How to find Windows Product Key using Command Prompt or PowerShell

When you enter, register, and activate your copy of Windows, using a Retail key, the information is stored in the Windows Registry. Users of OEM computers may have noticed that, for a couple of years, the manufacturers have stopped pasting their COA or Certificate of Authenticity sticker, which displayed the Windows product key to the machine anymore. Now this key is embedded in the BIOS/UEFI.

Find Windows Product Key

It is to be noted that a Retail product license is tied to the person whereas the OEM product key is tied to the machine, as per Microsoft Windows Desktop licensing terms. In this post, we will see how to find the original Windows Product Key using Command Prompt or PowerShell, from BIOS or Registry. It works for Retail & OEM licenses too.

Recover Windows product key using Command Prompt

From the WinX Menu in Windows 10 / 8.1, open an elevated command prompt window, type the following command and hit Enter:

Your Windows product key will be displayed.

Get Windows License Key using PowerShell

To find your Windows 10 Product Key, open a PowerShell window with administrative privileges, type the following command and hit Enter:

Your Windows license key will appear! This will work on Windows 10/ 8.1/7/Vista.

In Windows 10, the product key will probably be encrypted, tied to your Microsoft Account and stored by Microsoft in the cloud too.

If you are looking for an easier way, you can also use some free Software Key Finders to recover and save, not just Windows, but even Office, Software, Games serials and license keys.

This post will help you if you want to uninstall the Windows Product Key.

How to recover your Windows product key

Technical Level : Basic

If you are planning to reinstall Windows but you can’t find your product key, this article will show you where and how you can find your product key.

The key could be:

• Printed on a Certificate of Authenticity sticker
• Stored in the Windows Registry
• Embedded in the PC’s UEFI firmware

Note that if you are currently running Windows 10 and wish to reinstall the operating system, you don’t need your product key. After the reinstall, Windows 10 will detect that it has been reinstalled on a previously activated system and will automatically reactivate.

Printed on a Certificate of Authenticity Sticker

If your PC came with Windows 7 or earlier, then your product key will be printed on a COA sticker. This sticker verifies that the computer came with a genuine copy of Windows. You will need to examine your computer to find the sticker. On laptops, it’s usually on the bottom side. On desktops, it could be on the back, sides, or top. It looks something like this:

Embedded in the PC’s UEFI firmware

If you have a newer PC that came with Windows 8 or Windows 10, then your product key likely won’t be on a sticker. Instead, computer manufacturers now embed the key right into the computer’s UEFI firmware. Unlike the COA sticker, the embedded key can’t be smudged off, stolen or erased (easily).

If you want to extract the UEFI key, the process is simple. Open the Start menu, type powershell and then run the program.

Next type the following command in the PowerShell window and hit Enter.

You will be presented with the key in the window.

Stored in the Windows Registry

If your product key isn’t embedded in the firmware or you’re missing your COA sticker, you’re not out of luck as long as you haven’t formatted your computer. You can still recover the key because Windows stores it in the registry. Here is how:

1. Open a new Notepad window

2. Copy and paste the following text into the window

3. Click File > Save As and save the file to your desktop as productkey.vbs. It’s important to include the .vbs extension because this is a Windows Scripting Host file.

4. Close Notepad and double-click the file. Wait a few seconds, and then you will be presented with a popup displaying your product key:

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Comments

Windows is funny. My win10 died and I put old win 7 64bit on that HDD and used the product key from the install CD. Worked fine but I found out that it was the actual HDD which was damaged. So I bought new HDD, put new clean install of win 7 from the same CD and… the product key which worked on the old HDD yesterday didn’t work on the new HDD today (same installation from the same CD. Don’t understand it.)
Nevertheless, the first key from here (6RBBT-F8VPQ-QCPVQ-KHRB8-RMV82) worked just fine. So, I have no clue what’s the deal, but it works now and I’m happy. Thanks for the codes

Windows 7 Home Premium Product Key Serial Keys 2016

2V36J-4RK8B-GW27Q-4DXPG-RQP78 none of this work it a clean install to used a upgrad home premiuum

Can we perform windows update after using these keys??

exactly the same prob with mee too

All of the keys for Windows 7 Ultimate does not work for my PC…Pls help me

HODFJASDLKFG;SAD THESE CODES WORK HOW DO THEY WORK HOWWWWWWWWWWW IT WORKED OMG

7YWX9-W3C2V-D46GW-P722P-9CP4D
this worked for me

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Comments

thanks a ton.. it worked for my cd whose paswd i was missiong….

Yeah it’s work thnx bro😁😎😄

thank s for everythings

no the message wasn’t like this… they said this product key doesn’t available…
something like this was shown.
but now i have been renew my window.
for further use can u tell me how can i use these product keys?

if it was showing this message: «windows is activated with digital license linked to your Microsoft account» then you can still regain your product key otherwise not.

YES
my Microsoft account was linked with my laptop

My laptop not able to access above any key. error it showing key has been blocked.

Thank u so much ….IT WORKED for me
WINDOWS 8.1
🙂

have you ever link any Microsoft account with your pc/laptop?

my laptop ask for product key and previous one shows 9D6T9 these last figures…. I ve been tried all of the above but they didnt work…. how can i regain my window??

Han Sahi Hai, Dhanywad….

only serial no is changed by above key

My laptop not able to access above any key. error it showing key has been blocked.

