Coping with the error code 0xC004F050 whereas attempting to activate your Home windows? If sure, you’ve gotten stumbled upon the correct webpage.
Home windows activation errors are the worst errors to cope with for 2 causes. First, they prohibit entry to all of the superior options and performance and present that annoying “Activate Home windows” notification. Second, such errors outright declare that the license key you bought is invalid or can’t be used.
The error code 0xC004F050 is sort of the identical because it might go away customers puzzled and perplexed and go away them desirous about what’s flawed with their activation key or whether or not the activation key has expired.
Fortunately, you don’t want to fret anymore. That can assist you repair this error, I’ve ready this detailed information on troubleshooting Home windows activation error code 0xC004F050.
So, with none additional ado, let’s get began –
What Is Error Code 0xC004F050?
The Home windows activation error code 0xC004F050 signifies that the license key you entered isn’t legitimate and, subsequently, can’t be used to activate Home windows. Whereas this error isn’t quite common, many individuals have just lately reported going through it whereas attempting to activate their Home windows 11.
This error generally happens with an error message stating that –
“The product key you entered didn’t work. Verify the product key and check out once more, or enter a unique one. (0xC004f050)”
Seeing this error message is unusual, contemplating the Home windows license key by no means expires and comes with lifetime validity. And since Home windows license keys final indefinitely, this error will be fastened in most eventualities.
Causes of the Error Code 0xC004F050
A few of the main causes that might result in the error code 0xC004F050 are –
#1. Incorrect Activation Key
The primary and most blatant reason behind this error may very well be coming into the flawed activation key. Home windows product keys include 25-character alphanumeric code, and it’s potential that you simply may need mistyped any character, which has finally precipitated this error.
#2. Activating Incorrect Product
Each single time Microsoft releases a Home windows model, it releases a number of consumer variants of the identical. For instance, completely different consumer variants of Home windows 11 can be found, named the House Version, Professional, Enterprise, and so forth. The license key for every of those variants varies, which means you can’t activate House Version with the activation key of Home windows 11 Professional and vice versa.
In case you did a recent Home windows 11 set up in your PC, there’s a probability you’ll have mistakenly put in the flawed variant. And due to that, you’re coping with this error code 0xC004F050, telling you that you’ve got entered the flawed activation key.
#3. System File Corruption
System file corruption is among the many commonest causes that set off numerous errors and points on a Home windows machine, together with activation errors. If vital system information are corrupted, broken, or altered for any cause, it might have an effect on the general functioning of the OS.
Corrupted system information might additional trigger points whereas verifying the authenticity of the OS, tamper with the licensing information, trigger hindrance whereas speaking with the Microsoft activation servers, and far more. In all these eventualities, you’ll in the end face the Home windows activation difficulty.
#4. Invalid Product Key
Though the Home windows activation key by no means expires, there may be one particular state of affairs when the Home windows activation key would turn out to be invalid. This particular situation happens when you’ve gotten bought your laptop from any producer, they usually have put in the OEM copy of Home windows in your PC.
Since you’ve gotten the OEM copy put in, you can’t use the activation key in the event you substitute any OEM product, such because the motherboard or processor. In such a state of affairs, you solely get two choices – return to the inventory OEM merchandise or purchase a brand new copy of Home windows.
#5. Servers/Web-Associated Points
Though it is extremely unusual, it’s potential that the Microsoft servers can be busy or below upkeep. Apart from that, an unstable web connection might additionally trigger this activation error.
So, these are the most typical causes that set off the Home windows activation error code 0xC004F050.
Now that the causes, let’s focus on the workarounds you may comply with to repair this error.
How To Repair Home windows Activation Error Code 0xC004F050
Because it’s troublesome to determine the trigger, troubleshooting this error turns into a job.
Subsequently, the workarounds I’ve coated under are listed chronologically; we are going to begin with primary workarounds after which transfer to superior ones whereas fixing all of the potential causes.
Re-Enter the Home windows Activation Key
The error message signifies that this error occurred due to incorrect activation keys. Subsequently, the primary workaround we must always strive is to activate the Home windows with the identical key however this time with extra precision.
Doing so will affirm that this error hasn’t occurred because of any mistake in coming into the product key.
To repair the difficulty, comply with these easy steps –
Step 1: To start with, press the Win+I key collectively to launch Home windows Settings.
Step 2: Choose the System choice from the left sidebar after which choose the Activation choice.
Step 3: Since your Home windows isn’t activated, you will notice Not energetic talked about within the Activation state choice. Right here, click on on the Change button related to the Change product key choice.
Step 4: Doing so will open a brand new window the place it’s good to enter the Home windows activation key. Right here, enter the 25-digit activation key that got here with the Home windows.
Step 5: After that, double-check to make sure you entered the right key, and as soon as confirmed, click on on the Subsequent button.
