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Jeremiahhom's avatar
Jeremiahhom
Iron Contributor
Mar 10, 2025
Solved

How to check my windows 11 license key original or duplicate?

I bought a brand new laptop and this message appeared when I was digging to know if the windows was activated. It is activated but I think it is a duplicate.  
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  • MarylandCrab's avatar
    MarylandCrab
    Mar 11, 2025

    Perform three-step verification:

    1️⃣ Open CMD and enter: slmgr /dli Check "Description" and if it shows OEM, it is a genuine pre-installed version

    2️⃣ Check whether the serial number of the machine matches the device ID bound to the Microsoft account (Settings>System>Activation)

    3️⃣ If it shows a retail version key, immediately find a merchant to replace it with a new machine - your motherboard may have been applied with a second-hand key

    (Appendix: Genuine laptop activation should show "Windows has been activated with a digital license" with an OEM channel logo)

AlexBlythe's avatar
AlexBlythe
Iron Contributor
Mar 13, 2025

To check if your Windows 11 license key is original or duplicate, you can run the following command in Command Prompt (Admin):


slmgr /dli


This will show the license status. If it says "Retail" or "OEM", it’s likely valid. If it shows "Volume" or has issues, it could be a duplicate. If in doubt, contact the seller or Microsoft support for verification.

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