0xc004f213 on Windows 11: How to Fix This Activation Error

The process of activating the Windows 11 operating system has become very simple. There’s also the case when the key is pre-programmed into the BIOS and you do not need to enter any information. However, users reported getting the Windows 11 activation error 0xc004f213 message.

License keys help to confirm that your copy of the operating system is genuine and that it has not been installed on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow.

Follow along as we will show you how to fix the Windows 11 activation error 0xc004f213, right after we see why it is important to activate your copy of Windows as soon as you get a new laptop/computer. Keep up with us!

Why is it important to activate Windows?

Activate Windows will continue to appear in the bottom-right corner of your screen as long as you have a Windows PC running on it. Despite the fact that there are several methods for removing the watermark, it is possible that it will reappear if there are any problems with the Registry files.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to make changes to files in the Registry Editor, you will have to accept this watermark as a part of your computing experience.

If your copy of Windows is not activated, a message similar to Activate Windows appears in the Windows Settings window all of the time.

You will see the same message regardless of whether you are using Windows 11 or Windows 10. When you click on the appropriate link, you will be taken to the Windows activation panel in the Windows Settings.

However, if you do not activate Windows 11, you will be unable to make any changes to your Personalization options. In other words, you will be unable to change your wallpaper, theme, title color, Start Menu color, transparency, or any other aspect of your computer.

Numerous notifications, delivered at regular intervals, may prompt you to activate your Windows installation with a product key that is not in use by anyone else. This popup message may appear while you are watching a movie or reading an article on the internet, depending on your location.

If you intend to use Windows 11 indefinitely, it is highly advised that you obtain a product key to activate the operating system. Otherwise, you may encounter difficulties in the future due to the fact that the official license agreement does not correspond to your Windows usage.

How can I fix the Windows 11 activation error 0xc004f213?

1. Verify the license key

Unofficial licensing keys, as we will cover in further detail later in this post, are not permitted and should not be used. For years, Microsoft has been removing and banning all unrecognized keys from the market.

However, it is possible that you will use a hacked key that will work for a short period of time before being taken down.

Only purchase Microsoft-certified license keys, and double-check the code before activating it to ensure that you haven’t misspelled it.

2. Check if the computer key is activated

1. Press Windows + S to open the search bar and enter cmd, then right-click on it and tap on Run as administrator.
2. Type or copy-paste the following command inside the Command Prompt window and let it run. You will be shown a new window that either says The machine is permanently activated or the opposite: slmgr /xpr
3. If it is activated, you can stop here and ignore the 0xc004f213 error as it is a bug. Otherwise continue with the 4th step.
4. Right-click on the Start icon and choose Windows Terminal (Admin).
5. Enter the following command and let it run: wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
6. Copy the key, then head to the Activation section inside the Settings app and paste it in there.

3. Check the Internet connection

Another possibility for why you are receiving the Windows 11 activation error 0xc004f213 message is that your internet connection has been interrupted for various reasons.

To discover if you are linked to any networks, click on the Wi-Fi icon in your Taskbar and verify whether or not you are connected to any networks.

Choose one of them if you are not already using one, and then proceed with the Windows activation process. And note that you can also your hotspot connections if you don’t have any available Wi-Fi near you.

Are free license keys safe?

It is possible to find various websites on the internet that offer to sell genuine Windows product keys for a low cost. How do they acquire such low-cost Windows 11 product keys and is it legal and safe to use such grey market keys?

Although these Windows keys appear to be legitimate, they are not. Microsoft has priced Windows OS at varying rates in different nations.

There are a variety of factors at play in why Microsoft charges various prices in different countries. These explanations are based on the relative strength of the currencies of the countries in question, as well as other considerations.

The law of digital purchasing is also varying from one country to the next in different countries. Such websites are not legitimate sources for purchasing a low-cost Windows 11 key.

Microsoft does not support it and will launch a lawsuit against the individuals responsible for such websites if it discovers the websites that sell such keys. Additionally, it will deactivate all of the leaked keys in bulk.

It is possible that a cheap key will not work right away, or that it will function for a short period of time and then quit, or that it could operate for an extended period of time if you are lucky!

However, you should be aware that the key you are using may not be legitimate. We recommend that you always purchase genuine Windows product keys from the Microsoft Store or one of their authorized Partners for these reasons.

Don’t be taken in by such ruses. The low-cost Windows key you got from a third-party website is almost certainly not legal. These grey market keys come with the risk of being discovered, and if discovered, it’s game over for them. If luck favors you, you may get some time to use it.

You may go undiscovered for a week, a month, or a year, or you may go undetected for a lifetime – and you will have to make a decision about that.

If you still can’t activate your copy of Windows 11, take a look at the article linked and try the methods in there that should fix the error at hand.

Alternatively, in the case that you meet other activation errors, check out our post on how to fix a Windows 10/11 activation key that doesn’t work.

And lastly, for those who encountered the 0xc004c003 activation error, don’t miss out on the guide linked in order to find out how to solve it.

Don’t hesitate to tell us in the comments section below what you think and whether you have other solutions in mind as well.