Microsoft has taken steps to prevent Windows 7 and Windows 8 product keys from activating Windows 11. This change was announced last month, but the keys were still working until now.
For a long time, there was a way to upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 or 11 for free. But now, Windows 7 keys cannot be used to install Windows 11, as confirmed by Microsoft to The Verge.
In a recent test, The Verge tried to use several Windows 7 keys to install Windows 11 (22H2), but the keys did not work for activation. When attempting to activate a Windows 7 key on Windows 11, an error message appears, saying,
We can’t activate Windows on this device because you don’t have a valid digital license or product key.
If you had previously upgraded a computer from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 11 or used these older keys, your activation status will remain unchanged. Your digital license should still work.
However, if you were planning to use this method in the future, you will now need to purchase a legitimate Windows 11 key. Microsoft has fixed the Windows activation loophole, so a legitimate key is required for activation.