Windows 10: Where can you find the Product Key for a new Win 10 PC

I have just received a new laptop with Windows 10 Home installed. The machine booted up fine and we are all registered, activated and updated (10586).

So there was no paperwork with the Product Key nor was it put on a label on the underside of the laptop. So I ran a script to display the product key, my question: Is this the actual Windows 10 Product Key for this OS version or is it a generic key that Windows 10 uses in some cases.

Thanks,
Greg

:)

 

Where do you find the product key?

Where do you find the product key, if you should need it to install other products. I downloaded Windows 10 from Windows 8.1

Original subject: product key

Moved from ( Windows / Windows 10 / Windows Hello, lock screen & sign-in )

 

Where do you find the product key?

When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware (your PC) will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will be stored on Microsoft Activation
Servers. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key.

Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows 10. It will automatically reactivate. You will prompted to enter a product key a couple times through the installation, click I don't have a key and Do this later.

There is no need to know or get a new key, but if you have issues with Digital Licensing or the Activation Troubleshooter, you can utilize an existing Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key you already own to reactivate if necessary. or use the reset function
in Windows 10.

Windows 8.0, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 came preinstalled on my computer, how do I find the product key?

Press Windows key + X

Click Command Prompt (admin)

Enter the following command:

wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Hit Enter

The product key will be revealed, copy the product key then enter it

Click Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change the product key then enter the new product key then click Next to Activate

If you are unable to activate Windows 10 after all the above and you are certain you have the correct edition installed, then please attempt phone activation:

Activate Your Windows 10 License via Microsoft Chat Support

http://www.groovypost.com/howto/activate-window...

Go to a working computer, download, create a bootable copy, then perform a clean install.

Step 1: How to download official Windows 10 ISO files

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Step 2: How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

If there are files on the drive you want to recover, see - How to: Perform a Custom install of Windows 10

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...

 

The Windows 10 Product key is embedded into the Bios Firmware...
The setup media will automatically read the Embedded Key during installation..

 

Hello Greg, *Smile

Since this new laptop came with Windows 10 preinstalled, the product key would be embedded in the UEFI firmware chip, and would automatically be detected during Windows Setup.

You can use this below to see your key to see if it's the same as what you have.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7...dows-10-a.html

 

Thanks Shawn,
This app confirmed that I did find the right Product Key.

 

Previous versions of Windows came with a COA (certificate of authenticity) sticker, even if the license key used by the OS was BIOS based.

Is that no longer the case?

 

I know in the case of my Area 51 desktop(purchased in December 2014)the Product Key was in the bios. But I was helping a friend get her new laptop setup. It came with Windows 10 Home edition, but I didn't see the Product Key on any of the materials and thought I read the all new purchases would have a product key since it was not an upgrade.

So I just wanted to get the number on paper someplace in the event she would need someday. *Biggrin

 

Yep, there aren't any COA stickers for OEM PCs anymore since Windows 8. This was done due to theft from people writing down the key while at a retail store.

The product key is now embedded in the UEFI firmware chip so you never have to worry about losing it, forgetting it, or someone stealing it.