You need a valid Windows license to use Microsoft's operating system on your computer. When your Windows PC license expires or becomes invalid, a dialog box stating "Your Windows license will expire soon" will pop up on your display. However, you might get this error even on top laptops with Windows pre-installed. The reminder also appears for some Windows 10 users upgrading to Windows 11.
Windows doesn't delete your personal data or files due to an activation error, but you do lose customization options and have to deal with a permanent watermark at the bottom of your screen. So, before your computer has functionality issues, it’s important to troubleshoot the error message and figure out what went wrong.
Why do you get the 'Your Windows license will expire soon' error?
Microsoft's latest OS is free to install if you have a valid Windows license with compatible hardware, but you might get this error for several reasons. If you're using a pirated version of Windows, have bogus system files, malware infection, buggy Activation Token files, and connectivity glitches, it might result in irrelevant reminder pop-ups.
Thankfully, there are several ways to eliminate this pesky issue without contacting customer support or rushing to buy a new Windows key. You can reboot Windows Explorer, activate Windows with your product key, run a Windows activation troubleshooter, remove bogus files, disable some core Windows services, and try other tricks to eliminate the error. We'll go over how to troubleshoot this error below, but before you try anything, you should back up your Windows PC to avoid any accidental data loss.
Method 1: Restart Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is a graphical interface to interact with core system parts like the Start menu, taskbar, notification area, and File Explorer. Restarting Windows Explorer can come to the rescue when one of the system apps starts misbehaving with random reminders to activate Windows. Follow the steps below:
- Press the Windows key, search for Task Manager, and hit Enter.
- Select Windows Explorer and click Restart task in the top-right corner.
Method 2: Use the Activation troubleshooter
Microsoft offers several troubleshooters to fix issues with your network connection, printers, Bluetooth, and more. One such option is available under the Activation menu and can come in handy when you face problems with the license verification and activation key. Here's how to run it:
- Press Windows + I to open the Settings.
- Select System from the sidebar and open the Activation menu.
- Run the activation troubleshooter from the menu and follow the on-screen instructions.
Method 3: Activate Windows with Command Prompt
If the Activation troubleshooter doesn’t work, try activating Windows via Command Prompt. Connect your Windows PC to the internet and follow these steps:
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type cmd and click OK.
- Type the following command and press Enter: slmgr /ato
- You will see a dialog box confirming the Windows activation.
Hopefully, you won’t see the "Windows license will expire soon" error on your PC anymore.
Method 4: Fix a corrupt Tokens.dat file
A corrupt Tokens.dat system file can cause issues with Windows license authentication. Since the Tokens.dat system file is related to Windows activation, you must rebuild it using Command Prompt.
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type cmd and click OK.
- Enter the commands below into the dialogue box and press Enter after each.
net stop sppsvccd %windir%\system32\spp\store\2.0ren tokens.dat tokens.barnet start sppsvccscript.exe %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs /rilc
Restart your computer to complete the process. Then, move onto the next section to reinstall your product key.
Method 5: Re-enter activation key
You can find your Windows product key and enter it again to fix license verification errors on your PC. Thankfully, you don't need to use any third-party app to find it. You simply need to run a command in Command Prompt to extract the product key.
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type cmd and click OK.
- Type the command below and press Enter. Note down your Windows product key.
wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
Now, activate the Windows key from the Settings menu.
- Press Windows + I to go to Settings.
- Navigate to System and open Activation.
- Expand Upgrade your edition of Windows and select Change.
- Enter the product key, click Next, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Method 6: Edit registry
If your Windows system sends an incorrect activation status to Microsoft, you may see the 'Windows license will expire soon' error. You need to enable NoGenTicket entry to stop the behavior.
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type cmd and click OK.
- Enter the following command and press Enter.
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Software Protection Platform" /v NoGenTicket /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Close the Command Prompt and restart your Windows PC, and you shouldn't have the error anymore.
Method 7: Disable Windows services
The Windows License Manager Service manages the licensing and activation of your Windows copy. If it's not working as expected, disable it at system startup. An active Windows Update service can also cause such an error on your old PC. Follow along to turn off problematic services at system startup.
- Press the Windows key and search for Services. Hit Enter.
- Scroll to Windows License Manager Service.
- Expand Startup type and select Disabled. Press Apply and click OK.
- Open Windows Update service.
- Select Disabled in the Startup Type menu. Click Apply and select OK.
Method 8: Run Windows Security scan
Bogus or corrupt files on your Windows PC can cause errors. You can scan your Windows PC via Windows Security to remove malware.
- Open Windows Security on your PC.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Click Scan options.
- Select Full scan and select Scan now. You can minimize the window and continue with your work.
If you use a third-party antivirus app, disable Windows Defender and use your preferred app to remove corrupt files.
Enjoy an error-free Windows setup
Frequent pop-ups like "Windows license will expire soon" can waste your productivity hours. The tricks above should take care of such errors in no time. These system issues may discourage you from exploring Microsoft's desktop operating system. If you plan to move from Windows to Mac, consider several changes to your workflow before making a switch.