Validating your Microsoft Windows® software allows you to confirm that it’s genuine. Genuine Microsoft® software provides you access to support as well as the latest features, updates, and offers, helping you to get the greatest value from your software investment.
Benefits of Genuine Windows:
Genuine Microsoft software is published by Microsoft, properly licensed, and supported by Microsoft and its partners. With genuine Windows, you can be sure that your software is:
Up-to-date.
Only genuine Windows users are eligible to receive special offers in addition to all optional updates and downloads available from Microsoft.
Everything you expect.
Only genuine Windows gives you confidence that your software comes with the documentation, components, and features provided by Microsoft, does not include unauthorized programs, and contains features to help you identify that it is genuine.
How can I tell if my copy of Windows is genuine?
To help you verify that you are using genuine Windows, Microsoft offers a quick and easy online process called validation.
Validation takes only a few moments, and enables Microsoft to create a match between your PC's hardware profile and your 25-character Product Key (usually located on the Certificate of Authenticity), which Microsoft stores and checks against future activation and validation attempts. We do this to ensure that your Product Key is not used by another person in a malicious manner, such as activating a counterfeit or non-genuine copy of Windows.
You can also use the Genuine Windows Comparison Guide to compare the special security features of your Windows installation CD or DVD and Certificate of Authenticity (COA) with those included with genuine Microsoft software.
What information is collected during validation?
During validation, system configuration information is collected to help determine whether your Microsoft software is genuine. Learn more about what information is collected in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). For more information about the Microsoft Genuine Advantage privacy policy, see the Privacy Statement. Microsoft does not use any of the information collected during validation to contact you.
