Windows 10: How many times can I use my Windows 11 Pro retail licence key?

how many times can I use my Windows 11 Pro retail key that I bought from Microsoft? Accidentally used it twice now on the same pc just now because I wasn't sure if its properly activated using "change product key". Will I need to buy a new license now if I replace this PC? Does a retail licence key have activation limits?

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Transferring a retail Windows 11 Pro licence to a new PC

I have an old PC running Windows 11 Pro, "activated with a digital licence linked to your Microsoft account". This is a retail licence purchased from the Microsoft Store.



This old PC is now suffering from various hardware problems, so I have bought a new one. This has been running Windows 11 Home under an OEM licence, also "activated with a digital licence linked to your Microsoft account".

My question is, how do I deactivate the Windows 11 Pro licence on the old PC and activate it on the new PC? I know this is an obvious question, and after some searching I found one answer I thought addressed my particular issue.

I followed the steps set out in Redirecting but now I'm stuck. The troubleshooter on the new PC says "we found a Windows Home digital licence for this device running Windows 11 Pro. To activate using this digital licence, you need to install Windows 11 Home". At the final step, "See other devices linked to your Microsoft account" only shows the old PC, with the Windows 11 Pro licence. I am signed on to the same Microsoft account on both PCs and can see them both in "Devices".

I'm not worried about the licensing on the old PC, as it's going to be recycled anyway.

 

Windows 10 Pro full retail licence

I have a PC running with a full Windows 10 Pro retail licence. I need to replace this PC (it is failing) with a new build and I understand I can use the same licence on the new PC if I uninstall the licence from my current PC. It is on a USB with a product
key.

I have two questions.

1. Can I use the MS Media Creation Tool 1909 to install Windows 10 Pro on my new PC and later enter my existing product key to activate Windows when I have fully loaded my programs onto my new PC or do I have to uninstall the licence key first.?
2. If I uninstall the licence key first from my old PC will it still be useable for a few days/week until I have fully loaded my new PC?
   

 

CHANGE WINDOWS 11 HOME DIGITAL KEY With a Windows 10 pro retail key

It's quite possible the Windows Pro licence is still registered against the old PC which you should have removed while you still had it.

If you had tried to transfer the licence before you got rid of it then it should have transferred. If you install Windows 11 Pro without a key and run the Activation troubleshooter do you see your previous computer listed?