Windows Updates will indeed download and install updates even when your Windows 10 isn’t activated. … The interesting thing about Windows 10 is that anyone can download it and choose Skip for now when asked for a license key. One might call Windows 10 Freemium or Nagware.

What happens if Windows 10 is not activated?

Limitations Of Unregistered Version :

So, what really happens if you do not activate your Win 10? Indeed, nothing awful happens. Virtually no system functionality will be wrecked. The only thing that’ll not be accessible in such a case is the personalization.

Does unactivated Windows 10 run slower?

Windows 10 is surprising lenient in terms of running unactivated. Even if unactivated, you get full updates, it does not go into reduced function mode like earlier versions, and more importantly, no expiry date (or at least nobody has not experienced any and some have been running it since 1st release in July 2015).