Fix Windows License will Expire Soon on Windows 11 [2024]

Written By Steven Arends

Using Windows 11 smoothly but suddenly encountered an error message: Your Windows license will expire soon.

You try to ignore the error message, but the error message appears on the screen every time you reboot your PC.

Don’t worry. You are not sailing in the same boat.

I have been in a similar situation as you, and I have been able to get out of this issue with proper tests and research. So, if you are looking for an ultimate solution to solve your Windows license error issue on Windows 11, you are in the right place then.

This post will show you some of the best proven and effective methods to solve your Windows license error issue on your Windows 11 computer.

So, why does the Windows license expiration issue occur?

The Windows license expiration issue occurs when users use a Retail license key, volume key license key, pirated Windows copy, or use a third-party Windows activation tool. To solve the license expiration problem, you need to buy a genuine retail or OEM license key for personal use for your Windows.

Keep reading and precisely follow the instructions.

Let’s get started without further delay and see what solutions you have for resolving your Windows license error issue.fix-windows-license-will-expire-soon-on-windows

How to Fix Windows License Will Expire Soon on Windows 11

Expiring a Windows license is a common issue on your Windows 11 device if you are a Retail license key user, volume key license user, or pirated Windows user.

To solve the Windows license expiration problem, you need to buy a genuine retail or OEM license key for personal use for your Windows.

But if you are a genuine license user and get the license expiration error message, your system can not identify your key or reject your key.

For this reason, to solve the license expiration problem, you can remove or delete your Windows activation key and then re-add your activation key again, use the Windows activation troubleshooter to detect and fix any Windows activation-related issue.

You can also solve the Windows license expiration problem by disabling some problematic services on your Windows 11 computer.

This section will show you several tested and proven solutions to solve your Windows license error issue on your Windows 11 computer.

So, let’s dive into the main topic to know the solution to your Windows 11 license error issue.

You may also like to read: Stop Apps Running in Background Windows 11.

Here are the steps to fix the Windows license will expire soon issue on Windows 11:

1. Restart Windows Explorer

Restarting Windows Explorer on the Task Manager is the straightforward way to fix many critical issues on your Windows system.

So, to solve the Windows license expiration problem on your Windows 11 PC, you can restart your Windows Explorer.

Follow the steps below to restart your Windows Explorer:

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys on your keyboard to open the Windows Task Manager. task-manager
  • Press Win+X keys on your keyboard to open the Win+X menu and select Task Manager to open the Windows Task Manager. windows-task-manager
  • Click on the More details button to extend the Task Manager if your task manager window is not expanded already.
  • Find and select the Windows Explorer under the Processes.
  • Right-click on it and select the End task option to exit the Windows Explorer.Windows-explorer-end-task
  • After exiting the Windows Explorer function, you can see your taskbar will disappear. Don’t worry, and it will be back soon by following some steps.
  • Navigate to the File menu and select the Run new task.run-new-task
  • Type exe in the Run dialogue box and press the Enter key or click the OK button to run the Windows Explorer. Explorer-ex
  • If the Windows license expiration message continues, try the following techniques.

Follow our guide on how to disable SuperFetch on Windows 11.

2. Reset the Product Key

You can solve the Windows license expiration issue by resetting the Windows product license key status on your Windows 11 computer.

Follow these steps to reset the Windows license product key:

  • Press Win+S on your keyboard to open the Windows Search bar and type cmd.
  • Click on the Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt as an admin privilege. cmd-run-as-administration
  • Type slmgr -rearm and press the Enter slmgr-rearm
  • A Windows Script Host prompt window appears on the screen that shows Command completed successfully. cmd-successfully
  • Click on the OK button and reboot your computer for the changes to effect.
  • After restarting your computer, check whether your Windows license expiration issue has been resolved.
  • If the Windows license expiration message continues, try the following techniques.

Also read, PC won’t go to sleep mode in Windows 11.

3. Uninstall & Delete the Product Key

If resetting the Windows product license key status doesn’t solve your problem, then you can try uninstalling the Windows product license key and deleting it from your registry.

After uninstalling and deleting the Windows 11 product key, re-add the Windows product license key again to successfully solve your Windows license expiration problem.

It’s essential to remember that removing your product key may cause your computer to slow down or possibly stop. Wait a few minutes to finish the task before doing anything.

