Is an already using windows 10 pro licence transferable to another PC?

Question

I have a laptop that had windows 10 home pre-installed when purchased. I installed Ubuntu in it. After that, I installed windows 10 pro in it.

Then bought windows 10 pro license and using that product key, I activated the new windows 10 pro installation of the laptop.

The user account I'm currently using in that laptop is a Local account (Administrator).

The 'activation settings' screen shows that:

Windows

Edition      Windows 10 Pro  
Activation   Windows is activated with a digital license.

Now I have a new laptop.

1. Can i use the same product-key for Windows 10 pro in this new laptop? I mean, should I buy a new license for that new laptop or Can i transfer the already using license of old laptop to new one?

2. If i can transfer it to new laptop, then can I again transfer it back to the old laptop after some months?

3. How many times the license transfer is possible between different machines?

4. Is there any difference in the scenario if my user account is a Microsoft account?

5. If the transfer is with Microsoft account linked licence, will all the data from old laptop be synced to new laptop?

Sorry that I'm asking too much of questions, but it was totally confusing.

Answer 1

Since Ubuntu was installed on the computer when you bought Windows 10 Pro, that license is not an upgrade of Home and must be a full Retail license (correct me if I'm wrong). Such a license can be transferred.

Answers to the questions:

1. Can i use the same product-key for Windows 10 pro in this new laptop? I mean, should I buy a new license for that new laptop or Can i transfer the already using license of old laptop to new one?

Yes you can. You should first uninstall the license from the old computer by running CMD as administrator and entering the following command:

    slmgr.vbs /upk 

2. If i can transfer it to new laptop, then can I again transfer it back to the old laptop after some months?

Only if you uninstall it first from the new computer, leaving it with no license.

3. How many times the license transfer is possible between different machines?

I don't know of a limit. It is however a good idea to leave 3-6 months between transfers.

4. Is there any difference in the scenario if my user account is a Microsoft account?

Yes, signing on to a Microsoft Account on the new computer can make activation much easier, and is in fact the method recommended by Microsoft. On condition that the old computer was already linked to your Microsoft Account before the license was inactivated on it.

5. If the transfer is with Microsoft account linked licence, will all the data from old laptop be synced to new laptop?

No, transferring the data is to be done by yourself. You will only have whatever data is associated with your Microsoft Account.

Note: There is no way of tricking Microsoft to activate the same license on two different computers concurrently. Doing so is a good way for having the license disabled on both computers.

Answer 2

If you have a valid Win10 Pro registration key, you can use it to upgrade a Win10 Home license to Pro; no need to reinstall Windows:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/upgrade-windows-10-home-to-windows-10-pro-ef34d520-e73f-3198-c525-d1a218cc2818

Now, whether the key will work, having been used once already, is something you'll have to test. It might just work, it might require you to call Microsoft and explain why you need to reuse the key, or it may simply fail.

I doubt VERY much that you'll be able to move the license back and forth between two computers.