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Dear David,
Thank you for reaching out and providing the details of your issue.
The key distinction here is between a full retail license and an upgrade license. The digital license you purchased from the Microsoft Store is indeed an upgrade license, which is technically tied to the specific device on which it was first installed and activated. This is a different set of rights from a full, transferable retail product.
When you change the core hardware of a device—effectively creating what our activation servers recognize as a new machine—the digital entitlement for the Pro upgrade is invalidated. The underlying Windows 11 Home license on your new laptop is typically an OEM license from the manufacturer, which is non-transferable, and your previous Pro upgrade cannot be applied to it.
To activate Windows 11 Pro on your new hardware, you will need a new license. You can purchase a full, retail Windows 11 Pro product key, which is designed to be transferable between devices.
I hope this explanation clarifies the situation. If this answer resolved your question, please don't forget to hit "Accept Answer" 😊.
Best regards,
Vivian