Get Rid of the "Activate Windows" Watermark in 3 Ways

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How to make the "Activate Windows" watermark go away forever

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: August 25, 2025 Fact Checked

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Activating Windows

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Using Registry Editor

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Using Command Prompt

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Do you keep seeing the "Activate Windows" watermark? This little reminder can be helpful to buy and activate Windows, but it can certainly get annoying since it's always in the way. Editing the Registry Editor or entering a command in Command Prompt are easy but temporary solutions. The only way to permanently remove Windows activation notifications is by activating Windows.

Removing the Windows Activation Watermark: Quick Steps

Open Registry Editor.
Navigate to the "Activation" folder in your version of Windows.
Modify the "Manual" key.
Modify the "NotificationDisabled" key.
Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Activating Windows

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1
Open Start
. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.^{[1]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
- Activating Windows is the best way to get rid of the watermark, and you can find legit copies of Windows at low costs.
  - You can check eBay and Groupon for cheap deals on Windows, but the key may not work. Sometimes, Microsoft will host sales so you can get Windows at low prices.
  - If you're upgrading from a previous version of Windows, activation might be free!
Click the gear-shaped icon in the left-hand side of the Start window.^{[2]
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This circular arrow-shaped icon is at the bottom of the Settings window.
It's a tab on the left side of the window.^{[3]
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Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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5
Activate your copy of Windows. You can do this in one of two ways, depending on whether you have to buy a key or have already upgraded for free on a different computer:^{[4]
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- Free Upgrade - Click Troubleshoot, enter your Microsoft email address and password if prompted, click Activate Windows, and click Activate when prompted.
- Purchased Key - Click Go to store, click Buy below your preferred version of Windows, and enter your payment information.^{[5]
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Click Start
, click Power
, and click Restart. Once your computer finishes restarting, your version of Windows should be activated.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Registry Editor

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1
Open Registry Editor. Press the Win key on your keyboard and type regedit to search for the app, then click the first app search result to open it.
- Alternatively, press Win + R to open the Run dialog and enter regedit.
- Click Yes when prompted to continue to use the editor.
$Step 2 Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\Activation.$

2
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\Activation. Click the arrow next to the directory name to expand it and see more folders inside.
- For example, click "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" to expand it, then click "SOFTWARE".
- Alternatively, enter the "activation" pathway into the address bar in the Registry Editor.
An "Edit DWORD" window will pop up.
Click the circle next to it to select it.
5
Set the "Value data" to and click OK. Here's what you should see in the pop-up.

"Value Name" Manual.

"Value data" 0.

"Base" Hexadecimal.
An "Edit DWORD" window will pop up.
Click the circle next to it to select it.
8
Set the "Value data" to and click OK. Here's what you should see in the pop-up.

"Value Name" NotificationDisabled.

"Value data" 0.

"Base" Hexadecimal.
9
Restart your Windows computer or laptop. Once you close the Editor, you can restart your device, and the Windows pop-up will disappear. ^{[6]
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- You might see the notification appear again in a few hours, and you can repeat this process to get rid of the watermark again.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Command Prompt

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Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Press the Win key, enter cmdprompt, right-click the app search result, and click Open as administrator.
- You will run into errors if Secure Boot is enabled on your system and if you don't run Command Prompt as an administrator.
bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF and press ↵ Enter.
4
Restart your computer or laptop. Once you close the Editor, you can restart your device, and the Windows pop-up will disappear. ^{[7]
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- You might see the notification appear again in a few hours, and you can repeat this process to get rid of the watermark again.

Community Q&A

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Question

I can't do the 5th step. The troubleshoot option is not shown and I can't find it anywhere.

Community Answer

If you are in the activation settings window, it should be on the bottom of the screen.

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Tips

In some cases, a bug or glitch will cause your computer to have trouble communicating with Windows' activation servers, causing this watermark to appear in error. The only way to resolve this bug is to use the Get Help feature in Windows to contact Microsoft Support.

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The paid version of Windows has significantly more options for customization than does the free trial version.

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Warnings

Avoid software that claims to disable permanently Windows activation notifications, as such programs are usually malware (and even if they aren't, they're illegal).^{[8]
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