Buy Microsoft licenses in Italy

Check Windows 11 compatibility and edition before buying

A Windows licence does not make an incompatible computer eligible for Windows 11. Before purchasing, run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app and check the processor, TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot capability. Windows 11 also requires at least 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, although practical requirements depend on your applications. If a check fails, consult the computer manufacturer before changing firmware settings or planning an installation.

Next, open Settings > System > Activation to identify your current edition and activation status. An activated Windows 11 Home installation normally needs an edition upgrade to use Pro features; entering a Pro key is not simply renewing Home. Conversely, an eligible device that already has a digital licence for Pro may not need another purchase when reinstalling the same edition. Back up important files and save any BitLocker recovery key before making substantial system changes.

• Run Microsoft PC Health Check on the intended computer.
• Record the installed Windows edition and activation status.
• Check whether you actually need Pro-only features.
• Use Microsoft installation media rather than unofficial modified images.
• Never clear the TPM without understanding the consequences for encryption keys.

Choose the right Office product and prepare the installation

Start with the operating system, required applications and number of people using Office. A Windows-only Office package will not install as the equivalent Mac product. Professional Plus belongs to Microsoft’s volume-licensing product range, so ask for the exact product name and licensing channel rather than assuming it behaves like a consumer retail purchase. A perpetual licence covers the licensed version; it does not automatically include future major releases, indefinite security updates or Microsoft 365 services.

Microsoft 365 Family is a subscription for up to six people in total, each using their own Microsoft account. Each person can install the applications on their devices and be signed in on five devices simultaneously; this is not a fixed pool of thirty transferable perpetual licences. Before installing any Office edition, review existing Office, Visio and Project installations. Mixed installation technologies, incompatible versions or different 32-bit and 64-bit architectures can require removing or replacing an existing product.

• List essential applications, including Access, Visio or Project if needed.
• Confirm Windows or macOS compatibility for the exact product.
• Check whether the intended use is covered by the applicable licence terms.
• Back up Outlook data and note any specialist add-ins before uninstalling Office.
• Use the installer and activation method appropriate to the licensing channel.
• Share Microsoft 365 Family through invitations, not a shared password.

Understand activation, transfer rights and licence evidence

Successful activation is a technical check, not a complete determination that a licence has been lawfully supplied or assigned. Microsoft’s terms distinguish between licensing channels, and rights can depend on how the software was originally acquired. Request a precise product description and retain the invoice, applicable terms and any assignment or transfer documentation. For a business purchase, this evidence matters more than a screenshot showing that Windows or Office currently reports itself as activated.

For Windows, a standalone retail licence generally permits transfer to another device under its terms, provided the software is removed from the previous device. A preinstalled OEM licence generally remains with the licensed device and transfers with it, rather than separately. Office transfer rights depend on the particular product and agreement. Linking an account or running the Activation troubleshooter can help restore eligible Windows activation after a hardware change, but neither action creates additional licensing rights.

• Ask whether the licence is retail, OEM or supplied under volume licensing.
• Do not treat a product key alone as proof of ownership or transfer rights.
• Check the applicable Microsoft terms before replacing a computer or motherboard.
• Do not assume a one-device licence covers two computers used alternately.
• Keep keys private and redact them from screenshots or support posts.

Separate Italian consumer rights from activation and refund policies

For an Italian consumer buying online, the statutory withdrawal period is generally fourteen days, but digital content has an important exception. When supply starts during that period, withdrawal rights can be lost only if the applicable legal conditions are met, including prior express consent and acknowledgement of that loss. Do not assume that leaving a key unactivated necessarily preserves withdrawal rights: the relevant issue can include how digital supply began and what consent was recorded at checkout.

Withdrawal and remedies for non-conforming digital content are separate issues. A restriction on changing your mind does not automatically remove statutory remedies when the supplied product is defective or does not match the contract. Keep the order description, confirmation email, invoice and any activation error messages. If purchasing for an Italian business, provide the correct legal name, address and VAT details before invoicing, and have your accountant confirm the appropriate VAT treatment for the supplier and transaction.

• Read digital-supply consent wording before completing checkout.
• Save the product description and licence conditions as supplied at purchase.
• Record the full activation error code without exposing the product key.
• Distinguish a voluntary refund policy from statutory consumer remedies.
• Business purchases do not automatically receive consumer withdrawal protections.

Product and licensing distinctions to verify before purchase