Windows 10 OEM vs Retail: What's the Difference?

When you purchase a Windows 10 licence, you will notice that both Retail and OEM options are available. Although they provide the same version of Windows 10, there are important differences in how they are marketed and installed. Here is what you need to know.

Windows 10 OEM

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. Here are the key characteristics:

Designed for manufacturers

OEM licensing is primarily aimed at hardware manufacturers such as Acer, HP, Lenovo and Samsung, who purchase licences in bulk to pre-install on their products.

Bulk purchasing

OEM licences are typically bought in large quantities, which is why they tend to be cheaper.

Tied to one device

The most significant feature of an OEM licence is that it is bound to the motherboard of the computer on which it is first activated. It cannot be transferred to another machine. This is the biggest difference between Windows 10 OEM and Retail.

This means that if you buy a computer with a pre-installed Windows 10 OEM licence and try to use that product key on a different laptop, it will not activate.

Windows 10 Retail

Retail licences have their own distinct characteristics:

Linked to your Microsoft account

A Retail licence is tied to your Microsoft account rather than to a specific computer.

Sold directly to consumers

Retail licences are the most widely recognised type and are available from most software retailers.

Transferable between devices

You cannot use your licence on two computers simultaneously, but you can deactivate it on one device and reactivate it on another.

Unlimited activations

A Retail licence allows unlimited activations on a single computer at a time, and you can change hardware components (RAM, graphics card) without affecting the licence.

Summary

Beyond the installation differences, the most notable distinction is price. OEM licences are generally cheaper because they are purchased in bulk. Using an OEM licence for personal use is perfectly legal and increasingly common.

If you are interested in finding the best price for Windows 10 Pro, browse our Windows licences section. At Licendi, you can buy both Windows 10 Home Retail and Windows 10 Pro OEM at competitive prices. For a comparison of Home and Pro editions, read our guide on the differences between Windows 10 Home and Pro.

Thinking about upgrading to Windows 11 instead? Check out our post on everything you need to know about Windows 11.

If you have any questions, leave us a comment or give us a call.

Best regards,
The Licendi Team