In an unexpected twist, a Microsoft support engineer resorted to running an unofficial 'crack' on a customer's Windows PC after a genuine copy of the operating system failed to activate normally. It ...

It's probably fair to say that a good number of PC enthusiasts have pirated a copy of Windows once upon a time. It's also probably fair to say that a certain number of folks have had the thought "I'll ...

Reddit users have shared a hack that can create working Windows XP activation codes, though you should think twice before booting up the two-decade old OS. Reading ...

Ugh this kinda sucks but I guess it doesn't really matter. I had a bunch of Windows 7 keys from 2009 that have been great with 10 and 11. I get that this free ride is over but it still sucks. It ...

When Microsoft first launched the Windows operating system, installing it was only a matter of copying the program onto a disk. You didn't have to verify your copy of ...

Why it matters: It was only a matter of time before someone tricked ChatGPT into breaking the law. A YouTuber asked it to generate a Windows 95 activation key, which ...

It has never been too hard for someone with the right amount of time, desperation, or flexible scruples to get around Windows XP’s activation scheme. And yet XP activation, the actual encrypted ...

How to activate Windows offline using Microsoft’s text-based options Your email has been sent All current Windows products require activation with Microsoft to confirm their validity and prevent ...

In December 2022, we published a short PSA, reminding users they could still activate Windows 11 and 10 with valid Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 keys. This practice dates back to 2015 when Microsoft launched ...