No matter whether you want to reinstall Windows 10 or transfer your license to another computer — you’ll need your Windows 10 product key. You won’t find it stuck to your device — that hasn’t been the case since Windows 8.1. Read on to learn how to find your Windows 10 product key and how you can tune up your PC with Avira System Speedup.
What is a Windows 10 product key?
A Windows 10 product key consists of a 25-digit alphanumeric code, meaning it can contain both numbers and letters. Your Windows key is used to activate the operating system license you purchased or to license a copy of it. You’ll need to do the latter if you want to transfer a license you’ve purchased from one device to another.
Why do you need a Windows key?
You can often use your Windows computer even without activating Windows 10. Nevertheless, it’s worth activating the product key to use all the system’s features.
- Watermark: Once you activate the Windows 10 product key, the Activate Windows watermark will disappear from the edge of your screen.
- Customizations: You’ll now also have the option to customize your background and system color as well as personalize your PC.
- Bug fixes: In addition to pure looks, there are other reasons why it might be necessary to know your Windows key. Among them, Microsoft might request the product key when troubleshooting.
Likewise, if you want to reactivate Windows 10 on your computer, you’ll need your Windows product key. This may be the case if you’ve tried in vain to recover your Windows password and need to reset your PC. As such, it’s important to keep your product key safe.
Digital license vs. product key: What’s the difference?
If you purchased Windows 10 locally from a store, you can usually find the product key on a label on the box. Occasionally the product key is also stored on a card. Depending on where you purchased the license, you might also find the Windows 10 product key in the follow places:
- Email: If you purchase a Windows 10 product key online, you may find the product key in a purchase confirmation email in your mailbox.
- Retailer website: If you purchased your license online from a retailer, you can usually view it in your customer account on the retailer’s website — including your Windows 10 key.
- Microsoft account: If you purchased a digital copy from the Microsoft website, Microsoft stores the product key in your customer account in the order history section. You’ll also find your product key in the confirmation email once the purchase process has been completed.
After activating Windows 10 on your device, you can also view the product key in your system. This is helpful if you have misplaced the physical copy or can’t find the product key in your email inbox or in your customer account on the retailer’s website.
Follow these simple steps to view your Windows 10 product key in the system
There are a variety of ways to do this. Whether using Command Prompt or the registry file, here are the most common ways.
View your product key using Command Prompt
One of the easiest ways to view your Windows 10 product key is using Command Prompt. To do so, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Open the Windows Run dialog: Press and hold the Windows key and the letter R at the same time to start the Run dialog. In the window that opens, enter cmd, then click OK.
- Enter the command: Now type one of the following commands in the Command Prompt window and then press Enter:
- wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
- PowerShell “(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKe
- View the product key: Windows 10 will then display your 25-character product key in the Command Prompt window.
By the way: Command Prompt allows you to find further information besides the product key. You can even check your file system for errors using the command Check Disk.
View your Windows 10 product key using the registration file
The product key should also be in your registration file. Here’s how to view it.
- Open the Windows Run dialog: Like searching for your key using Command Prompt, first open the Run dialog. To do this, hold down the Windows key and the letter R at the same time. In the window that opens, enter regedit, then click OK.
- Allow changes: User Account Control should now ask if you want to allow the app to make changes to your computer. Confirm this request by clicking Yes.
- Enter the search command: Now enter the following command in the address bar:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
- Double-click BackupProductKeyDefault: Now double-click BackupProductKeyDefault in the folder displayed to view, and copy if necessary, your Windows 10 product key.
Can I transfer my Windows 10 license to another device?
If you buy a new computer, you can transfer your existing Windows 10 license to the new device. All you need to have is the retail version — it’s the only way to transfer the license. This also applies to retail versions of Windows 7 or 8 which you can update to Windows 10. By contrast, OEM licenses are tied to the computer and therefore not transferable. However, they’re not that common as they’re banned in some countries. Unsure which operating system you’re using? Don’t worry: You can use Command Prompt to find your PC specs.
Transfer Windows 10 to a new device
If your version meets the requirements, follow these steps to transfer it to a new device:
- Create a backup: Before transferring the license to a new device, we recommend creating a backup so you don’t lose any data.
- Uninstall license from old device: To remove your Windows 10 license from your old device, open Command Prompt by pressing the Windows and R keys simultaneously. Enter the command slmgr-upk.
- Enter product key on the new device: Now enter your Windows 10 product key on your new device to install the operating system. If you originally purchased Windows 7 or 8 and later updated to Windows 10, first enter the Windows product key for the version you purchased then update to Windows 10 again.
The Windows Modules Installer Worker will perform further system updates automatically. Want to put some extra zip into your PC and free up more hard drive and memory space? You can tune up your computer with Avira System Speedup. This solution also allows you to start your device faster and clean your system and browser.