SMART FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
SMART is our cloud-based Windows license injection tool for refurbished PCs.
Refurbishers ourselves, we noticed the need for an easy way to inject Windows licenses digitally.
The result was SMART, which in 2021 won the Microsoft Innovation Award.
SMART allows you to buy, manage, and inject legitimate Windows license keys without complex hardware or in-depth expertise.
A digital Windows license is a Windows license which is stored and injected with a computer server.
Prior to 2021, Refurbishers could buy a paper Certificate of Authentication (COA).
Paper COAs provided a unique key to install an operating system onto the device.
On the 30th of June 2021, Microsoft stopped selling paper Windows Licenses to all Refurbishers.
To buy more licenses, you will need to switch to digital.
SMART is a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher.
Buying from us removes multiple risks that emerge from selling illegitimate Windows licenses.
By buying from us you can sell yourself as a Microsoft Third Party Refurbisher and sell your products with a Genuine Microsoft Refurbisher Label.
SMART removes all hardware and technical requirements for Windows key injection.
By moving injects to the cloud, SMART:
- Reduces your costs by eliminating spending on hardware.
- Removes need for technical expertise.
- Decreases time taken to inject Windows to a PC.
- Contains software which prevents wasting money by injecting multiple licenses to the same device.
- Checks that the refurbished device isn’t missing any drivers. This prevents unnecessary returns of devices which malfunction due to missing drivers.
Refurbishers need their customers to be confident that what they are buying is high-quality, safe, and legal.
Buying cheap keys from too-good-to-be-true websites carries multiple risks.
Buying licenses through a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher is the best way to avoid the risks that come with cheaper keys.
At SMART we are a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher, and therefore you can trust that our licenses will be secure, reliable, and legitimate.
MAR is an acronym for Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher. Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers are medium to large-sized business who are authorized to sell Windows licenses for refurbished PCs and laptops. Only MARs are authorized to sell Microsoft Windows licenses. Yes! Through Global Resale, SMART is a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher. You can see a complete list of Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers here. A Third Party Refurbisher is authorized to buy Microsoft Licenses from a MAR and inject the licenses that it buys into a second-hand device. To become a Third Party Refurbisher, traditionally you must apply to a MAR. You will be vetted and approved at the MAR’s leisure. SMART’s signup process is quicker than traditional MARs. By signing up to SMART and accepting our terms and conditions, you immediately become a Third Party Refurbisher.
Simply select one of our pricing options and complete the registration form.
You will then be able to access Microsoft Keys and download our simple injection client to get started straight away.
You can read our guide to sign up here and visit smartdpk.com/getstarted to sign up.
It takes as little as 5 minutes to register and purchase Microsoft Windows keys.
You can then inject those keys to a Refurbished PC immediately.
Most of our signups choose the Essentials subscription, which includes a discount for key purchases.
If you are a small business, our Pay as You Go program is completely free.
If you want to change your subscription, visit smartdpk.com/pricing while logged in.
Your current subscription will show as ‘Active’ and click ‘Get Started’ on the plan that you wish to upgrade to.
This will add your new subscription to your basket, which you can then confirm.
You can purchase keys from our website once you have an active SMART subscription.
To activate a subscription, visit smartdpk.com/getstarted
Prices depends on which SMART subscription you have active.
To activate a subscription, visit smartdpk.com/getstarted
The minimum bundle of keys available from our store is 5. There is no maximum.
Yes, Windows 11 is now available!
When you purchase keys, you can choose either Windows 10 or Windows 11.
Yes, however we require your company to be approved before allowing you to purchase these.
Citizenship licenses are only for eligible institutions, and you can read more about them here.
Please contact us at [email protected] and provide your company details for more information.
Your keys are available as soon as you purchase them.
There are currently the following options for Digital Product Keys (DPKs):
- Windows 10 Home
- Windows 10 Pro
- Windows 10 Pro Citizenship
- Windows 11 Home
- Windows 11 Pro
- Windows 11 Pro Citizenship
Pro Citizenship is only available to qualified charitable and non-profit organisations.
Yes.
Whenever you activate a key, it must be accurately reported to Microsoft. We handle all of this via the SMART client at the point of injection. To do so, you need to subscribe to SMART.
Subscribing to SMART on the Pay as You Go plan is completely free.
Once you subscribe to SMART and purchase Windows keys, you are ready to inject a Windows license.
To inject the key, download the SMART client at app.smartdpk.com/client and add the file to a USB.
Then start up your refurbished computer in audit mode with an internet connection. Insert the USB and run the SMART file.
When you are ready, select ‘Inject Product Key’ and SMART will inject a Windows license to your device.
Finally, select ‘Ship to Customer.’
The device will boot up with Out Of Box Experience, ready for customers to use, next time the computer boots up.
Typically, to inject a Windows license key to a refurbished device you would need a costly on-premise server.
SMART is cloud based so does not require you to run an in-house server; we do that for you.
The only requirements are a USB stick/network drive and internet connection.
The Microsoft Digital Operations Services (MDOS) SMART client is the Microsoft application for keeping track of Windows license keys.
Our Cloud Based system acts as a middleware between you and MDOS meaning you don’t need to set up MDOS.
We handle all that for you.
Just download our client and you are ready to inject your keys.
No!
You can purchase, manage, and inject keys with our cloud-based services around the world.
If you have multiple locations, you can easily transfer all of your sites to SMART and configure SMART for multiple facilities to have access.
You can search for a device in the Web App at app.smartdpk.com by using the device Serial Number.
SMART will provide you basic system details as well as the 5×5 Product Key code for the device.
When you are logged in, you can change your password at ‘Account details’ at smartdpk.com/my-account
If you forgot your password, at smartdpk.com/my-account/
Enter the email address that is linked to your account to receive an email to change your password.
To change your client settings, you can visit https://app.smartdpk.com/client while logged into your profile.
Once you change your settings can download a SMART client with updated settings at the same page.
To read more detail about SMART settings, visit this page.
Genuine Microsoft Refurbisher Labels (GMRLs) are labels that you can stick a Refurbished device to show that it has a legitimate Windows license.
With these labels, your customers can be certain that the Windows operating systems that they are using are legitimately licensed.
Genuine Microsoft Refurbisher Labels (GMRLs) are labels that you can stick a Refurbished device to show that it has a legitimate Windows licenses.
With these labels, your customers can be certain that the Windows operating systems that they are using are legitimately licensed.
Yes!
We offer Genuine Microsoft Refurbisher Labels that you can add to your refurbished devices to show that they have legitimate Windows licenses.
Visit smartdpk.com/shop to buy Genuine Microsoft Refurbisher Labels.
You can only purchase GMRLs for licenses you have bought.
We send GMRLs with tracked delivery both within the UK and internationally.
