When you buy a new laptop or PC, it generally comes with Windows 11 installed out the box, so it's easy to forget that it's a paid operating system that requires a license to function. You should always have a valid Windows license, but even if you do, you may sometimes still see an error saying "Your Windows license will expire soon," which may have you thinking your PC won't work anymore.

Windows doesn't delete your personal data or files due to an activation error, but you do lose customization options and have to deal with a permanent watermark at the bottom of your screen. So, before your computer has functionality issues, it’s important to troubleshoot the error message and figure out what went wrong.

Why do you get the "Your Windows license will expire soon" error?

Microsoft's latest OS comes for free with most PCs, and it's a free upgrade from Windows 10, but you might have this error for several reasons. Of course, the most obvious one would be when using a pirated version of Windows, which is not advisable. But you can also still get this error even if you have a genuine copy of Windows for a few different reasons.

For example, if you recently made changes to the hardware, such as upgrading the CPU, GPU, motherboard, or otherwise, your Windows license may stop being recognized. You may also see this message if Windows is having trouble connecting to the activation server or if your system has corrupted files, specifically the necessary activation token files.

Method 1: Restart Windows Explorer

Sometimes, a glitch in Windows Explorer can cause the operating system to briefly believe its license is expiring, and if that's the case, it's a relatively simple fix. All you need to do is follow the steps below.

1. Press the Windows key, search for Task Manager, and hit Enter.
2. Select Windows Explorer and click Restart task in the top-right corner.

Upon restarting, Windows Explorer should fix itself and Windows should be back to normal.

Method 2: Run a system file check (SFC)

If files on your PC have been corrupted or damaged, it can cause WIndows to be unable to verify that it has been activated. A system file check (SFC) can help fix this - here's how to run it.

1. Press Windows + X (or right-click the Start menu icon) and choose Terminal (Admin).
2. Enter the following command and press Enter:

   sfc /scannow

3. Wait for the scan to complete and restart your PC.

If corrupted files were the issue, this option may help solve it.

Method 3: Run Windows Security scan

Bogus or corrupt files on your Windows PC can cause errors. You can scan your Windows PC via Windows Security to remove malware.

1. Open Windows Security on your PC.
2. Select Virus & threat protection.
3. Click Scan options.
4. Select Full scan and select Scan now. You can minimize the window and continue with your work.

If you use a third-party antivirus app, disable Windows Defender and use your preferred app to remove corrupt files.

Method 4: Use the Activation troubleshooter

Microsoft offers several troubleshooting tools to fix issues with your network connection, printers, Bluetooth, and more. The scope also includes activation issues. Here's how to use the activation troubleshooter.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select System from the sidebar and open the Activation page.
3. Click Troubleshoot to run the activation troubleshooter and follow the instructions.

Following these steps should get your Windows activation back to normal.

Method 5: Activate Windows with Command Prompt

If the Activation troubleshooter doesn’t work, try activating Windows via Command Prompt. Connect your Windows PC to the internet and follow the steps below.

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box, type cmd and click OK.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   slmgr /ato

3. You will see a dialog box confirming the Windows activation.

If the message confirms Windows has been activated, you should no longer see the message about the license expiring.

Method 6: Re-enter activation key

Finding your Windows license information

If you have a valid Windows license, you can find the activation key through Windows Terminal or Command Prompt and re-enter it to activate your Windows license again. Here's how you can find your activation key.

1. Press Windows + X and choose Terminal or Windows Terminal from the list.
   • Alternatively, open the Start menu and search for cmd then press Enter.
2. Type the command below and press Enter. Note down your Windows product key when it is displayed.

   wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Activating Windows

You'll want to copy the activation key or keep this window open. Then, follow these steps to enter the key and activate Windows.

1. Press Windows + I to go to Settings.
2. Navigate to System and open Activation.
3. Click Change next to Change product key.
4. Enter the product key, click Next, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Method 7: Fix a corrupt Tokens.dat file

A corrupt Tokens.dat system file can cause issues with Windows license authentication. Since the Tokens.dat system file is related to Windows activation, you must rebuild it using Command Prompt.

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type cmd and click OK.
3. Enter the commands below into the dialogue box and press Enter after each.

   net stop sppsvc

   cd %windir%\system32\spp\store\2.0

   ren tokens.dat tokens.bar

   net start sppsvc

   cscript.exe %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs /rilc

4. Restart your computer to complete the process.

Method 8: Edit registry

If your Windows system sends an incorrect activation status to Microsoft, you may see the 'Windows license will expire soon' error. You need to enable NoGenTicket entry to stop the behavior.

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type cmd and click OK.
3. Enter the following command and press Enter.

   reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Software Protection Platform" /v NoGenTicket /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Close the Command Prompt and restart your Windows PC, and you shouldn't have the error anymore.

Method 9 (not recommended): Disable problematic Windows services

The Windows License Manager Service manages the licensing and activation of your Windows copy. If it's not working as expected, disable it at system startup. An active Windows Update service can also cause such an error on your old PC. Although this is not our suggested approach for resolution, you can follow along to turn off problematic services at system startup.

1. Press the Windows key and search for Services. Hit Enter.
2. Scroll to Windows License Manager Service.
3. Expand Startup type and select Disabled. Press Apply and click OK.
4. Open Windows Update service.
5. Select Disabled in the Startup Type menu. Click Apply and select OK.

This should be a complete last-resort solution, though, and we especially don't recommend disabling the Windows Update service.

Enjoy an error-free Windows setup

Frequent pop-ups like "Your Windows license will expire soon" can waste your time and just be a bother in general. The methods above should take care of such errors in no time. Persistent system issues may even discourage you from exploring Microsoft's desktop operating system. If you plan to move from Windows to Mac, consider the changes to your workflow before making a switch.