Step 6: Home windows will now ask you to Activate Home windows. Click on on the Activate button to try this.
If the error code 0xC004F050 nonetheless exists, it’s fairly evident that it’s occurring because of another underlying trigger. You possibly can comply with the below-shared workarounds to repair these causes.
Verify Web Connection
All the most recent Home windows OS requires an energetic web connection for activation. Therefore you’ll almost definitely see this error in case your web connection isn’t working correctly.
Merely go to any web site or watch YouTube movies to examine the web connection standing in your PC. In case you try this and the web site doesn’t load, repair your web connection earlier than attempting to activate Home windows.
Alternatively, you may examine the web connection standing in your Home windows PC straight from settings –
Step 1: Press the Win+I keys concurrently to open Home windows Settings.
Step 2: Click on on the Community & Web from the left pane.
Step 3: On the high of your display, you will notice the community connection standing.
If the web connection isn’t the trigger, you may comply with the subsequent workaround.
Run the Home windows Activation Troubleshooter
Now that we all know this error isn’t triggered as a result of web or activation key, we have to discover the offender. And the Home windows Activation Troubleshooter utility might assist us with that.
You possibly can comply with these steps to run the Home windows Activation Troubleshooter –
Step 1: To start with, launch Home windows Settings by urgent the Win+I keys.
Step 2: Click on on the Activation choice listed within the System tab.
Step 3: Now, click on on the Activation state choice. Since your Home windows isn’t activated, you will notice the Not energetic standing.
Step 4: While you click on on the Activation state choice, it’s going to present you the error message stating the Error code: 0xC004F050 accompanied with a Troubleshoot button. Click on on that Troubleshoot button.
Step 5: Home windows Activation Troubleshooter will now begin figuring out the problems.
If the Activation Troubleshooter finds any difficulty inflicting the activation error, it’s going to inform you about that and begin fixing it instantly. But when the Troubleshooter couldn’t establish the difficulty, it’s going to show the report stating, “Troubleshooter couldn’t discover any downside.”
In each eventualities, restart your PC. After which, attempt to activate your Home windows OS.
In case you nonetheless see the error code 0xC004F050 after utilizing the Troubleshooter, it’s good to strive the subsequent workaround.
Run SFC and DISM Scan
Since this activation error might happen because of corrupted system information, working the SFC and DISM utilities to restore the corrupted system information can repair the difficulty.
System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Picture Servicing and Administration (DISM) are the built-in Home windows utilities that restore system information and Home windows picture and verifies system integrity. Utilizing these utilities collectively might repair the vast majority of the file corruption-related points.
Right here is how you should use the DISM and SFC utilities to repair system file corruption –
Step 1: Press the Win+S keys collectively to set off the Home windows Search utility.
Step 2: Sort cmd within the search field to search out the Command Immediate utility and choose the Run as administrator choice to launch the utility with administrator rights.
Step 3: First, we are going to use the DISM utility as a result of it fixes Home windows image-related points, together with the SFC utility.
To restore image-related points utilizing DISM, sort these instructions one after the other and hit the Enter key after every command –
dism /On-line /Cleanup-image /ScanHealth
dism /On-line /Cleanup-image /CheckHealth
dism /On-line /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth
dism /On-line /Cleanup-image /StartComponentCleanupExecuting these instructions will completely scan the Home windows picture in your PC and restore them if DISM finds any alteration or corruption.
Step 4: As soon as accomplished, sort the sfc /scannow command and hit Enter. This can launch the SFC utility and completely scan your system information for corruption or alteration and repair these information if it finds any.
Disclaimer – Each DISM and SFC completely scan and repair system photos and information for corruption and alterations. And it might take some time to finish the method. Please be affected person and don’t interrupt any course of, because it might additional injury or trigger different points.
DISM and SFC scan would almost definitely repair the Home windows activation error code 0xC004F050 if the error occurred because of corrupted system information.
However in the event you might nonetheless see the error code 0xC004F050 throughout Home windows activation, you must strive the subsequent workaround.
Inform Microsoft About {Hardware} Modifications
This workaround is completely for Home windows customers who’ve just lately changed {hardware} or have fully reconfigured their PC. If you’re one among them, comply with this resolution. In any other case, skip to the subsequent workaround.
With that stated Home windows requires you to reactivate your copy in the event you make any substantial {hardware} change in your PC. In earlier Home windows editions, it was once a busy course of because it concerned contacting Microsoft buyer help.
However with Home windows 10 and later releases, your license isn’t solely related to {hardware} but in addition linked to your Microsoft account. This makes it simpler to reactivate your Home windows and inform Microsoft that you’ve got modified the {hardware} in your PC.
Right here is how one can inform Microsoft in regards to the {hardware} adjustments –
Step 1: To start with, press the Win+I keys to open Home windows Settings.
