If you upgraded to the free upgrade of Windows 10 from an activated Windows 7 or 8.1 PC, then you will not have a product key.Instead, the PC gets registered on Microsoft activation servers with a digital entitlement that will always be used to activate Windows 10 on that PC. If you have a Windows 10 computer with a valid product license key but want to install the same license on another Windows 10 machine, you can do so with the help of this tutorial. It is possible.
The license number for computers running Microsoft Windows is known as the product key, which consists of 25 alphanumeric characters divided into five groups of five characters. You should find the key on a sticker attached to the retail product CD/DVD case or on a label affixed to your computer if it shipped with Windows installed. If you can't find the product key sticker, use free third-party software to retrieve the product key from the operating system itself.
Step 1
Check the front and back of the Windows retail product jewel case for a multi-colored, yellow or orange sticker. If you can't see the sticker on the case, open it and check the installation disc holder inside. If your computer shipped with Windows installed, check the side and rear of a desktop PC or the underside of a laptop computer for the sticker. Follow the next steps if you can't find the sticker or it's worn away and you can't read the key.
Step 2
Download and install a free Windows product key finder tool, such as Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder, Product Key Finder or Belarc Advisor.
Step 3
Launch the product key finder program and scan your system. Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder and Belarc Advisor will return results for all supported programs, including the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office products. The smaller Product Key Finder tool will return only Windows operating system information.
Step 4
Select the entry for your Windows version to display the product key and other installation information. The program will list the product key as either the 'CD Key' or 'Product Key' in the program window.
Step 3: Intel recommends checking with your system OEM for updated firmware. Firmware versions that resolve the issue have a four digit build number that starts with a “3” (X.X.XX.3XXX) Ex: 8.1.71.3608. Hp amt driver. If you do have a version in the “Resolved Firmware” column no further action is required to secure your system from this vulnerability. Step 2: Utilize the Detection Guide to assess if your system has the impacted firmware:. Step 4: If a firmware update is not available from your OEM, follow Intel’s Mitigation Guide:.
Step 5
Write down the product key carefully so that you can reference it easily if you need to activate Windows on your computer or upgrade to a newer version of Windows.
Tip
- Many free utilities prompt you to download additional software or upgrade to premium versions. Ensure you select only the product key finder component during the installation process.
- Contact Microsoft Support if you need to buy a new product key for Windows.
References
Resources
About the Author
Adrian Grahams began writing professionally in 1989 after training as a newspaper reporter. His work has been published online and in various newspapers, including 'The Cornish Times' and 'The Sunday Independent.' Grahams specializes in technology and communications. He holds a Bachelor of Science, postgraduate diplomas in journalism and website design and is studying for an MBA.
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Windows 10 Product Key is embedded in the computer’s BIOS/UEFI firmware and cannot be easily seen or accessed. You will find below the steps to Find Windows 10 Product Key on your computer.
Find Windows 10 Product Key
Windows 10 Product Key which is also known as Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM Key is a 25 character long code used by Microsoft to prevent unauthorized use of its software.
The 25-character Windows Product Key contains letters and numbers, divided into 5 groups that are separated by a hyphen “-” and written in the following format:
Windows Product Key: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
The method to find Windows Product key depends on whether you purchased Windows 10 from Microsoft, switched to Windows 10 from an earlier version or bought a computer with pre-installed Windows 10 operating system.
1. Check Confirmation Email from Microsoft
If you bought a digital copy of Windows 10 from Microsoft, you will find Windows 10 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 into your Microsoft Account and checking your order history.
Note: Only Microsoft and Amazon are authorized to sell digital copies of Windows 10. Other retailers selling Windows 10 product keys are not legitimate or genuine.
2. Check Certificate of Authenticity (COA)
If your computer came with Windows 7 or earlier versions of Windows operating system, Windows product key will be available on COA sticker attached to your computer.
On Laptops, the sticker is usually placed at the bottom or at the lower right corner of the keyboard.
In case of Desktop computers, the sticker could be on the sides, back or inside the casing.
3. Find Windows 10 Product Key Using Command Prompt
In case of newer computers, Windows 10 Product Key is embedded right into the UEFI/BIOS firmware and you won’t be able to find it on the packaging or the stickers attached to the computer.
In such a case, you might be able to find Windows 10 Product Key using the Command prompt.
1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Run.
2. On Run Command window, type wmic path softwarelicencingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey and press the Enter key on the keyboard of your computer.
3. Once the command is executed, you will find the Windows 10 product key displayed on the Command Prompt window.
4. Find Windows 10 Product Key Using Registry Editor
While it is easy to find the Registry entry containing Windows 10 Product Key, you won’t be able to convert the registry entries to 25 Digit Windows Product ID without using third part tools.
1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Run.
2. In the Run Command window, type regedit and click on OK.
3. On the Registry Editor screen, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftNTCurrentVersion.
4. Click on CurrentVersion in the left-pane, and click on DigitalProductId entry in the right-pane to find Windows 10 Product ID.
As mentioned above, you will be needing third part services to convert the coded registry entries to 25 digit Windows 10 Product ID.
5. Use ShowKeyPlus for Windows 10
Free Avg 9.0 License Number
ShowKeyPlus is a free open source software program that can help you find Windows 10 Product Key on computer.
Avg License Number Grisoft
You can download ShowKeyPlus from GitHUB directly on your computer or Run the program from the USB drive.
The ShowKeyPlus Program for Windows 10 has a very simple user interface, most users should find it easy to use this program.
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.
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