Usually, you'd activate Windows 11 (or 10) using the Settings app to enter the product key. However, if you're in an enterprise environment and you have a specific type of activation key, you can also use Command Prompt to activate a Windows license using a KMS (key management services) activation key. You'll only need to do this if you're installing Windows on a new PC, of course, since most laptops will come with a Windows license out of the box.

Keep in mind that it's always best to use an official Windows product key for activation. Activation of Windows through Command Prompt and KMS servers is usually only intended for mass volume activations of multiple PCs, or fresh activation on factory reset PCs. We won't provide unlicensed activation keys in this guide, only the steps to follow if you have a legitimate activation key and server already.

Activate Windows using Command Prompt

If you have bought a Windows license directly from Microsoft or an official reseller, and you just want to activate it using Command Prompt rather than the Settings app, you can do that relatively easily. Here's how it works.

1. Open the Start menu and search for Command Prompt or CMD, then choose Run as administrator.

   Alternatively, press Windows + X or right-click the Start menu icon, and choose Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) from the list.

2. Type the following command, replacing yourproductkey in the command line with the actual product key that you have.

   slmgr /ipk yourproductkey

3. Press Enter to confirm.
4. Click OK on the Windows Script Host popup.
5. Enter the command below to set your KMS activation server, replacing serveraddress in the command below with the actual address of the server you want to use for activation. Here's how to find your server information if needed.

   slmgr /skms serveraddress

6. Press Enter and click OK.
7. Finally, type the following command:

   slmgr /ato

8. Press Enter to activate your copy of Windows.

After you follow the steps above, you should see Windows 10 or Windows 11 prompting you with a note that the product has been activated successfully.

Activate Windows license in seconds

As always, we strongly recommend obtaining Windows 11 licenses from a reputable retailer rather than resorting to activation tricks. Command Prompt activations are usually only for volume licenses, so most typical users shouldn't be using this method, and it really only makes sense for certain business scenarios. If you have a regular product key for Windows, you can activate it using the Settings app.

Once you activate Windows, check out the first things to do with your Windows PC for more useful tips. If you want to make the most out of your PC, we've also compiled some optimizations you can make to boost your productivity.