Step 2: Choose the System tab from the left pane after which click on on the Activation choice.
Step 3: Click on on the Activation state choice. Since your Home windows isn’t activated, it’s going to have the Not energetic standing.
Step 4: You will notice the error message stating the Error code: 0xC004F050 together with a Troubleshoot button. Click on on this button.
Step 5: Look ahead to it to finish the method. After that, it gives you a report, however right here you will notice the choice “I modified {hardware} on this system just lately.” Click on on it.
Step 6: It should ask you to sign up to your Microsoft account. Do this.
Step 7: Now, choose your machine from the listing after which click on on the Activate button.
Word that this workaround would solely work when you’ve got a Home windows Retail license, not the OEM one.
OEM licenses are locked to 1 PC solely, so in the event you change the motherboard, the OEM Home windows license received’t be capable of reactivate your Home windows.
Look ahead to One or Two Days
It’s very unusual that Microsoft servers are down, however there is no such thing as a doubt that their servers bear upkeep. In such a state of affairs, it turns into difficult on your PC to speak with Microsoft servers, in the end inflicting the Home windows activation error code 0xC004F050.
When you have tried all of the above-shared strategies and but the error exists, I’d suggest ready a day or two after which attempting Home windows 11 activation.
But when the error stays the identical even after a few days, it’s evident that this error hasn’t occurred because of server-related points. As an alternative, there may be another difficulty that must be fastened.
Contact Microsoft Automated Telephone System
If the strategies talked about above don’t work, your subsequent resort can be to contact the Microsoft automated cellphone system.
This automated system is designed to assist folks activate their Home windows copy over the cellphone. And even Microsoft recommends utilizing it in the event you can’t activate your Home windows by means of another methodology.
You have to comply with these steps to connect with the Microsoft automated cellphone system and activate your Home windows –
Step 1: Launch Run by urgent the Win+R key collectively.
Step 2: Sort slui 4 within the dialog field and hit the Enter key.
Step 3: It should launch the Activate Home windows dialog field. Click on on the Activate by cellphone choice.
Step 4: Now choose your nearest location from the drop-down listing after which click on on the Subsequent button.
Step 5: You can be supplied with the assistant quantity. Name on the given quantity, and an automatic system will help you thru the activation course of.
Step 6: If the automated system couldn’t enable you activate your Home windows copy, your name can be linked to the regional Microsoft help. You possibly can inform them in regards to the difficulty you might be coping with.
Word that activating Home windows with the assistance of an automatic cellphone system is a prolonged course of. Plus, you should be attentive on name and comply with the directions rigorously.
One other factor is that this Activate by cellphone choice isn’t obtainable for everybody. Many customers have reported the identical on Microsoft Boards, however Microsoft hasn’t but supplied correct details about this difficulty.
So, if this selection doesn’t seem for you, don’t panic. Simply comply with the subsequent workaround to repair the error code 0xC004F050.
Revert to Home windows 10 and Improve to Home windows 11
Earlier than continuing additional, let me let you know that this methodology to repair error code 0xC004F050 would almost definitely work for customers who didn’t change any {hardware} and put in a recent copy of Home windows 11. However in the event you don’t fall into this class, you may nonetheless give it a strive.
This methodology works for most individuals as a result of they almost definitely have the product activation key of Home windows 7, 8, or 10, not Home windows 11. So, after they set up a recent copy of Home windows 11 and attempt to activate it with the license key of another Home windows model, it causes a battle.
Plus, Microsoft offers a free improve to Home windows 11 from earlier variations relatively than the free copy of Home windows 11. And that’s why this idea makes a little bit sense.
That stated, there is no such thing as a official affirmation from Microsoft about it. However since this methodology works for a lot of, why not strive it?
Since offering all of the steps isn’t potential, right here I’ve supplied a common guideline that you could comply with –
Step 1: First, make a bootable media for Home windows 10.
Step 2: Set up Home windows 10 in your machine.
Step 3: Activate Home windows 10 utilizing the license key you’ve gotten.
Step 4: Now, improve to Home windows 11 utilizing Home windows 11 Set up Assistant.
Upgrading utilizing the set up assistant would routinely activate your Home windows and get rid of the error 0xC004F050.
Closing Feedback
There you’ve gotten it – an in depth information on find out how to repair the Home windows 11 activation error code 0xC004F050.
Since the reason for this error isn’t simple to determine, troubleshooting it turns into difficult.
Fortunately, you may repair this error by following the workarounds talked about on this article.
However when you’ve got modified any {hardware} and the error exists even after attempting all of the workarounds, it may very well be since you had the OEM license of Home windows. If that’s the case, this error might solely be fastened by putting in the beforehand put in {hardware} or shopping for a brand new copy of Home windows.
Subsequent, take a look at find out how to restore Home windows photos utilizing the DISM command.