Windows digital license lost after BIOS update - No way to reactivate!

Question

Windows digital license lost after BIOS update - No way to reactivate!

文飞朱 5

I purchased a Windows 10/11 digital license directly from the Microsoft Store using my Microsoft account. It activated successfully on my device, which was also logged in with the same account.

Later, I updated the BIOS (without changing any hardware), and suddenly Windows said it was no longer activated.

I ran the troubleshooter, which said: “We can’t find any devices linked to your Microsoft account.”

I reinstalled Windows completely, logged in again — still the same. I checked account.microsoft.com/devices — no device listed. But in Settings > Accounts, my Microsoft account is clearly logged in.

Microsoft support asked me to reinstall again, but that doesn’t fix the problem. The issue is not my system — the issue is that the digital license was never properly bound to my account, even though I followed all the right steps.

I must emphasize that I have already contacted Microsoft phone support once, and it did not solve anything. The agent simply remote-controlled my PC and repeated the same steps I had already tried. All of these automated tools failed to resolve the issue.

In the end, the agent told me that “reinstalling Windows solves 99% of activation problems”. I followed that advice and fully reinstalled Windows.

Now, the error code has changed from: “We detected a hardware change recently” to “We couldn't find a product key on this device.”

I don’t understand how the activation was lost. I purchased the digital license while the system was not activated, using my Microsoft account. As soon as the purchase was complete, Windows became activated.

So why wasn’t that license ever linked to my account, even though I was signed in and purchased it through the Microsoft Store? The license purchase still shows in my order history, but now it’s completely unusable.

I just want to use the license I paid for. Please let users bind devices properly or allow account-based recovery when this happens. This is incredibly frustrating and unfair to legitimate users.

Rob Stephenson 0 Reputation points

2025-12-13T17:59:54.9733333+00:00

Yes I had exact thing happen to me but I have not been able to fix HELP!!!!!!!!!

3 answers

Your answer

Rob Stephenson 0 Reputation points

2025-12-13T17:59:54.9733333+00:00

Yes I had exact thing happen to me but I have not been able to fix HELP!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Ivan B 88,670 Independent Advisor

Hi ,

Which edition did you purchase, Home or Pro?

Did you reinstall using the USB or ISO file?

Did you try activating Windows after a hardware change?

https://support.microsoft.com/pt-br/windows/reactivando-o-windows-ap%C3%B3s-uma-altera%C3%A7%C3%A3o-de-hardware-2c0e962a-f04c-145b-6ead-fb3fc72b6665

This can happen after a BIOS update.

If it's a laptop or desktop, if possible, could you provide the laptop model or your desktop configuration?

Thanks

文飞朱 5 Reputation points

2025-08-06T09:04:04.3566667+00:00
Hi,

Thanks for following up.

I purchased Windows 10/11 Home digital license on August 14, 2023, directly from the Microsoft Store, using my Microsoft account.

I created a bootable USB using the official Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and reinstalled Windows from that USB.

I’ve already gone through all the steps on the support page you linked. They are unfortunately not helpful in this case.

Let me be clear:
I have already contacted Microsoft phone support once.
The agent remotely accessed my PC and simply repeated the same steps I had already tried — activation troubleshooter, re-signing into the account, etc. Nothing worked.

I’m using a self-built desktop PC (custom components).
Of course I’ve tried the “I recently changed hardware” option — multiple times. I signed into my Microsoft account and the system replied:

“We can’t find any devices linked to your Microsoft account.”

This is despite the fact that:

My account is clearly signed in on the device

I made the purchase from this very account

The device was activated before the BIOS update

After updating the BIOS (no hardware was replaced), the system reported:

“We detected a hardware change recently” — activation required

Then I performed a clean reinstall.

Now the error has changed to:

“We couldn’t find a product key on this device.”

So yes, the system was activated before the BIOS update, and yes, I’ve tried absolutely everything available through automated tools.

The core issue is:
My digital license was never properly bound to my Microsoft account, even though I purchased it while signed in and it activated immediately after purchase.
This license is still listed in my Microsoft Store purchase history, but now I have no way to use it, and no device shows up under my account.

I’m looking for a manual resolution, or at least a way to bind that license to my account post-purchase — because right now, I have a paid license that I’m completely locked out of.

I’ve been heard that Microsoft’s Level 2 Support can manually register devices to accounts in cases like mine. I’d appreciate if this could be escalated to someone with that ability

Thanks again.
Rob Stephenson 0 Reputation points

2025-12-13T18:01:04.5933333+00:00

Mine is completely gone had it registered with Microsoft and it's gone just gone!!

Answer 2

Hi ,

Well, I've seen a similar problem, but it fixed itself when I installed Windows 10 and recognized the license. After updating to Scala, the best way to resolve the issue is to talk to a Microsoft contact via chat, inform them of the problem, and request activation of the license linked to your Microsoft account.

Unfortunately, only Microsoft support can verify access in this case.

The best way to contact Microsoft using the Home chat, access the link below and write "Windows" below there will be a Contact Support option. Enter your details to open the chat and a Microsoft agent will come to assist you.

https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact

microsoft-community-30344590-1750940510120

Give feedback if the information was useful or not.

Thanks

Answer 3

Neil D 30,080 Volunteer Moderator

You will need to contact support again directly, as you did previously. Make sure they understand the licence is shown in your purchase history.

They should sort it out for you. No one here can do that for you.

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Windows digital license lost after BIOS update - No way to reactivate!

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