Microsoft provides you two options to activate Windows 10, you can either use a digital license or 25 character product key, but it depends on how you got your Windows 10 copy. This might be a bit annoying for you whenever you need to reinstall Windows or transfer the license to another computer. The digital license doesn’t require any product key; without any license, you can’t activate Windows 10. If you want to find Windows 10 product key, follow this guide.
Find Windows 10 Product Key
1. OEM provided Windows 10 Product key
OEM provides product key inside the PC box. You may find your Windows 10 product key inside the box the PC came in, or on a Certificate of Authenticity label attached to your PC. Normally COA label is attached on the back panel of the laptop. If you’re having a problem finding the product key, you can contact the hardware manufacturer team, they will help you to Find Windows 10 Product Key.
Before you do anything you may verify that the hardware you’re using is genuine: Genuine Microsoft Labels
2. Copy of Windows 10 from an Authorized seller
If you had purchased a copy of Windows 10 from an authorized seller, you might have a little box that Windows copy came inside. Inside the box, you can find either a card or label that provides 25 characters product key. If you want, you can note down your key and use it again, but only for 1 PC.
You should verify whether you have the original Windows 10 from an authorized seller. You can check the COA label and other things on the packaging to verify, and for more information, you can read about software packaging.
3. Digital Copy of Windows 10 from an Authorized seller
Digital Copy means you got your Windows using digital resources. If you purchased Windows from an Amazon or Microsoft store. You can find the key in the confirmation email you received from the retailer. Other than this, you can go to the Microsft Store, and under the order history, you can find your digital product license. When you buy anything, a digital copy of the product key is stored in your associated account.
If you have purchased Windows 10 from an Amazon store instead, You can find your product key under the “Your Games and Software Library” in your Amazon account.
4. Free Upgrade to Windows 10
When you upgrade your PC to Windows 10 from Windows 8 or 7, you can always find under the Settings > Update & Security > Activation that Windows is activated with a digital license. You cannot transfer a Digital License to another computer. However, you can download free Windows 10 and install it on your PC.
Find Windows 10 Product Key using PowerShell
Windows 10 comes preinstalled on most computers; It may be possible that OEM didn’t mention the product key on the COA label. However, the product key is stored in motherboard firmware. You can find it running a simple command on the power shell.
- Click the start menu and search PowerShell in the search box. Right-click the PowerShell and run as administrator.
- In the PowerShell Window, paste the following command and hit the enter button.
wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
- This shows the 25 characters’ Windows Product key.
Once you’ve found your Windows 10 product key, you can note down it. To transfer the license key from the old computer to a new one, you have to uninstall the license key first from the old computer, then you can use the license to the new one. Don’t use the key on the pirated Windows version; download and install the latest genuine Windows 10 from the Microsoft website.
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