Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Windows Central
Windows Central
Technology
Kevin Okemwa

"More secure, reliable, user-friendly": Microsoft explains why it quietly killed Windows 11's phone activation option

Young man has problem with his computer, trying to reach hotline.

At the beginning of this year, Microsoft quietly pulled the plug on the last way to activate Windows 10 or Windows 11 without an Internet connection. Up until that point, it was possible to activate Windows without the Internet using your telephone.

While Microsoft didn’t announce the feature's deprecation, the corresponding menu item in Windows remained available. Multiple users lodged complaints, citing that an attempt to call the activation hotline only redirected them to online portals.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.