Activate Windows 11 with Mac M1

I can't activate a Windows 11 on a Parallels with M1 chip. I was using Windows 10 on my old Mac, activation with this license doesn't work. So I bought a new license for Windows 11 Professional. This license cannot be activated either. Suppose I'm trying to install Windows using the ISO file that I received with this purchase, it doesn't work because that ISO file only works for an Intel-based processor Windows. Where can you buy a Windows 11 for ARM processors? Nobody understands that anymore! Does anyone have a tip for me!

 

You can't buy Windows 11 for ARM specifically. A Windows license will work for Intel and ARM.
Microsoft unfortunately doesn't offer an ISO for Windows on ARM (except Insider Previews). The easiest way to install Windows 11 is to click the „+" in Parallels Control Center and use the „get from Microsoft" option next to the ISO option. That will install Windows 11 Home.
You didn't provide any information why your license key isn't accepted. There could be a number of reasons. What kind of error message do you get? Is your license a retail license or a (usually much cheaper) OEM or Volume license? Is your Windows 10 license linked to your Microsoft account?

 

Thank you for your reply. I have a license for Windows 11 Pro, but if I install Windows 11 from Parallels Control Center, I get a Windows 11 Home. Perhaps this is the problem, that I try to activate a Windows 11 Home with a license-key for Pro. The Error Message is 0xc004f050.

 

Hello @StefanP7, Please contact Microsoft support regarding the activation issue of Microsoft Windows 11. Thanks, Parallels Team.

 

Using a Pro key should work and upgrade Windows Home to Windows Pro.
Do you get that error when you try to activate your Windows 10 key or the new one?

 

I just tried the "automatically" installed version of Windows 11 and then entering a Pro key. It tries, then fails.

 

It should work. I haven't tried it myself but someone else in the forum successfully upgraded from Home to Pro with a Pro license recently. Impossible to say why it doesn't work for you without further details.

 

I should have disregarded the Windows error message. It was rebooted after the update and showed as activated to Pro.

 

I'm having the exact same issue as you've reported. How were you able to resolve this?

 

I simply rebooted.

 

Not working for me

 

I bought a cheap Windows 11 Pro license and I was unable to activate it using the default Windows 11 that Parallels automatically installs, but activation with my cheap license worked using the Windows 11 VHDX image referenced in https://kb.parallels.com/125375.

 

Use troubleshooting in activation page. I did that myself

 

For anyone still struggling with this, I found a solution that worked for me.

My situation was slightly different. I set up Windows 11 ARM on my work Mac and wanted to activate it with a Volume License Windows 11 Pro key from my workplace. Activation failed and the error returned was 0xC004F213. The natural conclusion was to try the troubleshooter. Troubleshooter said either contact support or buy a new license. I chose to contact support, but because my Microsoft account is a business account, the Get Help login screen wouldn't even recognize my account.

Googling the error code, I found this guide to resolve the same error code, but in Windows 10. The section that finally resolved the issue for me was "Use a Generic Key". Basically, you disconnect from the internet, input the generic key which will upgrade your "Home" installation to Pro, then restart the computer. After you restart, connect to the internet again then change the license key to your valid key. Voila, Windows 11 Pro for ARM activated on my M1.

I suspect the fact that my key is a volume license key was not relevant, and that it simply would not activate on a "Home" installation. Using the generic key to update to Pro seems like the real fix.
It may also be worth noting that I'm on the Insider Beta channel, though I suspect that makes no difference.

 

Hello! I have bought Parallels Pro edition, and can't activate Windows 11 pro...should I buy it? Error code: 0xC004F213
Please, could you help to solve this out?

 

Buying a Parallels license doesn't include a Windows license. You need a Windows license key to activate Windows.

 

Thanks David717 your method really works! I got it resolved using your instruction! Greatly appreciated for your help!

 

David717's fix was right on the money. I used the same generic key in the link he provided. In my case after putting in a legitimate Windows 11 Pro Key I received an error message that "We can't activate Windows on this device right now". I rebooted and Windows was fully activated.

 

Doesn't help for a digital licence (no product key, and the old machine reports the generic key as the product key)

Sadly, Microsoft were very unhelpful. I've wasted so much time on this now I'm considering giving up and purchasing a new license, but I'm too scared the new license will not work, either.

 

David's method did not work for me. My machine stayed on Windows 11 Home. I need Windows 11 Pro for ARM Mac m1. Can't find how to download or install 11 Pro for ARM installer.