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A Windows product key is a 25-character code used to activate Windows. It looks like this:
-
PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
Locate your product key for Windows 10 or Windows 11
Depending on how you got your copy of Windows 10 or Windows 11, you’ll need either a 25-character product key or a digital license to activate it. A digital license (called a digital entitlement in Windows 10, Version 1511) is a method of activation in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that doesn’t require you to enter a product key. Without one of these, you won’t be able to activate your device.
Where to find your product key depends on how you got your copy of Windows.
Select any of the following to see more information:
The product key is preinstalled on your PC, included with the packaging the PC came in, or included on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the PC. For more info, contact your hardware manufacturer, and for pictures of authentic product keys and COA labels, see How to tell your hardware is genuine.
The product key is on a label or card inside the box that Windows came in. For more info, contact the retailer that sold you Windows 10 or Windows 11. How to tell your software is genuine.
Find your product key in the confirmation email you received after buying Windows 10 or Windows 11 in a digital locker accessible through the retailer’s website.
The product key is in the confirmation email you received after buying your digital copy of Windows. Microsoft only keeps a record of product keys if you purchased from the Microsoft online store. You can find out if you purchased from Microsoft in your Microsoft account Order history.
If you upgraded to Windows 10 for free from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you should have a digital license instead of a product key.
If you bought Windows 10 or Windows 11 Pro upgrade in the Microsoft Store app, you’ll receive a digital license instead of a product key in the confirmation email that was sent to confirm the purchase. That email address (MSA) will contain the digital license. You can use the digital license for activation.
For more information about digital licenses and product keys in Windows 10 and Windows 11, see the “Methods of Activation” section in Activate Windows.
Locate your product key for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1
A product key is usually required when uninstalling or reinstalling Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. Generally, if you bought a physical copy of Windows, the product key should be on a label or card inside the box that Windows came in. If Windows came preinstalled on your PC, the product key should appear on a sticker on your device. If you’ve lost or can’t find the product key, contact the manufacturer. To ensure your product key is genuine, see How to tell your software is genuine and How to tell your hardware is genuine.
Related links
For info about how to tell if your copy of Windows is genuine Microsoft software, see the How to tell page.
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How to Find Windows 11/10 Product Key (5 Proven Ways)
- 1. Find Windows 11/10 Product Key with Software (Recommended)
- 2. Find My Windows 11/10 Product Key in Registry
- 3. Find Windows 11/10 Product Key Using CMD
- 4. View Windows 11/10 Product Key from the COA Sticker
- 5. Restore Windows 11/10 Product Key from Microsoft Store
«Before I install, I’d like to know how to find my product key for Windows 11/10. Can anyone help?»
Finding your Windows 11/10 product key may appear like a big issue while you clone Windows 11/10 to another computer or install your Windows 11/10 on a new computer. Here we provide you with five methods to find Windows 11/10 product key. Follow the methods if you want to get your Windows product key or license.
Tip 1. Find Windows 11/10 Product Key with EaseUS Key Finder
Supports Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11
The first method we recommend is to use the new feature of EaseUS Key Finder — Product Key. The new function is designed to extract the Windows 11/10 product key. You can download the PC transfer software to see the Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10/11 license, view Adobe keys, and find Office’s product keys.
Follow the steps below to find the Windows product key:
Step 1. Click «Windows» tab under the Registry Key.
Step 2. Check Windows product key on the right side. Click «Copy» to paste. Or select other two options:
«Save» — Save to local as a PDF file.
«Print» — Click to print key file.
Speaking of how to find the product key for Windows 11/10, the CMD and Windows registry are also valid. But CMD has a limit on the license type, and the registry has cumbersome steps. If you want to use the most straightforward way, the EaseUS Key Finder pro version is your first choice.
Tip 2. How to Find My Windows 11/10 Product Key in Registry
Supports all versions of Windows that you haven’t formatted your computer
Another way to find your product key is using the Windows registry. Only if you haven’t formatted your computer, you can recover the key because Windows stores it in the registry. Here are the steps to restore the Windows product key from the registry:
Step 1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop, choose «New» and then select «Text Document.»
