Yeah, that’s basically it. Buy a license and apply it when you install windows from the windows ISO installer on the VM.

If you’ve already used the license on a PC, you may need a new one or you might be able to transfer it if it’s a retail version, not an OEM version.

My work has licenses I can apply for VMs when I’m keeping them for longer client work, so yes they are licensed in my case.

I wouldn’t do that for my own personal use though.

I have given up dual-booting and just have a Windows VM for work things that require Windows. Less muss, less fuss and I can move the VM around as needed when moving between primary PCs.

You don’t need an account for that, really. I haven’t logged into Reddit since the API enshitification wave.