Thanks it works good

Please reinstall your version of windows and use one of the product key above…it should work

my laptop ask for product key and previous one shows 9D6T9 as the last digits of my key. I have try all the ones here but non is working

my pc shows that the activation server determined that the product could not be activated with error:0xC004B100

My laptop showing error product key it’s showing *****CYQG3

My laptop showing error product key it’s showing *****CRYQH

Sir, you are super genious, and you so much it work great for me.10/10

nothing of these keys work with me what is the solution of this problem ?

None worked for me. Tried every single one. 🙁

the keys Didn’t working how can i activate my window 8.1 🙁

Did you find a solution?

product key for windows 8.1 pro and home?

my laptop ask for product key and previous one shows 6XWKK these last figures…. I ve been tried all of the above but they didnt work…. how can i regain my window??

My windows is pro version..
Windows 8.1 Pro Activation key – GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9

Thank gan…
Its works…
Thanks thanks thanks..

My pc is showing error 0xC004F074 what key can i use to activate windows 8 pro plz.

Thanks, this key is very work 😀

Thanks product key Windows pro, Working

help please i need 8.1 pro key

I used this key
GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9 windows 8.1 Pro
And it didn’t work for me.

My laptop with Windows 8 9200 has a product key: *****-9D6T9
GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9 TRIED BUT NOT MATCH, ANY OTHER KEY WITH 9D6T9….

My laptop with Windows 8 9200 has a product key: *****-CWCK7

Try This one: GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9

My laptop with windows 8 pro has a product key showing *****CRYQH.
Please, help me out with a product key

i am still using windows pro 8. How can i download or upgrade to windows 8.1 or 10

Hi, I have Windows 8.1 I need a product key for it but can’t find one that works. please could someone that has one share it with me? the last digits of my old one is 6XWKK, unfortunately this site only gives product keys for 8.1 PRO/HOME/SINGLE LANGUAGE. PLEASE HELP.

it worked out for me.
Thanks

My current version for Windows 8.1 Enterprise 64 is *******MKKG7.. some body help in getting correct key

this my laptop windows Current Product key. *****- V8P66 .
plz help me

windows 8.1 pro N 64
pls help

Yay it worked thank u so much!🙌

Current Product key. *****-9D6T9
windows 8.Pro, all keys are not working..
please help 🙁

Hello could you pliz help me too, mine is showing ***-3C73G

Why can’t work in my laptop?

My laptop with windows 8 pro has a product key showing *****3667B.
Please, help me out with a product key

my windows 8.1pro have this end key with xxxxx-9D6T9 no other key is working

please help me with my activation …. my key ends with J8D3P

100% work thanks 😁

please help me with my activation …. my key ends with J8D3P

plz help me my product key also ends with CRYQH and window 8 build 9200

My Pc Says Your windows update 8.1 for new features but don’t have a product key so plzzz give a product key or suggest me a working product key…

my windows 8.1prof have this end key with xxxxx-9D6T9 no other key is working

please help me with my activation …. my key ends with CRYQH

Hi, before I go into the 3 options of my 8.1 system in the Restore and Update section will it ask me for a product key while it goes into to resetting windows? as this lap top is over 3 yrs. old and I presume if I had registered sooner would it have automatically given me a active product key? Where it say Basic information About Your Computer at the bottom It shows a product Key no: but it its only 20 digits long? And then at the right hand side of the page it says Change your product key will one of the above keys shown here do the trick! mine is a 64bit x64 based system Anyone?

Thanks it work =HMCNV-VVBFX-7HMBH-CTY9B-B4FXY

please help me with my activation …. my key ends with 6XWKK

My laptop Windows 8 os current product key *****-CYQG3 please sir windows active key give me sir

hello, i need product key for my laptop Dell, i had try but it didn’t work, please help me. Current Product key is:*****-CRYQH, windows Pro 32 bit

Thank you so much.. it’s working x-) x-)

Plz admin help me my HP PC with Windows 8 pro doesn’t work with any of the keys

My Laptop is HP Windows 8 PRO.. Present key ****HH3G7 KINDLY HELP ME …THANKS

HP WINDOW 8 PRO… KINDLY PROVIDE THE KEY… THANKS

Windows 7 Product Keys 100% Working Serial Keys [2020]

What’s Special About Windows 7?

Window 7 Product Keys Serial Key [2020]

Windows 7 Professional Product Key 2020

Comments

Windows is funny. My win10 died and I put old win 7 64bit on that HDD and used the product key from the install CD. Worked fine but I found out that it was the actual HDD which was damaged. So I bought new HDD, put new clean install of win 7 from the same CD and… the product key which worked on the old HDD yesterday didn’t work on the new HDD today (same installation from the same CD. Don’t understand it.)
Nevertheless, the first key from here (6RBBT-F8VPQ-QCPVQ-KHRB8-RMV82) worked just fine. So, I have no clue what’s the deal, but it works now and I’m happy. Thanks for the codes

Windows 7 Home Premium Product Key Serial Keys 2016

2V36J-4RK8B-GW27Q-4DXPG-RQP78 none of this work it a clean install to used a upgrad home premiuum

Can we perform windows update after using these keys??

exactly the same prob with mee too

All of the keys for Windows 7 Ultimate does not work for my PC…Pls help me

HODFJASDLKFG;SAD THESE CODES WORK HOW DO THEY WORK HOWWWWWWWWWWW IT WORKED OMG

7YWX9-W3C2V-D46GW-P722P-9CP4D
this worked for me