Step 2. Copy and paste the code below into Notepad.
Set WshShell = CreateObject(«WScript.Shell»)
MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead(«HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId»))
Function ConvertToKey(Key)
Const KeyOffset = 52
i = 28
Chars = «BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789»
Do
Cur = 0
x = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur
Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) And 255
Cur = Cur Mod 24
x = x -1
Loop While x >= 0
i = i -1
KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput
If (((29 — i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then
i = i -1
KeyOutput = «-» & KeyOutput
End If
Loop While i >= 0
ConvertToKey = KeyOutput
End Function
Step 3. Click «File» and choose «Save As». Set the file name as «productkey.vbs».
Step 4. Close Notepad and double-click the .vbs file. Wait a few seconds, and then you will be presented with a popup displaying your product key:
Tip 3. How to Find your Product Key in Windows 11/10 via CMD
Supports newer PCs running Windows 8 or Windows 11/10
If you want to view the Windows 11/10 product key, CMD is a useful way to get Windows 11/10 product key. But the command line is only available for OEM license. You need to figure out the types of licenses before moving to the CMD method.
Here is the tip about Windows license type:
- Tip
- Retail Key: You will receive this key when you purchase a Windows 11/10 license from a Microsoft Store or retail Store.
OEM Key: OEM or computer manufacturer reached an agreement with Microsoft. There is an activated copy of Windows on the computer they sell. - Volume licensing (MAK/KMS): Enterprise purchases Windows license in bulk under the Volume Licensing Program. There are two types of keys under this scheme — MAK and KMS.
Now let’s move to the detailed guide of finding Windows 11/10 product key:
Step 1. Open CMD and right-click it to run as administrator.
Step 2. Once open, copy and paste the following command line and then press Enter. The product key will appear.
«wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey»
Tip 4. View Windows 11/10 Product Key from the COA Sticker
Supports older PCs running Windows XP, Vista and 7
If you have an older PC that came with Windows XP, Vista, and 7, the product key is usually found on the Certificate of Authenticity sticker. The sticker is usually located on the underside of laptops and could be on the top, sides, or bottom of a desktop tower.
Tip 5. Restore Windows 11/10 Product Key from Microsoft Store
Supports all versions of Windows that you bought from the Microsoft Store
If you buy a Windows 11/10 license from Microsoft Store, your copy of key stores on the Microsoft account. Follow the steps:
- Log in to the Microsoft Store > Downloads > Product Keys > Subscription > Digital Content
Microsoft also sends you the product key in the confirmation email. You can check your mailbox. If you already delete it, check your junk mail folder or try another way to get the product key.
Conclusion
That’s all about finding the Windows product key. The first method works well for all Windows versions, including Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 11/10. If you are not familiar with the Windows product key, Tip 1 is my recommendation.
You may need to find the Windows 10 product key if you want to transfer the license to another PC. Or if you want to activate Windows 11 using the previous version of Windows. Microsoft offers Windows 10 licenses through different channels. Commonly, it could be a retail license or OEM license. There are different ways to retrieve the key depending on Windows 10 license type.
Find Windows 10 License Type
First, you need to find the activation status of your Windows 10 PC.
1. Go to Start and open Settings, and navigate to System.
2. Select Activation from the left options, and you will find license details.
You may see that Windows is activated with a digital license or organization.
| Activation Status | License Type |
| Windows is Activated | Product Key |
| Windows is Activated with a digital license | OEM or Digital License |
| Windows is activated using your organization’s activation service | Volume Licensing |
Product Key– Windows 10 will have a product key in these cases-
- When you buy a PC that comes with Windows 10
- Windows 10 was bought from Microsoft online store.
- Buying digital or box copy from an authorized reseller
- Volume licensing agreement with the organization
- Bought a refurbished PC running Windows 10
Digital License – You will see “Windows is activated with a digital license” in these cases
- Upgrading to Windows 10 for free using a genuine copy of Windows 8.1 or 7.
