How to Remove Windows Activation Watermark

 Did you just upgrade your computer’s hardware, only to find a watermark on your screen saying you need to activate Windows? Even though a non-activated Windows doesn’t impact the performance of your PC, this watermark could be annoying. So, to help you with this, we have a way through which you can remove the activation watermark permanently from your machine. Read on to know, how.

What Is Windows Activation?

Microsoft Product Activation is a DRM (digital right management) technology used in Windows operating systems and its Office productivity suite. Product activation acts somewhat like a license agreement that transmits information about the product key and the user’s computer hardware to Microsoft, solely to prevent the use of the program till the time validity of the license is 100% confirmed. While the idea behind this is to prevent software piracy, the problem is that product activation marries software to particular hardware. This means any change in that hardware, even an upgrade in a computer’s component could invalidate a license.

Buy a New Windows Key

The best way to get rid of the Activate Windows 10 watermark is by buying a new activation key. You can buy digital keys that will activate your copy of Windows from the Microsoft Store. Buying a digital key is not a difficult task but paying for one might be. For your information, the standard Home version of Windows 10 costs around $139, and you are planning to buy Professional, then you will have to spare $200.

Edit the Registry

Another way to remove the activation watermark is by editing the Windows Registry. The Windows Registry has all the information and settings related to various hardware and programs on the Windows Operating System. So, tampering with the Windows Registry might result in damage more than any good. Therefore, it is a good idea to back it up first before making any changes. Also, make sure you follow the instructions below without any changes.

1. To open the Windows Registry, press Win + R to open a Run dialog box, and type “regedit” then hit the Enter key.  
2. A “User Account Control” box will come up on screen asking if you want to allow the Registry Editor app to make changes on your PC. Hit “Yes” to move ahead.
3. Once the Registry Editor window opens, find the following location: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\svsvc
4. After entering the above location path, find the “Start” entry to double-click it.
5. A new window will appear on the screen. Now, look for the field labeled “Value data.” Once spotted, enter “4” in this field and click “OK.”
6. Finally, close the Registry Editor, and then reboot your PC. You will see that the activation watermark is gone when your PC starts again.

Downsides to Removing the Watermark

If you are running Windows 10 without activating, then you won’t be able to apply custom wallpaper, plus, you may keep receiving notifications reminding you to activate your Windows 10. Other than these minor changes, Windows 10 functions the same whether it is activated or not. The problem is that Microsoft might limit the functionality of non-activated copies of Windows 10 on a whim.

We hope that your non-activated Windows doesn’t have a watermark now.

Everleig is a Blog expert and has been working in the technology industry since 2003. As a technical expert, Everleig has written technical blogs, manuals, white papers, and reviews for many websites such as everyny.com

Source: How to Remove Windows Activation Watermark