Installation media, such as a USB flash drive, can be used to install a new copy of Windows, perform a clean installation of Windows, or reinstall Windows. To create installation media, go to the software download website, where step-by-step instructions can be found.

If you're looking for product keys for Office, apps, games, and more, see Find your Microsoft downloads and product keys. Learn how to find a Windows product key for activation, and when you'll use a digital license instead.

If you're having problems with Windows 11 on your PC or you want a fresh copy of Windows 11 without the clutter of old files or apps, you can reinstall Windows 11 to try and fix your issues and return your PC to a cleaner state.

Learn more about our Xbox subscription refund policy. You can receive a refund within 30 days of your initial purchase or before your first recurring billing date (whichever is sooner) by canceling your subscription in the steps that are outlined in the section “Canceling a subscription.”.

Learn how to activate Windows using a product key or digital license, check your activation status, and link your Microsoft account.

Update an Xbox subscription for you or your child. Making sure your Xbox digital subscription is valid for your country or region. Turn on recurring billing for your Xbox subscription. Get help with EA Play for Xbox.

A BitLocker recovery key is needed when BitLocker can’t automatically unlock an encrypted drive in Windows. This key, which is a 48-digit number, is used to regain access to the drive. You might be prompted for the BitLocker recovery key during startup, due to a security risk or hardware change:

To use Microsoft 365 on your new device, you can activate Microsoft 365 as a 1-month trial of Microsoft 365 Family. You can also buy Microsoft 365 or a non-subscription version of Office, add Microsoft 365 to an existing Microsoft 365 subscription, or enter a product key from a new product key card.

If some Windows functions aren't working or Windows crashes, use the System File Checker to scan Windows and restore your files. Though the steps below might look complicated at first glance, just follow them in order, step-by-step, and we’ll try to get you back on track.

How to open PC Health Check. In Windows, use Search on the taskbar to search for PC Health Check, then select it from the list of results. If a PC Health Check update is available, you can quickly install it for the latest version.