- Buying Windows 10 upgrade from Microsoft Store.
- Buying Windows 10 from Microsoft App Store.
- Becoming Windows Insider from a genuine copy of Windows 10
Now, depending on the license type, you may or may not find the actual product key. However, you should try these methods.
Find Windows 10 Product Key Using Command Prompt
If Windows 10 is activated using a product key, you can find it using the command prompt.
1: Go to the Windows Search Bar, type “CMD,” and right-click to Run as administrator.
2: Type the following command and hit enter:
wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey That’s it. This command will display the product key in the Command Prompt.
If you do not see a Product Key, or if the result is blank, it means that you are using a digital license / OEM License.
Also, this method is deprecated with the latest build of Windows 10. But you can still try.
Get Product Key Using Powershell
Powershell is another administrative tool to execute Windows commands. You can use it to get Windows 10 product key as well.
1. Go to Start and search for PowerShell.
2. Right-click on it and “Run as Administrator.”
3. Type or copy-paste the following command-
powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"
Again, this may show blank results on a PC activated with a digital license.
Find Windows 10 Product key in the Registry Editor
Windows stores the product key in the registry database; you can get the key from the registry editor.
1. Go to Start and search for regedit.
2. RIght click on Registry Editor and click “Run as Administrator.”
3. You will get the registry editor. Navigate to the following path by expanding the folder tree.
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
Once you navigate the given path, select “SoftwareProtectionPlatform” and check the registry keys on the right pane.
Check the value for the “BackupProductKeyDefault” registry key. Double-click on it and copy the value data. This 25-digit string is the product key.
This will work in both cases if your PC is activated using a key or have a digital license.
Using Third-Party Software
If the above methods aren’t working for you, it is recommended to use a third-party tool. One such tool is KeyFinder by Magical Jelly Bean. The tool is lightweight, and the publisher is verified by Microsoft.
- First, download and install ProductKeyFinder.
- Once installed, run the program.
- Open the ProduKey application.
- Now you will see the CD key listed here.
That’s it! This way, you can get the product key embedded in the system firmware.
If you bought at laptop with pre-activated version of Windows 10 then most probably it will be a digital license, manufacture will embed the key in system UEFI/BIOS. Such keys are not transferable.
For digital license – You don’t need to supply the product key to activate Windows 10 or Windows 11 on same PC, just link your Microsoft account to Windows 10 before upgrade.
Let’s say that you do not have access to the activated Windows. There could be several cases like you might have bought a new computer, a new Windows 10 copy, etc. Then there are a few possibilities for finding the product key:
If You Have Just Bought a New PC Running Windows 10
In that case, you should find the Windows 10 Product Key preinstalled. You can find it inside the packaging of the computer or in the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the PC. You can also contact the seller from whom you bought the computer for help.
If you buy Windows 10 from an authorized seller, you will have the product key inside the packaging. Just make sure that you do not throw the box or contents inside it right away.
If You Buy Digital Copy of Windows 10 From An Authorized Seller
When you buy a digital copy of Windows 10 from any authorized seller, you receive the product key in your email. You can always look inside the spam folder if you don’t find the email.
If You Buy Windows 10 From Microsoft Store
Well, if you buy Windows 10 from Official Microsoft Store, then there should be no problem. You will get your product key in the registered email account. Additionally, you can also find the product key on the Orders History page of the Microsoft Account you used to buy Windows 10.
You can use the key to re-activate Windows 10 on the same PC if you have a digital license. It won’t work if you have changed the motherboard.
If your PC was activated using the 25-digit product key, it is transferrable; you just need to deactivate it on the old PC.
Also Read:
- What is DISM Command & How To Use It To Repair Windows 10 Image
- How to Fix Slow Windows 10 & Improve Performance – 200% Faster PC
Faqs
How do I find my Windows 10 product key using CMD?
