgr /ato"

3. Check Activation Status:

   • To check the activation status, you can use:

     cmd /c "slmgr /xpr"

Important Notes:

• Ensure you have a legitimate product key before attempting activation.
• Internet connection is required for online activation.
• Activation may fail if the product key is invalid or has already been used on another device.