Windows may ask you to purchase a new product key when installing an M.2 SSD in a different build.
Windows may ask you to purchase a new product key when installing an M.2 SSD in a different build.
You're considering whether to keep your current Windows 11 installation on the existing M.2 SSD or replace it with a fresh setup. It seems Windows will ask for a new product key if you switch to a different version, so you might need to purchase a new license. Alternatively, buying a new SSD and installing Windows again would give you a clean slate.
Windows can distinguish devices even with matching specifications and deactivate licenses (such as when you generate a copy of one machine and move it to other devices of the same brand and model)
Use the same key you previously followed to install Windows. It consistently works for me.
When your license is tied to your user account, you can access www.microsoft.com and update the computer it applies to, depending on the version.