Open the command prompt as admin and type “wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey not working” and hit enter to see the product key.
wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey not working
If Windows 10 is activated using OEM / Digital License, the above command will show a blank result. In this case, link your Microsoft account to Windows 10 for an upgrade.
Is Windows 10 Key Retail or OEM?
1. Open the command prompt as admin.
2. Type slmgr /dli and hit enter.
3. Check the Windows Description
4. It will result in Retail OEM or Volume Licensing.
How do I find my Windows 10 product key in BIOS?
1. Open PowerShell as admin.
2 Type (Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey
3. Hit enter on the keyboard, showing the product key.
How do I find my Windows 10 product key in the Registry?
1. Open the registry editor.
2. Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
3. Check the value for BackupProductKeyDefault. This value is the product key
Переустановка системы, непредвиденный сбой и банальная нечитаемость наклейки могут доставить хлопот, если вдруг потребуется восстановить ключ лицензии Windows. Отчаиваться не стоит: на помощь нам придут скрипты и многочисленные программы, предназначенные для получения искомого ключа.
Рассмотрим несколько способов найти 25-значный ключ активации, где каждый пользователь независимо от используемой версии ОС Windows, будь то версия 7, 8 или 10, найдет себе самый подходящий вариант.
Скрипт VBS
Начнем с пары самых простых методов, которые не требуют установки какого-либо стороннего ПО. Для реализации скрипта VBS нам потребуется создать простой текстовый документ. После этого вносим в него следующий текст скрипта.
Задаем произвольное имя файлу, дописываем расширение «.vbs», затем в подпункте «Тип файла» выбираем значение «Все файлы» и сохраняем.
Нам остается лишь запустить созданный скрипт двойным щелчком мышки. Появится окошко с ключом лицензии. Нажатие на кнопку «Ок» отобразит более подробную информацию — ID продукта и полную версию Windows. Очередное нажатие кнопки «Ок» закроет скрипт.
PowerShell
Для реализации скрипта с помощью PowerShell потребуется файл, созданный в «Блокноте» и запущенный от имени администратора. Вносим в него соответствующий скрипт.
Сохраняем файл: задаем имя и дописываем «.ps1», тип файла — «Все файлы». Выбираем местом сохранения директорию локального диска «С».
Далее нам нужно запустить созданный скрипт. Для этого кликаем по кнопке «Пуск» правой кнопкой мышки и выбираем пункт «Windows PowerShell (администратор)». В открывшемся окне вводим команду:
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
Для подтверждения команды вводим букву «Y». Остается ввести путь до скрипта, в конкретном случае он выглядит так:
с:\dns.ps1
Если вы выполнили все правильно, то на экране появится название продукта, ID и ключ.
Чтобы сохранить ключ в отдельный файл, вводим букву «Y» и подтверждаем. Соответствующий текстовый файл с именем «WindowsKeyInfo» появится на рабочем столе.
После получения ключа можно восстановить стандартные настройки политики выполнения скриптов. Потребуется лишь ввести следующую команду:
Set-ExecutionPolicy restricted
Подтвердите данную процедуру командой «Y» и закройте приложение командой «Exit».
Если Windows на вашем ПК была предустановлена, вшитый ключ OEM в UEFI материнской платы можно увидеть с помощью следующей команды:
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
Вводить ее нужно в командной строке, предварительно запущенной от имени администратора.
ProduKey
Перейдем к специализированным программам. Produkey — простенькая утилита, разработанная для отображения ключей и ID различных программ. После скачивания Produkey достаточно кликнуть по иконке программы, чтобы открылось главное окно.
Кроме ключа Windows, мы получим информацию и о других установленных продуктах — Office и Explorer. В соответствующих столбцах присутствует информация о месте установки, дате изменения, имени ПК и ID продукта.
ShowKeyPlus
ShowKeyPlus схожа по функционалу с ранее рассмотренной программой ProduKey. Скачав приложение, мы попадаем в окно, где в левой части расположены несколько подпунктов, а в правой отображается информация о системе. Тут уже знакомые нам ID продукта, версии Windows и, конечно, ключ.
