- Windows 10 retail/digital product key and activation: If you bought retail license of Windows 10, or got a digital product key either from Windows Store, MSDN, DreamSpark, TechNet and the likes, you obviously have a unique product key that you can enter in Windows setup during clean installations.
- If you bought a new PC running Windows 10, the product key will be pre–installed on your PC and your PC will automatically be activated, included with the packaging the PC came in, or included on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the PC. I would assume it is in the box the Surface Book came in.
Have you lost or misplaced your Windows 10 product key? Bought a new PC with Windows 10 preinstalled but with product key sticker missing? Don't worry! Depending on how you got a genuine copy of Windows 10, here are different ways to find Windows 10 product key.
Method 1: Check COA Sticker or Email
If you bought a physical copy of Windows 10, the product key should either be on a card inside the box, or a sticker on the DVD sleeve. It should look a lot like the image you see here.
If you purchased a digital copy of Windows 10 directly from Microsoft or Amazon with no disc or packaging, your product key will be within the confirmation email that came when you placed the order. Try searching your email for your order history, and you might find the key.
Although software makers use different methods to achieve this goal, one common approach involves asking the user to type in a product key or serial number, which is the case for both Microsoft. Every legally copy of Windows has a unique product key, and the product key consists of 25 letters and numbers, in groups of 5, separated by hyphens. Once you've recovered the lost Windows 10 product key, make sure you store the product key securely and it will always come in handy later. Serial number: Identifies your specific HP product. You need this number to service the notebook, find warranty status, or work with HP Customer Support. To learn how to find your serial number, go to HP PCs, Printers - Finding the Serial Number. Normally this product key is located on the original install disc, or maybe in your order confirmation email. If you've lost your product key, you can often find it in the Windows Registry but this can be difficult, or sometimes even impossible, to do.
If you upgraded to Windows 10 for free from Windows 8 / 7, you should have a digital license instead of a product key. Just open the Settings app and head to Update & Security ->Activation, you should see 'Windows is activated with a digital license' or 'Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account.'
You can link a Microsoft account with the digital license by clicking 'Add a Microsoft Account' on the bottom of the same Activation page. So after re-installing Windows 10, sign-in with the same Microsoft account. Windows will get activated automatically without a code.
Method 2: Find Windows 10 Product Key with CMD or PowerShell
Product Serial Key Finder
If you purchased a new computer with Windows 10 preinstalled, you will no longer see a sticker on the back or top of the machine. Instead, the product key has been embedded into your PC's UEFI firmware. To retrieve the product key, open the Command Prompt and run this command:
Or open Windows PowerShell and type this following:
Method 3: Recover Windows 10 Product Key with KeyFinder Plus
Still couldn't locate your Windows 10 product key using the above methods? Try the KeyFinder Plus program which can recover both UEFI-embedded OEM key as well as the retail product key from your activated copy of Windows 10 system.
After launching KeyFinder Plus, click on the Start Recovery button and it will give you options to recover product keys from local machine, external hard drive or network PC. Just select the first option and the program will quickly delve into the registry / UEFI firmware, and come up with the product keys for Windows, Office and other software that you have installed.
![Key Key](https://oksoftwares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/microsoft-office-product-key.jpg)
Conclusion
Losing Windows 10 product key does not mean you have to purchase the license again, as most of the time you can recover it using the above methods. If you know other ways of quickly finding lost Windows 10 product key, do not hesitate to share them with us.
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Related Articles
Almost all applications and programs rely on a CD or product key for use. The CD key is a string of letters and numbers that authorizes the use of a specific application. During installation, an application often asks and prompts you for the key before proceeding with the install. To make it easy, manufacturers typically include the CD key on a sticker for reference. If you lost the sticker or piece of paper with your CD key, browse the contents and folders of your CD to find the key.
Insert the CD into the optical drive of your computer.
Click your desktop's “Start” menu in the lower-left corner of the screen.
![Free serials and product keys Free serials and product keys](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125311695/459574367.jpg)
Click “Computer.”
Microsoft Office 2007 Product Serial Key
Right-click the CD drive under the list of available drives and click “Open.” The contents of the CD are displayed.
Browse the folders and files of the CD for the license or product key. Each application stores the product key in a different location. Consult the user manual of the specific application or operating system you are trying to access for the exact location of the product key. Some licenses and product keys may be displayed in the root folder under a .lic file extension.
Finding Product Key For Office
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