Before you uninstall and delete your Windows license product key from your computer, double-check that you have a copy of the product key because after deleting the license product key, you can not restore it.

Follow the steps below to uninstall and delete the  Windows license product key:

  • Press Win+S on your keyboard to open the Windows Search bar and type cmd.
  • Click on the Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt as an admin privilege. cmd-run-as-administration
  • Type slmgr /upk and press the Enter key to uninstall the product key. slmgr-upk
  • A Windows Script Host prompt window appears on the screen that successfully shows the Uninstalled product key.
  • Click on the OKUninstalled-product-key
  • Type slmgr /cpky and press the Enter key to delete the product key from your registry. slmgr-cpky
  • Another Windows Script Host prompt window appears on the screen that shows the Product key from the registry cleared successfully.
  • Click on the OK button and reboot your computer for the changes to effect. registry-cleared
  • After restarting your computer, follow the instructions to re-add the product key to solve your Windows license key expiring problem.

4. Run Windows Activation Troubleshooter

Troubleshooting is a valuable tool for quickly identifying and resolving any problem. You can troubleshoot your computer if it has a hardware or software problem.

Windows 11’s built-in Windows Activation troubleshooter is a quick way to resolve Windows license expiration issues. To fix the problem, run the Windows Activation troubleshooter.

Follow these steps to run  the Windows Activation troubleshooter:

  • Press the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings. Windows-system-settings
  • Type settings on the windows search panel and hit the Enter button to open Windows Settings.
  • Select the System tab at the left side of the Settings menu bar.
  • Select the Activation option on the right-side System system-activation
  • Click on the Troubleshoot option at the bottom of the Activation window.
  • Note: You can only see the Troubleshoot option if your system shows that the Windows license will expire soon. Otherwise, the Troubleshoot option is not displayed.
  • After clicking the Troubleshoot option, wait until it detects the activation problems on your system.
  • You’re good if the troubleshooter was able to solve it right away and instantly activate your Windows 11. If not, then you need to add your Windows product key manually. To do so, follow the next solution.

Quickly check out our latest fix for Bluetooth Toggle Missing On Windows 11.

5. Manually Add Product Key

To solve your Windows license expiring issue on your Windows 11 system, you must manually add the Windows license product key. By adding the license key manually, I hope you can successfully solve your problem.

Follow the steps below to add the Windows license or product key manually:

  • Press the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings.
  • Type settings on the windows search panel and hit the Enter button to open Windows Settings. windows-11-settings
  • Select the System tab at the left side of the Settings menu bar.
  • Select the Activation option on the right-side System system-activation
  • Click on the Change button next to the Change product key to add the product key manually. Change-product-key
  • Enter your product key correctly and click on the Next Enter-your-product-key
  • Restart your computer and check to see your Windows license expiration issue is solved successfully.

Related content you should read: Show Folder Size in Windows 11.

6. Reset your PC

If the above methods have failed to resolve your Windows license expiring issue, reset your PC to solve the problem on your Windows 11 system.

Follow these steps to reset your Windows 11 system:

  • Press the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Windows SystemWindows-system-settings
  • Click on the Start icon at the left side corner at the taskbar and select Settings app under the Pinned apps to open the System Settings.
  • Select System tab on the left side settings menu panel.
  • Click on the Reset PC button next to the Reset this PC reset-this-pc
  • Select the Keep my files option to keep your files, but it deletes all apps and settings. Or, keep-my-files
  • Select Remove everything if you want to remove all your files, apps, and Settings. remove-everything
  • Wait until the system resetting process is complete.
  • After completing the process, your Windows license expiring issue is no more.

Final Thoughts

Many Windows 11 users have reported that they face an error message that shows your Windows license will expire soon on your Windows 11 computer.

This post describes the possible causes for the Windows license expiring issue of Windows 11. Here, I demonstrate several tested and proven solutions to solve the Windows license expiring problem. You can successfully solve your Windows license expiring issue using these practical methods.

I hope you found this post to be informative. If you found your solution, please let me know which method works for you.

You may also look at other posts if you’re interested in learning more about similar topics.

About The Author
Steven Arends is a computer science graduate and tech enthusiast with over 10 years of experience in the field. He has a vast collection of computer hardware and loves exploring the latest advancements. As a contributing author to 10Scopes, Steven shares his expertise to make the world of technology more accessible and easier to understand for all readers.

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