Microsoft Account Devices Page: Add, Remove and Move Licences

The account.microsoft.com/devices page is where you see every Windows PC, Surface and Xbox signed in to your Microsoft account, and where you remove, lock or locate them. It shows each device's name, model, serial number and warranty details. It does not hold or transfer Windows licences itself, but keeping it tidy makes reactivation after a hardware change much easier.

What Is the account.microsoft.com/devices Page?

It is the device dashboard inside your Microsoft account, listing the hardware you have signed in to with that account. Microsoft uses it for four jobs: showing device details and warranty status, finding and locking a lost Windows device, managing your Microsoft Store download limit, and removing hardware you no longer own.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs are added automatically when you sign in to them with your Microsoft account. You don't register an ordinary laptop or desktop by hand. According to Microsoft's guide to managing devices on your Microsoft account, only Surface devices and Xbox consoles can be registered manually using a serial number, and a new entry can take up to 24 hours to appear.

How Do I Add a Device to My Microsoft Account?

For a Windows PC, you add it simply by signing in to Windows with your Microsoft account. If you set the PC up with a local account, you can switch to a Microsoft account later without reinstalling.

1. On the PC, open Settings → Accounts → Your info.
2. Select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead and follow the prompts.
3. Wait for the device to appear at account.microsoft.com/devices. It can take up to a day.
4. Optional: give it a clear name in Settings → System → About → Rename this PC so you can tell similar laptops apart.

Surface owners can also select Register device on the devices page and enter the serial number. Microsoft does not currently let you add Mac, Android or iPhone devices to this list, and a PC owned or managed by a company or school cannot be registered to a personal account.

How Do I Remove a Device from My Microsoft Account?

You remove a PC from the devices page with the Remove option, after resetting it if you are selling or giving it away. Do the reset first, because removal does not wipe anything on the PC itself. Microsoft's checklist before you sell or gift a PC follows the same order.

1. Back up your files, then reset the PC from Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC. Our guide to clean install vs reset explains which option to choose.
2. On another device, sign in at account.microsoft.com/devices.
3. Find the PC and select Show details.
4. Under the device name, select More actions → Remove.
5. Tick I'm ready to remove this device and select Remove.

Removing a device and unlinking it are different things. Remove takes the PC off your account list. Unlink, found at account.microsoft.com/devices/content, frees one of the 10 slots you are allowed for downloading Microsoft Store apps and games. If the Store refuses to install a purchased app on a new PC, an old unlinked-but-forgotten device is a common reason.

Can You Move a Windows Licence Using the Devices Page?

No. The devices page does not move, release or assign Windows licences. Licence moves happen through Windows activation, and whether you are allowed to move one at all depends on the licence type.

A retail licence can be moved to a new PC once it has been removed from the old one. An OEM licence is tied to the first device it activates on and is not meant to be transferred. That is the core difference covered in our Windows OEM vs retail licence guide. Removing an OEM-activated PC from your account list does not turn its licence into a transferable one.

Where your Microsoft account genuinely helps is the digital licence. Windows 11 stores activation as a digital licence tied to your hardware. If you link that licence to your Microsoft account, Windows can recognise you later, even after the hardware changes enough that it no longer matches.

How Do I Reactivate Windows After a Hardware Change?

You reactivate with the Activation troubleshooter, which reads the list of devices linked to your Microsoft account. This only works if you linked the digital licence before the change, so check that now while everything is running.

1. Sign in to Windows with an administrator account that is also your Microsoft account.
2. Open Settings → System → Activation. The status should read Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account. If it only says digital license, select Add an account and sign in.
3. After replacing a motherboard or similar part, return to Settings → System → Activation → Troubleshoot.
4. Choose I changed hardware on this device recently, then sign in with the same Microsoft account.
5. Tick This is the device I'm using right now next to the correct PC and select Activate.

Two cause-and-effect points matter here. The edition must stay the same: a Windows 11 Pro licence will only reactivate a Pro installation, not Home. And if you activated with a product key rather than a free upgrade, keep that key, because you may be asked for it again. Microsoft explains the full process in its reactivating Windows after a hardware change article. If the troubleshooter returns a code, our list of Windows activation errors explains what each one means.

What Else Can You Do from the Devices Page?

Beyond the device list, the page links to several security tools that are easy to overlook until you need them.

• Find My Device: shows a lost Windows PC on a map and lets you lock it remotely. It must be switched on beforehand in Settings → Privacy & security → Find my device, and you need an administrator account.
• BitLocker recovery keys: if device encryption or BitLocker backed its recovery key up to your Microsoft account, you can retrieve it from your account when a PC asks for it. Losing access to the account can mean losing access to the drive.
• Warranty and serial number: listed under Info and support, which is handy when a PC is stolen and you need to report it.

A Common Mistake We See

People buy a new PC, sign in with their Microsoft account, see the old PC still listed and assume the old Windows licence has moved across automatically. It hasn't. The list only records where you have signed in. Each PC still needs its own valid activation.

The second mistake is reinstalling Windows on a new motherboard without ever having linked the account. The troubleshooter then has nothing to match, and a retail product key becomes the only route back. Before any major upgrade, open the Activation page, confirm the account is linked and note which edition you are on. If you do need a fresh licence, a Windows 11 Pro product key from our store comes with instant email delivery, a 30-day money-back guarantee and a lifetime replacement warranty, and our support team can help with activation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my PC not showing at account.microsoft.com/devices?

The most common reasons are that you signed in to Windows with a local account, or with a different Microsoft account from the one you're checking. New entries can also take up to 24 hours to appear. Work- or school-managed PCs cannot be added to a personal account at all.

Does removing a device from my Microsoft account deactivate Windows?

Removing a device tidies your account list and stops you managing it from the dashboard. It is not a licence transfer tool. If you plan to move a retail licence, remove it from the old PC itself by resetting or reinstalling, then activate the new PC with the key.

How many devices can I have on my Microsoft account?

Microsoft limits Microsoft Store app and game downloads to 10 devices linked to one account. If you reach that limit, unlink devices you no longer use from account.microsoft.com/devices/content. Windows activation itself follows your licence terms, not this Store limit.

Can I add a Mac or phone to my Microsoft account devices list?

Not at the moment. Microsoft's own help page says macOS, Android and iOS devices cannot be added to the devices list. You can still sign in to Microsoft apps such as Outlook and OneDrive on those devices; they just won't appear on this page.

Can I transfer an OEM Windows licence to a new PC through my account?

No. An OEM licence is tied to the first PC it activates on, and linking it to a Microsoft account does not change that. Account linking helps the same PC reactivate after repairs. For a licence you can move between computers, choose a retail key.

How do I rename a device on my Microsoft account?

Rename the PC in Windows rather than on the website. Open Settings → System → About, select Rename this PC, enter a name and restart. The new name appears on your account devices page after the PC syncs, which helps when choosing the right device in the Activation troubleshooter.

Conclusion

The account.microsoft.com/devices page is your control panel for registered hardware: find, lock, remove and unlink devices, and keep the account linked so Windows can reactivate after repairs. It doesn't move licences, so match the licence type to your plans. If a new PC needs one, browse our genuine Windows product keys.

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