0xc004f069 Activation Error: How to Fix it

When you want to upgrade to a higher version of Windows, you’ll need to activate it using a genuine product key. However, the error 0xc004f069 may prevent you from achieving this.

This error can happen in all versions of Windows, but the most common group seems to be the Windows server. If you’ve encountered this issue, here is a step-by-step guide to fix it.

What causes the 0xc004f069 activation error?

0xc004069 is an activation error that occurs when you try to install a product key on a system that has exhausted the maximum number of activations for that product or is just invalid. 

The detailed error message usually says on a computer running non-core edition run slui.exe 0x2a 0xc004f069 to display the error text. The root cause of the error is usually brought about by the version of the Windows server you’re on.

For instance, if you’re on the Evaluation edition and try to activate using a volume license key, it will fail because it can only work with a retail key.

We all know you can continue using Windows without activating it. However, you’ll be highly disadvantaged as you can’t use most features. 

Only a few users utilize Windows servers, so activation may be necessary compared to single-user Windows versions. 

So why can’t you activate the Windows server? Here are some reasons behind the 0xc004f069 activation error:

• Wrong product key – If your product key is not from Microsoft or was sold separately by a third-party vendor, there is a possibility it may not work on your Windows version.
• Change of product key – If you have made significant hardware changes on your PC, Windows may not recognize your hardware.
• Change in region – If you change regions or languages on your PC, you may receive this activation error. This is because you’re no longer connected to the Microsoft servers, and the product key cannot be used in your region to activate your version of Windows. 

You need to deactivate an existing activation for the same product to resolve this issue.

How do I fix error 0xc004f069?

Change your Windows edition

1. Hit the Windows key, type cmd in the search bar, and click Run as administrator.
2. Type the following command and hit Enter. Remember to replace xxx with the standard edition product key (this is your retail key): DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey: xxx
3. You’ll then be prompted to restart your system, so press Y to proceed.
4. Click on the Start Menu icon, type cmd in the search bar, and click Run as administrator.
5. Type the following command and hit Enter. Remember to replace the last part with your actual product key: slmgr /ipk your_product_key
6. You should get an Installed product key successfully message.

You can also choose to convert your Windows server to the Datacenter edition. However, this is only necessary if you need unlimited access to virtual machines. 

The Standard edition only allows up to 2 VMs, so for the command in 3 above, you’d only change to ServerDatacenter and input the corresponding product key.

And that’s how to resolve the error 0xc004f069. You may also come across another activation error dubbed 0x87e10bc6, so don’t hesitate to check out our detailed article on how to deal with it.

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