If you want to get your product key from Windows, the easiest way is to do that is through the Windows Command Prompt.įirst, press the Windows key, search for 'cmd', and click on 'Run as administrator': How to get your Windows 10 product key with the Command Prompt Whatever the reason, here are a few ways to get your Windows 10 product key. Still, there are times when you might need your product key, like if you want to transfer a Windows Home or Pro license to another machine. This makes it really easy if you ever want to reinstall or upgrade Windows – there's no sticker on the machine that could get damaged, and no small label to lose. Whether you installed and activated Windows yourself, or it came preinstalled, your product key is stored in the BIOS. These days, if you buy a Windows 10 Home or Pro from the Microsoft Store or another online retailer like Amazon, it'll include a digital copy of your product key.īut if your computer is relatively new and came with Windows preinstalled, you might be wondering how to find your key – there's likely no sticker on the machine, and the computer manufacturer probably didn't include one in the box.

Or if you bought a physical copy of Windows, your product key would be included somewhere in the box: A Windows 10 product key label - Source Usually you could find the sticker on the side of a desktop PC, or stuck to the bottom of a laptop: An old-school Windows product key sticker – Source What's a Windows 10 product key?Ī Windows product key or license is a 25 digit code used to activate your installation of Windows.īack in the day, all you had to do to find your Windows product key was look for a sticker somewhere on the machine. In this quick tutorial we'll go over what a Windows product key is, and I'll share several ways to find the product key on modern Windows machines. Slmgr.If you're having trouble finding your Windows 10 product key, we've got you covered. Slmgr.vbs /dli - Basic license information Slmgr /xpr to see your activation status. Open PowerShell or the Command Prompt and type in: The Software Licensing Management Tool or SLMGR can help you manage your product keys and activation using the Command Prompt.

How to Check if Windows 10 is Activated - Command Prompt How to Check if Windows 10 is Activated - SettingsĬlick on Start > Settings > Update & security. It's also worth noting that Windows 10 does not need to be activated, with some exceptions. Product keys are when you purchase a new PC, physical media from a retailer, or volume licensing.

There are two types of activation methods - digital and product key.ĭigital keys are provided when you purchase a product key or upgraded to Windows 10. Here's how you can check your activation status.

Windows 10 uses activation to verify you have a genuine copy of Windows 10 that's not being used on other devices.

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