Windows licences

Windows mode needs a Windows 11 Pro licence. Wild OS itself needs none, and everything outside Windows mode works without one.

A PC sold with Windows 11 Pro

Most PCs sold with Windows 11 Pro have the licence stored in the computer’s firmware. Wild OS finds it and activates Windows with it, so there’s nothing to buy and nothing to type. The setup check says Windows licence found.

Windows is still installed on this PC

If you installed Wild OS alongside Windows, the built-in licence is in use by that copy of Windows. Windows mode needs a key of its own, which you can enter during setup.

No licence built in

The setup check says No Windows licence built into this PC. On the next step you can:

• Enter a product key: 25 letters and numbers in five groups, like XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.
• Continue without activating: Windows mode works, but Windows will show that it isn’t activated until you add a key.
• Skip Windows mode for now.

There’s a Where to buy a licence link if you need one.

Windows 11 Home

Windows 11 Home isn’t supported yet. Windows mode shows each program as its own window using a feature that’s only in Windows 11 Pro, so Home can’t do it.

If setup finds a Home licence, it offers Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro, with a link to see the price on Microsoft’s site. Microsoft sells an upgrade from Home to Pro that uses your existing licence. We’re also working on our own way to support Home, and will share news when it’s ready.

Adding or changing a key later

Go to Settings > Windows apps > Windows mode > Licence and choose Add a key or Change key. Then Use this key, or Use this PC’s licence to go back to the built-in one.

• If it says Open a Windows app first, so Windows is running, then try again, open any Windows program and try again.
• The key is in, but Windows couldn’t activate yet means Windows will try again by itself when it’s online.
• Windows didn’t take that key means Microsoft refused it. Check it was typed correctly and is for Windows 11 Pro.