Windows 10 get key powershell

Knowing how to find a Windows 10 product key is essential for software activation, reinstallation, and technical support across your organization. This guide outlines simple ways to retrieve your product keys using built-in system tools, external software, and direct support channels, ensuring you can activate and maintain your systems with ease.

Check out our video version of this blog post: How to Find your Windows 10 Product Key [Video]

With tools like command prompt (CMD), PowerShell, and third-party software, you can easily locate your Windows activation key. Let’s look at each of these methods in detail.

How to find a Windows 10 product key with Command Prompt

To find your Windows 10 license key using Command Prompt, you can use a simple command that reads the product key stored in your computer’s BIOS or UEFI firmware. Here’s how to do it:

1. Access Command Prompt:

• Press the Windows key + S to open the search bar.
• Type “cmd” into the search bar.
• Right-click on the Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator” to ensure you have the necessary permissions.

2. Enter the command:

• Once the Command Prompt window is open, type or copy and paste the following command to find the Windows 10 key using CMD: wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
• Press Enter. The command queries your system for the Microsoft product key associated with your Windows installation.

3. View your product key:

• After pressing Enter, the system will process the command.
• The 25-digit Windows 10 product key will be displayed in the Command Prompt window.

How to find a Windows 10 product key with PowerShell

Here’s how to find a product key in Windows 10 using a PowerShell script that extracts this information from your system registry.

1. Open PowerShell with administrative privileges:

• Press the Windows key and type “PowerShell”.
• Right-click on the PowerShell app and select “Run as administrator” to ensure you have the necessary permissions.

2. Enter the command:

• In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter to find the Windows 10 key using PowerShell: (Get-WmiObject -query 'select * from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey
• This command queries your system for the Microsoft product key associated with your Windows installation.

After executing the command, your Windows 10 product key will be displayed in the PowerShell window.

How to find a Windows 10 product key with third-party tools

Finding your Windows 10 product key using third-party tools is helpful if the previous methods don’t work. The following are some options that can help you retrieve your Windows activation key:

Belarc Advisor

This tool not only finds your Microsoft product key but also provides a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware. It does not offer a security score for Windows 10, but its automatic updates ensure you get the latest information about your system.

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder

This Microsoft key finder can locate product keys for Windows, Office, and other programs, making it highly versatile. But be cautious, as some antivirus programs may flag it as potential malware.

LicenseCrawler

This is a portable tool that does not require installation and is capable of identifying license keys for numerous applications. Since it’s portable, you can carry it on a USB stick and use it across multiple devices without installation.

How to find a Windows 10 product key with other methods

Sometimes the simplest answer is the right answer. Let’s look at how to find a Microsoft product key for Windows 10 without technical tools.

Check your purchase materials

If you purchased Windows 10 directly from Microsoft or an authorized retailer, the product key might be found in a few different places:

• Email confirmation — look for emails from Microsoft or the retailer around the time of purchase.
• Retail receipt — the product key might be printed on the sales receipt or on a card provided at the time of purchase.
• Physical packaging — the product key is usually on a label or card inside the box.

Contact Microsoft Support

If you cannot find your Windows activation key using the above methods, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for help. Have your purchase details ready, such as the order number, any relevant email addresses used during purchase, and details of where and when you bought the software.

Go to the Microsoft Support website and enter “Windows 10 product key” in the search bar. If you can’t find specific help through the articles, you can use the “Contact Us” option to speak with a support agent.

If you decide to speak with a support representative, provide any evidence of purchase you have. The support agent will guide you through the steps you can take and may be able to retrieve the Windows 10 license key for you once you prove the purchase.

What is a Microsoft product key?

A Microsoft product key is a unique 25-character code, essential for activating Windows operating systems, including Windows 10. This alphanumeric sequence plays a pivotal role in verifying the legitimacy of your software.

Why would you need your Microsoft product key?

Knowing how to find a Windows 10 product key is important for a few reasons:

• Activation: The most common use of the product key is to activate Microsoft software. Activation verifies that each employee’s copy of the software is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow.
• Reinstallation: If you need to reinstall Microsoft software for a team member, you might be required to enter the product key again. This is especially true if you are reinstalling Windows after a hardware change or system crash.
• Support and services: Knowing how to find a Windows 10 product key can be helpful if you need technical support from Microsoft. It serves as proof of purchase and identifies the specific product version you have.
• Upgrading: If you are upgrading your company’s Microsoft software to a newer version, you might need your product key to complete the upgrade process, depending on the type of installation and upgrade path you choose.

Overall, a Windows activation key is a critical component for managing the legitimacy and usage rights of Microsoft software.

Other important information about your Windows 10 license key

When managing your Windows 10 product keys, remember that each key is unique and tied specifically to each employee’s hardware and version of Windows. If you upgrade your organization’s hardware significantly, you may need to reactivate Windows on each device.

Also keep in mind that license keys are different for retail, OEM, and volume licenses, so understanding your license type is crucial, especially when transferring or upgrading your systems. Always store your product key in a secure location, as losing it could complicate future software reinstalls or upgrades.

If you are manually tracking and storing your organization’s Windows 10 product keys, let NinjaOne take this task and many more off your plate. NinjaOne can automatically identify, collect, and monitor critical IT asset information, including product keys. Start your free trial today.

If you are trying to reinstall your Windows 10, it’s possible that you’ll be stuck at some point due to the lost Windows product key. However, using some simple methods that involve PowerShell, Command Prompt, and Windows Registry, you can easily find Windows 10 product key.

