Finding your Windows 10 product key may be like a treasure hunt. It’s often tucked away on a hard-to-find sticker on your hardware, or hidden in the packaging of your physical copy – assuming you have not thrown out the box yet.
But before you crawl right into a closet or behind your desk in search of the 25-digit alphanumeric code written in tiny print on the back of your computer, there are less involved ways to find your Windows 10 product key.
This tutorial shows you the way to find your Windows 10 product key using the capabilities of the operating system. We’ve also published tips about how to find your product key in Windows 11.
How to find your Windows 10 product key
The success of any of those methods depends largely on the way you activate your computer. If you activated Windows 10 by upgrading from a sound installation of Windows 7 or 8, or by recently purchasing a pc, you will probably find your product key through most of those methods. However, if your computer was activated under a corporation license agreement, finding your product key could also be more problematic.
1. Command line
The most direct method to find your Windows 10 product key is to use the command line.
- Type
cmdin the search box on the Windows 10 desktop. - Then right-click on the command line result.
- From the context menu, select Run as administrator.
- Enter this command on the command prompt:
wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
As shown in the image below, the command will display the present Windows 10 product key.
2. PowerShell
If you’re using Windows 10 PowerShell, the method is comparable:
- Right-click the Start Menu button.
- From the context menu, select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Type this command on the command prompt to view your product key.
powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey"
3. Registry file
The product key is stored in the Windows 10 registry file, so should you know the fitting key, you may find the code there. To do that:
- Type
regeditin Windows 10 desktop search and choose the suitable item in the outcomes. - Go to this key:
ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSoftwareProtectionPlatform
As you may see below, the BackupProductKeyDefault key will reveal the proper Windows 10 product key.
Note: In my case, the Windows 10 product key displayed in each the command line and PowerShell methods is similar; in the registry example, the product key is different. The best explanation I can suggest is that because I upgraded from Home to Pro on the instance computer, the product key shown is for the upgrade to Pro and vice versa. If you’ve got a greater solution, please tell us.
SEE: Windows 10 and 11 in S mode: what’s it and is it price using?
Other ways to find your Windows 10 product key
Third-party vendors offer apps that also can locate and display your Windows 10 product key. These apps essentially do what we do here, but introduce third-party software and potential security issues.
Additionally, should you purchased Windows 10 from the Microsoft Store, your product key information is offered in your account’s order history.
Is my Windows 10 product key linked to my hardware?
If you bought a tool with an OEM key, resembling a Dell or Lenovo laptop, your Windows 10 product key could also be tied to the hardware. However, should you purchased a digital copy of Windows, you may transfer your license to one other computer.
What should I do if I lose my product key after purchasing Windows 10?
According to MicrosoftIf not one of the methods listed here work, you may contact your device manufacturer to obtain a product key. However, this can likely only be possible if your device continues to be under warranty. If all else fails, it’s possible you’ll need to purchase a brand new retail license.
Can I transfer my Windows 10 license to one other computer?
Yes. Please note that Windows 10 licenses are intended to be used on one computer at a time.
