The two required actions are to join the device to Microsoft Entra ID or hybrid Microsoft Entra ID and ensure it has a qualifying base license of Windows 10/11 Pro or Education. This is because subscription activation works by linking a valid Windows Pro or Education license to an Entra ID tenant, allowing an automatic, seamless upgrade to Windows 10/11 Enterprise without needing a separate product key or manual reinstallation. On the MD-102 exam, this concept tests your understanding of modern device provisioning and licensing under Microsoft 365, often appearing as a multi-select question where a common trap is choosing “install a KMS client key” or “apply a GPO” instead. Remember that subscription activation is identity-driven, not key-driven—the device must be Entra ID joined and have the correct base edition. A useful memory tip is “Pro + Entra = Enterprise Upgrade,” reinforcing that the base license and cloud identity are the two non-negotiable prerequisites.
MD-102 Prepare infrastructure for devices Practice Question
This MD-102 practice question tests your understanding of prepare infrastructure for devices. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO actions are required to prepare Windows devices for subscription activation? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ensure the device has a Windows 10/11 Pro or Education license
Option A is correct because subscription activation requires a qualifying base license of Windows 10/11 Pro or Education. These editions support the subscription activation feature, which upgrades the device to Windows 10/11 Enterprise without requiring a separate product key. Without this base license, the device cannot be upgraded via subscription activation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Ensure the device has a Windows 10/11 Pro or Education license
Why this is correct
Subscription Activation works only on Pro and Education editions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enter a MAK key
Why it's wrong here
MAK is for retail activation, not subscription.
✗
Configure a KMS host key
Why it's wrong here
KMS is not used for subscription activation.
✓
Join the device to Microsoft Entra ID or hybrid Microsoft Entra ID
Why this is correct
Subscription Activation requires Microsoft Entra ID authentication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Install the Azure AD Connect tool
Why it's wrong here
Azure AD Connect is for directory sync, not activation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse subscription activation with traditional volume activation methods (KMS or MAK) and select options B or C, or mistakenly think Azure AD Connect is required for device join, when in fact only Microsoft Entra ID or hybrid join is needed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subscription activation works by linking a Windows 10/11 Pro or Education device to a Microsoft Entra ID tenant where the user has an assigned Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3 or E5 license. The device receives a digital license from the Microsoft licensing service, enabling the upgrade without any key entry. This process leverages the Windows Licensing Service (WLMS) and the Microsoft Entra ID token to validate entitlement, and it supports both cloud-native and hybrid-joined devices.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MD-102 question in full detail.
Prepare infrastructure for devices — This question tests Prepare infrastructure for devices — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Ensure the device has a Windows 10/11 Pro or Education license — Option A is correct because subscription activation requires a qualifying base license of Windows 10/11 Pro or Education. These editions support the subscription activation feature, which upgrades the device to Windows 10/11 Enterprise without requiring a separate product key. Without this base license, the device cannot be upgraded via subscription activation.
What should I do if I get this MD-102 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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