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Activation: Difference between revisions

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'''Online activation''', also known as '''cloud-based activation''', is the requirement to connect to the Internet before activating a product or software that the end user paid for. Examples include:
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* Some operating systems such as iOS and Windows 11 require registering an account with the device vendor to be set up before first use.<ref>[https://www.howtogeek.com/739837/fyi-windows-11-home-will-require-a-microsoft-account-for-initial-setup/ FYI: Windows 11 Home Will Require a Microsoft Account For Initial Setup] - Benj Edwards</ref>
Activation is a license or service validation procedure. It may involve sending information about a device, a license or a licensee to a service provider, and receiving some information that is entered into the device.
* Xiaomi requires registering an account to be able to unlock the bootloader.<ref name=xiaomi>[https://new.c.mi.com/global/post/101245 Complete Guide to Unlocking the Bootloader: Announcement, Troubleshoot and Tips &#x7c; Xiaomi Community]</ref>
* Some DJI drones and Insta360 cameras require to be linked to a smartphone before first use.<ref>[https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=en-us03400006736&spaceId=34&re=US&lang=en&documentType=artical&paperDocType=paper Activating Your Drone] - DJI support</ref><ref name=Insta360>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgh8e0dW0eQ Insta360 camera locks you out "to protect your consumer rights" - corporate gaslighting] - Louis Rossmann</ref>


== Disadvantages ==
For example, [[Microsoft Windows]] version 7 and later would collect information about a computer when they were installed. They create a [[Device fingerprint|fingerprint]] of the hardware, and generate a code based on that. Function was limited until the program was activated. One could activate it by telephoning the manufacturer, reading the code, and getting a code in return to enter in to the program. Activation could also be done online<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-07 |title=Product activation for Windows - online & Microsoft Support Product Activation Portal |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/product-activation-for-windows-online-microsoft-support-product-activation-portal-35f6a805-1259-88b4-f5e9-b52cccef91a0 |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=Microsoft Support}}</ref>.
Given that online services shut down all the time, activation services can be lost, leaving the user with an unuseable product.<ref>[https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ You Can't Control Your Data in the Cloud] - Karl Voit</ref>


Some places in the world have limited Internet access. This can cause difficulties when activating.
Online activation, also known as cloud-based activation, is the requirement to connect to the Internet before activating a product or software that the end user paid for. Examples include:


Providers can limit activations or arbitrarily revoke access. For example, Xiaomi only allows one bootloader unlock per person per 30 days and four phones per year, in addition to a week-long delay after purchase.<ref name=xiaomi /><ref name=Insta360 />
*Some operating systems such as iOS and Windows 11 [[Forced account|require registering an account]] with the device vendor to be set up before first use.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=2021-07-08 |title=FYI: Windows 11 Home Will Require a Microsoft Account For Initial Setup |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/739837/fyi-windows-11-home-will-require-a-microsoft-account-for-initial-setup/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202070328/https://www.howtogeek.com/739837/fyi-windows-11-home-will-require-a-microsoft-account-for-initial-setup/ |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=How-To Geek}}</ref>
*[[Xiaomi]] requires registering an account to be able to [[Bootloader_unlocking|unlock the bootloader]].<ref name="xiaomi">{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=J C |date=2022-08-20 |title=Complete Guide to Unlocking the Bootloader: Announcement, Troubleshoot and Tips |url=https://new.c.mi.com/global/post/101245 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730161839/https://new.c.mi.com/global/post/101245 |archive-date=2025-07-30 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Xiaomi Community}}</ref>
*Some [[DJI]] drones and [[Insta360]] cameras require to be linked to a smartphone before first use.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Activating Your Drone |url=https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=en-us03400006736&spaceId=34&re=US&lang=en&documentType=artical&paperDocType=pap |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202071212/https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=en-us03400006736&spaceId=34&re=US&lang=en&documentType=artical&paperDocType=paper |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=DJI Help Center}}</ref><ref name="Insta360">{{Cite web |last=Rossman |first=Louis |date=2025-08-16 |title=Insta360 camera locks you out 'to protect your consumer rights' - corporate gaslighting |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgh8e0dW0eQ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Lgh8e0dW0eQ |archive-date=2025-08-16 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=YouTube}}</ref>


==Disadvantages==


== References ==
* The activation of purchased products often require users to transmit hardware identifiers and product keys to manufacturers for verification purposes, though the extent of personal data collection varies by implementation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 Sep 2001 |title=Windows Product Activation Versus Software Registration |url=https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/windows-product-activation-versus-software-registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527000836/https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/windows-product-activation-versus-software-registration |archive-date=27 May 2024 |access-date=2026-05-13 |website=Information Week}}</ref>
<references />
* For online activation it can be unsafe to connect a device to a network before it has the latest security updates. However, getting and installing the latest security updates can be difficult without a fully functioning device. For example with Windows, if you have a computer with a functional current version of Windows you can download security updates for offline installation. They make this very difficult for those who do not yet have [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]].
* Given that services shut down all the time, activation services can be lost, leaving the user with an unusable product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voit |first=Karl |date=2016-11-12 |title=You Can't Control Your Data in the Cloud |url=https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202071758/https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Public Voit}}</ref> When the manufacturer regards the product as reaching end of life, they may stop providing activations. However some products may be in service for decades after the manufacturer ceases support.
* Due to many parts of the world having no/slow internet access, some users can be incapable of activating the product they purchased.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Okemwa |first=Kevin |date=13 Apr 2026 |title=Microsoft explains why you can’t activate Windows 11 without the internet anymore |url=https://tech.yahoo.com/computing/articles/microsoft-explains-why-t-activate-102310527.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-13}}</ref>
* Providers can limit activations or arbitrarily revoke access. For example, [[Xiaomi]] only allows one bootloader unlock per person per 30 days and four phones per year, in addition to a week-long delay after purchase.<ref name="xiaomi" /><ref name="Insta360" />
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
[[Category:Common terms]]
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