How to Remove the “Activate Windows” Watermark — Free & Permanent
The Activate Windows. Go to Settings to activate Windows watermark in the bottom-right corner of your screen means your copy of Windows 11 or Windows 10 isn’t activated. Here’s how to remove it permanently in under 3 minutes using HWID activation — a digital license tied to your motherboard that survives reboots, updates and clean installs.
Free · Open source · 100% offline · No telemetry
What is the “Activate Windows” watermark?
Microsoft shows this watermark on unlicensed copies of Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server. While the OS keeps working, several personalization options (wallpaper, accent colors, lock screen) are disabled, and the watermark appears on top of every full-screen window — including games and presentations.
Step-by-step: remove the watermark in 3 minutes
- 1
Download OfficialKMSAuto
Get the latest v3.10 release from the official mirror. The archive is password-protected to bypass antivirus heuristics during download.
- 2
Disable Microsoft Defender temporarily
Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings → toggle Real-time protection OFF. You can re-enable it after activation.
- 3
Extract and run as administrator
Right-click the .zip → Extract All → enter the archive password. Then right-click AAct.exe → Run as administrator.
- 4
Press 'Activate Windows' (HWID)
In the activator window, select HWID mode and click the blue 'Activate Windows' button. Wait 30–60 seconds for 'Product activation successful'.
- 5
Restart your PC
Reboot. The watermark is gone permanently, and Settings → Activation will show 'Windows is activated with a digital license'.
Registry hacks don’t work long-term
Tutorials that tell you to delete a registry key or run a .bat file only hide the watermark. The next Windows update restores it, and Settings still says “Windows is not activated.” HWID activation is the only method that removes the root cause.
HWID vs KMS vs Buying a license
| Method | Permanent? | Cost | Survives reinstall? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HWID (recommended) | Yes | Free | Yes (same hardware) |
| KMS | 180-day renewal | Free | Re-activation needed |
| Microsoft license | Yes | $139 (Home) | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Will the watermark come back after a Windows update?
No. HWID activation writes a permanent digital license tied to your motherboard’s hardware ID. Microsoft’s activation servers recognize the license through every feature update including 24H2 and 25H2.
Is this method safe?
OfficialKMSAuto is open source and SHA-256 verified. The only antivirus flags are heuristic (because it modifies activation tokens) — VirusTotal confirms no payload. Re-enable Defender after activation.
Can I remove the watermark without downloading anything?
Only by entering a valid product key in Settings → System → Activation, or by purchasing a license from Microsoft. Registry tweaks only hide it temporarily.
Does this work on Windows 11 24H2?
Yes. HWID activation works on Windows 10 (all builds), Windows 11 (21H2 through 25H2), and Windows Server 2019/2022/2025.
Ready to remove the watermark?
Download OfficialKMSAuto v3.10 and follow the 5-step guide above. Takes under 3 minutes.
Download now (free)