Windows 10: Find Product Key in Windows 10

How to: Find Product Key in Windows 10

How to View the Product Key in Windows 10


The Windows 10 product key is a sequence of 25 letters and numbers divided into 5 groups of 5 characters each (ex: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX) that is used to activate the 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 10 edition that you have installed.

OEM PCs store and encrypt the product key in the UEFI firmware chip. The product key is no longer on a COA sticker to help prevent theft. When you reset or install Windows 10, the product key will automatically be detected from the UEFI firmware chip, and will be used to activate.

When you install an Insider Preview or retail copy of Windows 10, you will need to enter it's product key during installation.

change the product key[/b] to be able to enter your volume license product key and activate.

This tutorial will show you how to view the installed and OEM product key in Windows 10.



Note 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.

Starting with reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter if you make a hardware change later, such as replacing the motherboard.

Starting in Windows 10 Insider Preview build 10565:

Device activation improvements: Microsoft has received a lot of feedback from Insiders on making it easier to activate Windows 10 on devices that take advantage of the free upgrade offer to genuine Windows by using existing Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 product keys. If you install this build of the Windows 10 Insider Preview on a PC and it doesn’t automatically activate, you can enter the product key from Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 used to activate the prior Windows version on the same device to activate Windows 10 by going to Settings > Update & security > Activation and selecting Change Product Key. If you do a clean install of Windows 10 by booting off the media, you can also enter the product key from prior Windows versions on qualifying devices during setup. Refer to the Insider Hub for more information on these activation improvements including requirements.


Can I reinstall Windows 10 on my computer after upgrading with free upgrade?

Once you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 using the USB drive or DVD, and use that to upgrade your device or reinstall after you’ve upgraded.




Here's How:

*note Installed Key = This is the product key that Windows is currently activated with.

OEM Key = This is the key stored in the UEFI firmware chip on the motherboard. This key will not always be the same as the installed key. For example, when the PC came with Windows 8.1 originally installed.

1. Download and run ShowKeyPlus. See: "ShowKeyPlus" Information and Download Page













That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Change Product Key in Windows 10
• How to Activate Windows 10
• How to Use Activation Troubleshooter in Windows 10
• How to Uninstall Product Key to Deactivate Windows 10
• How to Clear Product Key from Registry in Windows
• How to Determine if Windows License Type is OEM, Retail, or Volume
• List of Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

:)

 

Windows 10 Activation Failed after reinstalling it

Use Show Key Plus to see if it will find the product key:

How to Find Your Product Key After Upgrading to Windows
10

 

reverse using Win 10 pro activation key to win 10 pro machine?

Use Show Key Plus to find out the original product key:

How to Find Your Product Key After Upgrading to Windows
10

 

Thank you Friction for letting me know, and welcome to Ten Forums. Those options have been removed for now.

 

@Brink Thank you *Smile

Btw,Can I use this key to install windows 10 or this key is only genetic key ?

 

If you are upgrading from Windows 7 or 8.1 there is no need to enter a product key at all.

 

Hello Akane, *Smile

Only if you purchased a retail copy of Windows 10 that came with a product key, and you used the key to activate with.

If you have the free offer Windows 10, then you do not have a product key. The blue note box at the top of the tutorial can give you more details on this though.

 

But even so, if one were to do a clean install of 10 on a new drive and afterwards uses a key finder it will show a windows 10 license key . I have done it with using Belarc Advisor and yes I know you don't need to but its nice just to have, no ?

 

Hello sn00ker,

Thank you for sharing. Were you able to successfully activate with that key if entered during a clean install?

 

Hi Brink,

You know I haven't try it yet but I can't see why it wouldn't since it was generated by MS, right ? Though I am going to try a none license 7 version just to see if it will get act . Can you imagine if its possible as to how many computer shops doing so to make a profit

PS All my copies are legit but I have this thought and I'm curious whether it will work . I heard in another forum someone saying his P7 was able to upgrade

 

I wouldn't count on it being a key that you can use to activate with though.

 

I'm going to try both method none and legit just to see . I'm waiting for a delivery for a part I need to use with one of my playable comps ... I'm waiting to get a sata m and f adapter extender so I can use it with sata 3.5 drives ... I need something like this
StarTech SATA22PEXT 12" 22 Pin SATA Power and Data Extension Cable

 

I'll be interested in hearing about your results. *Smile

 

Brink,

When doing a clean install after the upgrade to Win 10 or if redoing clean install, what was wrote here about how it gets activated in your tutorial.

"The activation for the free offer of Windows 10 is registered on the Microsoft activation servers, and is referenced by the hardware (motherboard/CPU/graphics card) of the PC it was upgraded on."

Does turning off (disabling) this task have anything to do with how they (MS server) accesses this info ?
Customer Experience Improvement Program

 

Hey mate. That wouldn't have any affect for activation. *Smile