These methods are a lifesaver for every Windows user, especially, the ones running Windows 7 and Windows 8 as well. They just need a couple of steps. I, personally, find it hard to understand why Microsoft makes the process to find Windows 10 product key so difficult. It could only be explained with the assumption that Microsoft doesn’t want you to use Windows keys from older computers.

After you install Windows operating system on your computer and activate it, Microsoft stores it in Windows Registry–something that’s impossible for humans to read. Nowadays, Microsoft has also stopped putting Certificate of Authority stickers on machines, which showed Windows keys.

Do you really need a product key?

Картинка с сайта: fossbytes.com

As you know, Windows 10 is the latest version that Microsoft wants to install on every machine. One major change that came was ‘Digital License,’ i.e., you don’t have any 25-digit product key to activate Windows 10 after you reinstall it.

Windows 10 now activates itself automatically using the digital license tied to your Microsoft account. This method is mostly followed by OEMs who preload Windows 10 on their laptops and still.

Still, there could be other reasons why you might want to extract the product key on your Windows PC.

Product Key Vs Product ID: Difference

It’s easy to confuse Product Key with Product ID and vice versa. But it’s important to know that both are different. A product key is your 25-digit Window’s activation key whereas the product ID is a 20-digit number that is used to know what Windows product you’re using—if you’re using Windows 10/8/7 and if it’s Home, Pro, or Enterprise edition.

There are three ways to find Window’s License key—Using the Windows PowerShell, Command Prompt, and Windows Registry.

How to find Windows License key using PowerShell?

To get back Windows serial key using Windows PowerShell, you need to open a new PowerShell with administrative permissions. Now, type the following commands and press enter.

powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"

This method will now promptly show you your Windows 11, 10, 8.1, or 7 product key.

How to recover Windows 10 product key using Command Prompt?

This method to recover Windows product key using CMD is very simple. All you need to do is fire up a Command Prompt window with the administrator rights. To do this, search for cmd in the Windows search bar and right-click to choose the elevated permissions option.

Now, type the following command in Command Prompt and hit enter.

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Картинка с сайта: fossbytes.com

This step will promptly show your Windows key. Note that this method also works for OEM and Retail licenses.

Using Windows Registry method

To go ahead with this method, you need to boot into your Windows computer. Now, using a simple VBScript–some of you might have seen it on Microsoft forums–you can read all the binary gibberish written in Windows Registry. This script translates the Registry values into a readable format.

So, just copy and paste the following script in a Notepad window and save it as “productkey.vbs” by choosing the “All Files” option in “Save as type.”

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId"))

Function ConvertToKey(Key)
Const KeyOffset = 52
i = 28
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Do
Cur = 0
x = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur
Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) And 255
Cur = Cur Mod 24
x = x -1
Loop While x >= 0
i = i -1
KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput
If (((29 - i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then
i = i -1
KeyOutput = "-" & KeyOutput
End If
Loop While i >= 0
ConvertToKey = KeyOutput
End Function

Картинка с сайта: fossbytes.com

After saving this file, just click on it and a new popup window will show your Windows product key in the registry. You can copy or note this down somewhere to use it later.

If these methods don’t solve your problem, you need to contact Microsoft Support or your OEM for Windows activation. You can also use some third-party software to recover your license key. If you’ve got the Windows key but need Windows installation media, feel free to visit our ‘legal’ Windows download guide.

Alternate Ways To Find Windows 10 Product Key

If you are familiar with a Windows product key, you might know that it’s a 25-character alphanumeric code that’s used to activate the Windows operating system. It looks something like this.

PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Sometimes, your Windows key could be located or printed in plain sight. Here are a few ways to find Windows keys by just looking around.

This method works better for Windows 7 Windows 8/8.1 as they rely on an actual product key than a license.

1. Using A Third-Party App

One of the best apps to find out your Windows 10/8/7 product key is ShowKeyPlus. It’s easy to use and doesn’t take much time. All you need to do to use it is.

1. Head over to the tool’s official GitHub repository and download its zip file.

2. Once the download finishes, extract the contents and head over to the ShowKeyPlus folder.

3. Double-clicking on the ShowKeyPlus.exe file will show you your product key.

Картинка с сайта: fossbytes.com

2. Windows key on sticker/label:

When you buy a new PC, it comes pre-activated. It’s possible that you don’t need to open your command prompt or play with Windows Registry. Your Windows key could be there right in front of you on a Certificate of Authority (COA) sticker on your computer or included in the original packaging.

Картинка с сайта: fossbytes.com

If you bought the PC from an authorized Microsoft retailer, you need to find the Windows product key on a label inside the PC box.

The COA sticker on your computer verifies the authenticity of your Windows computer. It could also be found under the battery if it’s removable. If you own a desktop PC, you’ll spot the COA sticker on the side of the desktop case.

3. Windows key in an email from Microsoft

Just in case you bought your Windows copy from Microsoft’s website, you can find your Windows product key in an email from Microsoft guys. The company sends a confirmation mail after you complete the purchase.

4. Find Windows key in PC’s UEFI firmware

These days, OEMs ship computers using a new Windows activation method. Instead of providing a physical Windows key, they store it in your computer’s UEFI firmware or BIOS. So, if you know which version of Windows you are running, you can reinstall the same version, and it’ll activate automatically–without the need to enter a key.

Similarly, you don’t need a key if you wish to upgrade your legal and activated Windows 7 or 8.1 computer. Microsoft will activate your Windows copy on its own, and you’ll receive a digital entitlement for Windows instead of a key.

Conclusion

So, that was how you can find out your Windows product key in a jiffy. The Command Prompt and PowerShell methods should work well, but if they don’t work, ShowKeyPlus is also an option.

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