Solved Transfer Win 11 Ownership

fireberd · Mar 15, 2024

I have a Win 11 Home (OEM version) desktop that is going to my daughter-in-law. What/How do I set it up so Win 11 is activated for her (if it can be done).

The more I read the more confused I get on the Win Activation

Try3 · Mar 15, 2024

It's activated for the hardware, not for the individual.

Perhaps you are thinking of
Link Microsoft Account to Windows 11 Digital License - ElevenForumTutorials
in which case I'd suggesting asking @Brink about removing the link to your MSAccount so she can then link it to hers.
It might be as simple as clicking on the Remove device link for all I know.

Best of luck,
Denis

TairikuOkami · Mar 15, 2024

Remove the device from your account, once she signs in, it should register to her.

Sign in to your account

account.microsoft.com

Remove your account afterwards, for example via netplwiz

glasskuter · Mar 15, 2024

@Try3 is right, Remove it from your MS account online. I'm assuming since the device is staying in your family you do not want to sanitize the disk.
All you have to do is create a new account (change account type to administrator) for your daughter (either MS account or local account. If you don't want it linked to onedrive, make it a local account with administrator priviledges. A MS account is automatically linked to onedrive.) Log in to the new account and delete your account. That's it.

Spunk · Mar 15, 2024

Boot off of the Windows 11 Installer USB Flash drive and do a Clean Install of Windows 11. The product key is embedded in the Bios, so you don't have to type it in, if you have removed this device from your Microsoft Account as stated.

Disconnect from the internet, when it comes time to type in a User Name, shut down the computer.
The next person to start the computer, presumably your daughter, it will start the setup where you left off and they will connect to their Wifi network and sign in with their Microsoft Account.

NavyLCDR · Mar 15, 2024

I don't believe you even have to remove the device from own Microsoft Account in order for it to attach to another Microsoft Account. Time to test. Now I have to create a new Microsoft Account....

Test complete. I created a brand new Microsoft Account. I added a user to my computer with the new Microsoft Account. Signed in. Check activation and it said activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account. Checked devices on the new Microsoft Account and the computer shows up there.

Conclusion: you do not need to remove a device (computer) from the old Microsoft Account, it will just attach itself to any Microsoft Account that logs into that computer.

NavyLCDR · Mar 15, 2024

fireberd said:
I have a Win 11 Home (OEM version) desktop that is going to my daughter-in-law. What/How do I set it up so Win 11 is activated for her (if it can be done).

The more I read the more confused I get on the Win Activation

All you need to do is add her as a user to the existing Windows installation.

fireberd · Mar 16, 2024

Thanks for all the replies. Give me a couple days to finish a project with it then I'll reconfigure it.

Jack

ThrashZone · Mar 16, 2024

Hi,
You could just add a local admin user account in her name then remove the device
She can then use it and switch to a MS account later and add the device to hers.

If all goes well she could remove or leave your acc.

LesFerch · Mar 17, 2024

Activate the Administrator account, login with that account, delete all other accounts, and then run Sysprep (do NOT click the Generalize button). Details here:

Old user still there in OOBE after sysprep and deleting it

I want to sysprep a computer before giving it as a gift. I want this since I want it to keep all the drivers already installed and everything. However, if I sysprep it using Administrator account and

superuser.com

fireberd · Mar 19, 2024

Done, thanks again for all the help.

Created new user, made the new user Administrator,
Restarted and logged in as the new user. Deleted my account.
Done!

Hazel123 · Mar 19, 2024

NavyLCDR said:
I don't believe you even have to remove the device from own Microsoft Account in order for it to attach to another Microsoft Account. Time to test. Now I have to create a new Microsoft Account....

Test complete. I created a brand new Microsoft Account. I added a user to my computer with the new Microsoft Account. Signed in. Check activation and it said activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account. Checked devices on the new Microsoft Account and the computer shows up there.

Conclusion: you do not need to remove a device (computer) from the old Microsoft Account, it will just attach itself to any Microsoft Account that logs into that computer.

I think you're right there. When I purchased the surface pro for the teenager, it appears on my Microsoft Account because I purchased it. But he has signed into it with his own so it will also show on his Microsoft account. Because we are "linked" by an old Microsoft family account, that might be ok. Whether it would be ok for two totally separate people, I don't know. But it may just be assumed that the computer has been passed on to someone else. I don't know if Microsoft actually monitors computers on your account or not. Probably not as I still had a couple showing up that were long gone - until I removed them from my account.

Winuser · Mar 19, 2024

To the best of my knowledge, one only needs to remove devices from their account is so they don't go over the device limit for installing apps from the MS Store.