Windows 8.1 Professional - Perpetual License

Windows 8.1 Professional is the business edition of Windows 8.1, the operating system Microsoft released in October 2013 as the update of Windows 8: it keeps the tile-based Start screen of that generation and adds domain join, Remote Desktop hosting, BitLocker and Client Hyper-V. It suits small companies, freelancers and home users who need a company network, drive encryption, virtual machines or a program written for this generation of Windows, and it is still installed on older hardware, virtual machines and offline test computers. What you buy is a product key for Windows 8.1 Professional: it is entered during installation or later in PC settings, works with the 32-bit and 64-bit installation media of this edition and is not meant for Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center, which is a separate product.

This product is a perpetual license key for Windows 8.1 Professional: it does not expire and can be used on 1 PC running Windows. The key is delivered by email together with the activation instructions.

Microsoft ended support for Windows 8.1 in January 2023: the system still installs and activates, but it no longer receives security updates and many current browsers and programs have dropped it. It remains a practical choice when you need the familiar Windows 8.1 environment for legacy software, for a PC that cannot run Windows 10 or 11, or for a test machine, ideally kept away from untrusted networks.

Key Features:

• Start screen and built-in apps: The Start screen shows live tiles that can be resized, grouped and sorted, and the system ships with apps for mail, calendar, news, weather, finance and other everyday tasks that refresh their content automatically.
• SkyDrive integration: The cloud storage service, later renamed OneDrive, is built into File Explorer and the settings: documents, photos and PC settings can be kept in sync across the devices signed in with the same Microsoft account.
• Domain join and Group Policy: The PC can join a Windows Server domain and follow the settings that the network administrator sets centrally, which the base edition of Windows 8.1 does not allow.
• BitLocker and Remote Desktop host: BitLocker encrypts whole drives and removable media, and other computers can connect to this PC over Remote Desktop and work on it as if they were in front of it.
• Client Hyper-V: On a 64-bit PC with a compatible processor the built-in Hyper-V role runs virtual machines with other Windows or Linux systems without additional software.

Product Details:

• Product: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional
• Version: Windows 8.1, 32-bit or 64-bit
• License Type: perpetual license key, no expiry
• Platform: Windows
• Devices: 1 PC
• Language: Multilingual (English, German, French, Italian, Russian and other languages; the language depends on the installation media used)
• Delivery: license key and instructions by email after payment confirmation (usually within a few hours)
• Activation: online, license key entered in the application
• Notes: retail license, as stated by the supplier
• Publisher: Microsoft
• Edition: Professional

System Requirements:

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster with support for PAE, NX and SSE2, 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)
• Memory: 1 GB of RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB of RAM (64-bit)
• Storage: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit) of free disk space
• Graphics: DirectX 9 graphics device with a WDDM driver

How to Activate:

1. Install Windows 8.1 Professional from installation media of this edition (a DVD or a USB stick created from an ISO file), choosing the 32-bit or 64-bit version that suits the PC.
2. During setup, enter the 25-character product key when asked; you can also enter or change it later in PC settings, under Activate Windows, or in Control Panel, System.
3. Connect the PC to the internet and click Activate: activation completes online in a few moments; phone activation is available as an alternative.
4. Open PC settings, Activate Windows and check that it says Windows is activated, then run Windows Update to install the available updates.

Delivery:

This product is delivered digitally. After your purchase is confirmed, the license key and activation guidance are sent to the email address provided at checkout. Delivery times may vary depending on the product type.