Before you begin
Have your Windows 8.1 Pro product key ready.
Back up all important files before performing a clean installation.
For a clean installation, you need a USB drive with at least 8 GB of storage. The USB drive will be erased.
Keep a network driver available in case Windows does not detect your network adapter after installation.
Choose the 64-bit version when your computer supports it.
Activate an existing Windows installation
Step 1: Open the activation settings
Press Windows key + X, select System, and then select Change product key.
Step 2: Enter your product key
Enter the product key you received after purchase, and then select Activate.
Alternative method: Press Windows key + R, enter slui 3, press Enter, enter your product key, and then select Activate.
Perform a clean installation
Warning: Creating the bootable USB drive erases everything currently stored on that drive. Deleting existing Windows partitions during installation also removes the data stored on those partitions.
Step 1: Download the Windows 8.1 Pro ISO
Download the version that matches your computer:
Step 2: Create a bootable USB drive with Rufus
Connect an empty USB drive with at least 8 GB of storage.
Open Rufus and select the USB drive.
Select the downloaded ISO file.
Choose GPT (UEFI) for a UEFI-based computer or MBR (Legacy/BIOS) for an older BIOS-based computer.
Select Start and confirm that the USB drive can be erased.
Step 3: Start the computer from the USB drive
Restart the computer.
Open the boot menu. The key is often F12, Esc, F9, or F10, depending on the computer manufacturer.
Select the USB drive.
Step 4: Install Windows
Select Install now.
Select Custom as the installation type.
Optional: Delete the old Windows partitions if you want to remove the existing installation and its data.
Select Unallocated space, and then select Next.
Step 5: Install drivers and updates
After Windows starts, install the required drivers. Install the network and chipset drivers first, and then run Windows Update.
Step 6: Activate Windows
Open System, select Change product key, and enter your product key. You can also press Windows key + R, enter slui 3, and press Enter.
Troubleshooting activation
If activation fails, take a screenshot of the full error message and error code. Include the screenshot when contacting support so the team can assist you more quickly.
Contact technical support
For help with installation, your product key, or activation, contact our support team via email [email protected] and we will be glad to assist you. Our customer service is open Monday–Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