Весьма полезной будет функция, сохраняющая информацию о ключе активации в отдельном текстовом документе.
Для этого нужно кликнуть по вкладке «Save», после чего выбрать имя сохраняемого файла и тип. Кроме стандартного текстового файла, документ доступен в форматах Word и Excel.
Free PC Audit
Приложение Free PC Audit обладает обширным инструментарием для получения сведений о ПК. Тут мы обнаружим и установленные приложения, и действующие в данный момент процессы, и подробную информацию о каждом компоненте ПК.
Естественно, разработчики данной утилиты не обошли вниманием и операционную систему. Перейдя на вкладку «System», мы найдем информацию об имени ПК, ID и ключе установленной Windows.
В довесок к этому можно узнать версию ОС и дату установки. Для копирования ключа продукта достаточно выбрать соответствующий пункт и нажать комбинацию клавиш «Ctrl+C».
AIDA64 Extreme
Знакомая многим программа AIDA64 Extreme позволяет не только контролировать температуру комплектующих и проводить стресс-тесты системы, но и получить заветный ключ лицензии Windows.
Установив приложение, достаточно перейти на вкладку «Операционная система». В правом окне появится интересующая нас информация. Помимо ключа продукта, AIDA64 Extreme показывает ID операционной системы, имя пользователя и компьютера, а также версию ОС и дату ее установки.
If you’re having trouble finding your Windows 10 product key, we’ve got you covered.
In this quick tutorial we’ll go over what a Windows product key is, and I’ll share several ways to find the product key on modern Windows machines.
A Windows product key or license is a 25 digit code used to activate your installation of Windows.
Back in the day, all you had to do to find your Windows product key was look for a sticker somewhere on the machine.
Usually you could find the sticker on the side of a desktop PC, or stuck to the bottom of a laptop:
Or if you bought a physical copy of Windows, your product key would be included somewhere in the box:
These days, if you buy a Windows 10 Home or Pro from the Microsoft Store or another online retailer like Amazon, it’ll include a digital copy of your product key.
But if your computer is relatively new and came with Windows preinstalled, you might be wondering how to find your key – there’s likely no sticker on the machine, and the computer manufacturer probably didn’t include one in the box.
Whether you installed and activated Windows yourself, or it came preinstalled, your product key is stored in the BIOS. This makes it really easy if you ever want to reinstall or upgrade Windows – there’s no sticker on the machine that could get damaged, and no small label to lose.
Still, there are times when you might need your product key, like if you want to transfer a Windows Home or Pro license to another machine.
Whatever the reason, here are a few ways to get your Windows 10 product key.
How to get your Windows 10 product key with the Command Prompt
If you want to get your product key from Windows, the easiest way is to do that is through the Windows Command Prompt.
First, press the Windows key, search for «cmd», and click on «Run as administrator»:
Then, run the following command:
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKeyAfter that, you’ll see your Windows 10 product key:
Alternatively, you can run this command in the Command Prompt terminal:
powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"
Both of these commands attempt to read your Windows product key from something called the OA3 BIOS marker. In other words, they may only work if Windows came preinstalled, and not if you built the machine yourself and installed/activated Windows.
If your product key isn’t saved to your BIOS/UEFI for some reason, then these commands will either throw an error or return an empty string. In this case, or if you prefer a GUI, give the next method a try.
How to get your Windows 10 product key with a third-party program
There are a few tools out there like Belarc Advisor or Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder that can detect your Windows product key.
We’ll use Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder for this tutorial because, well – come on, that name, right?
All you have to do is download and install Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder. Then open the KeyFinder program to see your product key:
Once you’ve copied your product key somewhere safe, feel free to uninstall Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder.
So those are some quick ways to find your Windows 10 product key.
Did any of these methods or programs work for you? Did you find another way to get your product key? Let me know over on Twitter.
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