I run Windows in a virtual machine (VM). For this I bought a license of a home edition. But can you use Home in VMs at all?
I run Windows in a virtual machine (VM). I bought a separate license for a home edition that was sufficient for my purposes. But now I stumbled across statements on the Internet according to which Home should not be used in VMs at all. Others even claim that this is only allowed with Enterprise editions with special licenses.
There are plenty of such statements, and they are often backed up with genuine quotes from Microsoft. The decisive factor: They mostly refer to US law. On the other side of the pond, Microsoft can dictate what kind of PC Windows can be installed on (and more).
In this country, however, the legal situation is different. If you buy the license from a retailer, according to German copyright law, it is not a concern of the company which PC you use it on. You can use them as the rightful owner on any device. So it doesn’t matter whether it’s real hardware or a virtual machine. The edition doesn’t matter either, so you may as well install Windows Home in a VM.
It becomes more complicated if, for example, you as a company conclude a contract directly with Microsoft or a license dealer authorized by the group. Then what you sign applies, and you can only get out of the number if you contest the contract and get justice in court. If, after looking at your contract, there are still ambiguities about the use in a VM, you should not ask Microsoft or your license dealer about it. Above all, they want to sell you as many licenses as possible, so they are biased. Instead, contact an independent lawyer specializing in IT law.
Tip: There are only the Home and Pro editions as system builder licenses, but they can all be purchased and you can always use them in a VM. With such licenses, private customers as well as companies, authorities, clubs and so on are all on the safe side. We’ve also published a series of articles with comprehensive buying advice on Windows licenses.
