Windows Product Key is used by Microsoft to make sure that the copy of Windows operating system installed on your computer is genuine and not pirated.
It exists in the form of 25-character long string of numbers and letters, which are equally divided into 5 groups separated by a hyphen “-” (For example: 123ab-345cd-678ef-abcd1-1234b)
Windows product key is unique and it can only be used on a particular computer to which the product key belongs, it cannot be duplicated or used on more than one computer.
Where to Find Windows Product Key?
When you buy a computer from HP, Dell, Acer and other manufacturers, Windows operating system is installed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and the product key is known as OEM Key or OEM License.
In this case, Windows Product Key comes embedded in the computer’s BIOS/UEFI firmware and it can also be seen on Certificate of Authenticity (COA) sticker and on the packaging in which the PC arrived.
With this understanding, let us go ahead and take a look at different methods to find Windows Product Key on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers.
1. Check Certificate of Authenticity (COA)
In the case of Laptop computers, you may find the COA sticker with Windows Product key attached at lower-right corner of the keyboard, bottom/backside of the computer or inside the battery case.
In the case of Desktop computers, the COA sticker maybe attached to the side (right/left), back or inside the casing of the computer.
2. Check Confirmation Email from Microsoft
If you bought a digital copy of Windows from Microsoft, you should find Windows Product key in the confirmation email received from Microsoft.
If you do not have the confirmation email, you should be able to find the Product Key by logging in to your Microsoft Account and checking your order history.
3. Check Label/Card
If you had purchased a copy of Windows from an authorized dealer, the Product Key can be found on a label or card inside the box in which the copy of Windows arrived.
When you try to install the purchased copy of Windows operating system on a computer, you will be prompted to activate the product key by entering 25-characters of the product key.
4. Find Windows Product Key Using Command Prompt
If you are using a pre-built computer, Windows Product Key is embedded right into the UEFI/BIOS firmware and it can be found by using the Command Prompt.
1. Type CMD in the search bar > right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator option.
2. On the Command prompt screen, type wmic path softwarelicencingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey and press the Enter key on the keyboard of your computer.
3. Once the command is executed, it will display Windows Product Key on the Command prompt screen.
5. Find Windows Product Key Using Registry Editor
While it is easy to locate the Registry entry containing Windows Product Key, a third party software program is required to convert Registry entries in to 25 Digit Windows Product Key.
1. Right-click on Start button and click on Run.
2. In Run Command window, type regedit and click on OK.
3. On Registry Editor screen, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MicrosoftNT\CurrentVersion.
4. Open CurrentVersion Folder and click on DigitalProductId entry in the right-pane to find Windows Product Key.
As mentioned above, this method requires the use of a third party software program to convert the coded registry entries in to 25 digit Windows Product Key.
6. Use Software Programs to Find Windows Product Key
There are both free and paid software programs available in the market, which can be used to find the Windows product key on your computer.
For example, you can download ShowKeyPlus from GitHUB directly on your computer or download the program to a USB drive and Run the program from there.
Once the Product Key is located by the program, it displays it on the screen of your computer and allows you to save the Product key to a text file on the computer.
You can easily save the Product Key and other information displayed by this program to a text file by just clicking on the Save button.
Can’t Find Windows Product Key
If you are unable to find Windows Product key using above methods, it is likely that the manufacturer of your computer has failed to input this information in the firmware (BIOS/UEFI).
In such cases, you can contact the manufacturer of the computer and ask them to provide the Product key.
Another possibility is that your computer is running on a digital license from Microsoft and does not require a product key. This is usually the case, if the computer had received a free upgrade to Windows 11/10 from Microsoft.
In such cases, the Windows operating system installed on your computer is operating on a digital license, exclusively granted to that particular computer and it can run Windows without the Product Key.