We all know that Windows activation is of paramount importance for end users. If you didn’t activate your copy of Windows, you won’t be able to enjoy all the features of the operating system you’re running. This post talks about an activation related issue in which you keep receiving Your Windows license will expire soon message.
Under this case, if you check the activation status, it says something like this:
Page Contents
Your Windows license expires on <some date>. Contact your system administrator to get a product key. Error code: 0xC004F074
Check: Get help with activation errors in Windows 10.
So if you’re receiving this error message on your system, there might be different reasons for it, such as:
- The main reason for this message to appear is that you’ve volume license installed on the machine. Volume license uses different methods of activation (read more here), the most common of them is Key Management Server (KMS). These licenses are valid only for 180 days or 6 months. When you’re reaching this limit, the error message starts appearing. If this is the case with you, first you need to buy genuine license.
- Another major root cause for the issue is that you installed incorrect edition which is not intended to use for your device. For example, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) shipped your device with Windows 10 Home edition but you installed Windows 10 Pro edition.
- If you upgraded Windows 10 Home to Pro edition but your license is not supported for the upgraded edition.
- Mismatch on upgrade edition. For example, Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Windows 8.0 Core, Windows 8.1 Core should be upgraded to Windows 10 Home. While Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.0 Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro should be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro edition.
Here are the things you can try to solve this issue:
FIX : ‘Your Windows License Will Expire Soon’ For Windows 10
FIX 1 – Using Activation Troubleshooter
If you’re running Windows 10 Version 1607 or later, you can run Activation Troubleshooter to detect the issue and fix it automatically. The Activation Troubleshooter is quite useful, if you’ve previously used the activated copy on same device. Here are the steps to run Activation Troubleshooter:
Steps to use Activation Troubleshooter on Windows 10
FIX 2 – Other Options
1. Check the type of license you’ve installed on your system. If your personal machine has Volume license installed, it is against Microsoft‘s terms and you might be a victim of counterfeit software. In this case, you need to clean install your Windows 10 and buy a genuine license from Microsoft Store online/offline or from any authorized reseller near you.
2. If you’ve OEM license installed and getting this message, head over to OEM support on this.
3. If you’ve Retail license installed, you can ask Microsoft agent via chat support to activate your system or use automated phone system yourself.
Also check this video for more information:
Special thanks to our friend, “Igor L. (Microsoft MVP)” for adding extended information on this issue.
Let us know via your comments, if you still face the issue!
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12 Comments
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i think my system upgraded to the windows 10 Pro, what should i do
^^ You can buy Pro edition from Microsoft Store.
nothing prescribed helped, when MS asks for help beta testing their product via the Insider Preview, the least the should do is have a method to revert to a ‘good’ OS, Currently I’m panicking that I will need to a Linux variant until MS gets a handle on this issue!
Here is my info
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Windows Script Host
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Software licensing service version: 10.0.17655.1000
Name: Windows(R), Professional edition
Description: Windows(R) Operating System, RETAIL channel
Activation ID:
Application ID:
Extended PID:
Product Key Channel: Retail
Installation ID:
Use License URL: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=299301
Validation URL: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=299302
Partial Product Key: 3V66T
License Status: Licensed
Remaining Windows rearm count: 1000
Remaining SKU rearm count: 1000
Trusted time: 7/1/2018 6:27:09 PM
^^ As this is retail license, you can re-insert the product key and see if it activates then. The title error is supposed to appear on volume licenses.
Te root cause of this error on my PC is tat I installed tr pro version instead of home version of windows 10. I ave tried to follow the instructions given on your article but the ‘slmgr -rearm’ gave an error message
^^ What is the error message?
The most common cause of the error isn’t addressed in this article. In fact, there is no reason that the “…license will expire soon” message should appear in most of the scenarios presented here. What is almost inevitable is that someone has installed a volume-license KMS version of Enterprise or Pro, and the only solutions are to revert to whatever legitimately licensed Windows version was previously installed or purchase a genuine license.
^^ Thanks Jim for your inputs, I’ve updated the article!
I have windows10pro installed (retail vers) and activated on my desktop pc. I ask once again, how do I stop the reminder message. ” your windows licence will expire soon” got to settings to activate ???
^^ As you’ve Retail version license, refer to Microsoft support to get this solved: partner.support.services.microsoft.com/en-us/contact/menu/software/windows/ts/
I have the Windows Pro version installed on my PC, when the pop up is too frequent.
When I go to setting -> Activation page, it says that my Windows is activated using my organization’s activation service.
It shows no possible expiry date and seems like everything is okay, but the pop-up wont stop interrupting.
What do I do pls?
^^ That means you’ve volume license installed. If your device is personal, you need to buy a retail or OEM license.